HES-SO participates in the UNITA University Alliance, advancing Swiss presence in European academic collaboration.
Since 2018, the European Universities Initiative (EUI) has been driving greater collaboration across Europe’s higher education landscape. It aims to strengthen ties between institutions and build transnational academic communities. Within this framework, several Swiss higher education institutions are participating in alliances. The Haute Ecole Spécialisée de Suisse Occidentale (HES-SO) joined forces with 11 other universities in the UNITA-Universitas Montium, an alliance launched in 2020 by six founding institutions from Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Romania. UNITA brings together universities rooted in rural, mountainous and cross-border regions of Southern, Western and Central-Eastern Europe, areas that often face shared structural challenges due to their position at the edges of economic and geographic centres. A distinctive feature of the alliance is its common foundation in Romance languages, fostering deeper cultural and linguistic ties among its members. This cultural and geographic grounding shapes UNITA’s mission, fostering cooperation that is not only transnational, but also deeply connected to the local realities and identities of its communities.
UNITA welcomes HES-SO
In 2022, the UNITA alliance expanded to 12 members, welcoming its first non-EU institutions: the Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (Ukraine) and HES-SO (Switzerland). Thanks to the support from Movetia, HES-SO has been able to actively participate in the Erasmus+ funded European project since 2023. UNITA also contributes to broader collaboration through its involvement in the FOREU4ALL initiative. In particular, HES-SO is involved through UNITA in the lifelong learning sub-group, which deals with micro-credentials among other activities. For HES-SO, joining UNITA was a strategic move. When the European Commission opened the door to non-EU participation in 2022, the university of applied sciences and arts seized the opportunity to stay engaged in the evolving European higher education landscape. Participation in the alliance has served as a project accelerator, helping HES-SO remain connected to key developments, such as the rollout of Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) and maintain a strong presence within European cooperation frameworks according to Laurent Dutoit, Head of Academic Services at HES-SO.
Shared vision: values and priorities
UNITA represents today 250 000 students and 21 000 staff members. Besides the identity aspect that members share, UNITA is built around six key thematic priorities, six scientific hubs, as members call them, that reflect both global and regional challenges: green energy, cultural heritage, circular economy, inclusive societies, digital transition, and global health. The goal of the scientific hubs is to link the scientific communities from the different institutions on several types of activities structured around these key topics.
Through its participation in UNITA, HES-SO has access to and offers a wide range of opportunities for its students and staff to engage in mobility and collaboration. Students can take part in traditional exchanges, virtual mobility, rural mobility (such as internships in rural institutions and companies) – one of the key features of UNITA – and BIPs that combine short-term physical stays with virtual learning components. For staff, the alliance supports mobility and job shadowing activities, allowing academic and administrative staff to exchange best practices across institutions. In addition, matching events hosted by member universities help foster new collaborations and joint projects, creating networking and development opportunities. Since 2023, the matching events brought together close to 1’000 people from all the universities of the alliance. Each hub organises at least one matching event.
Although not an Erasmus+ programme country, Switzerland participates in the European Universities Initiative as an associated partner, which allows institutions like HES-SO to engage fully in the alliance’s activities. For HES-SO, this collaboration provides a vital space to exchange ideas, learn from experienced institutions and remain embedded in the European academic landscape. As Laurent Dutoit puts it, joining UNITA ensures that HES-SO has a seat at the table, actively shaping and contributing to ongoing European developments.
UNITA’s six scientific hubs form the backbone of its academic collaboration. HES-SO is not only involved in all six hubs but also co-leads the Global Health hub, reflecting its strong expertise in this area. Many opportunities, such as the matching events, have helped spark ideas for new formats like summer schools and BIPs tailored to the alliance’s thematic priorities. As a further boost, each hub also launched a starting grant to support collaborative projects. Since joining, HES-SO has participated in all hubs and each has already submitted successful project proposals.
Student and staff engagement: a positive response
The collaboration is not limited to institutional strategy, students and staff alike have responded positively. The UNITA Student Assembly, which brings together student representatives from across the alliance, has reported very positive feedback. The alliance activities format appeal to a broad academic audience. While they are particularly valuable for young researchers, they also attract more experienced staff. For HES-SO, this flexible approach has made the alliance a valuable source of growth and meaningful European cooperation across all levels of the institution.
The road ahead for UNITA
UNITA continues to grow as a model for inclusive and decentralised higher education cooperation. Its structure and mission show how meaningful academic collaboration can thrive beyond centralised and urban settings, and across EU and non-EU borders. In 2026, the alliance plans to launch advanced grants to support the next stage of collaborative research. Meanwhile, rural mobility is beginning to take shape and this year marks the first time that HES-SO is organising rural mobility placements; a short-term goal is to ensure that HES-SO students also benefit from these mobilities. HES-SO bridges Swiss expertise with European partners and stands ready to deepen its activities as the alliance grows.
The following higher education institutions are part of the UNITA Alliance: Universidade da Beira Interior, Instituto Politécnico da Guarda, Universidad Pública de Navarra, Universidad de Zaragoza, Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, Università di Torino, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Universitatea de Vest din Timisoara, Universitatea Transilvania din Brasov, UNITA GEIE (Legal Entity), Haute Ecole Spécialisée de Suisse Occidentale, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University in Ukraine