There is a popular saying: “third time is the charm.” And that was the case with KreativEU – Knowledge & Creativity European University. João Freitas Coroado, President of the Polytechnic of Tomar – the lead institution in this consortium that brings together European higher education institutions – explains that this project has been in development for over three years, becoming a reality after the third submission for European Union funding.
The mission of this alliance is to connect the 11 partner institutions and their surrounding regions through tangible and intangible heritage, offering training initiatives and strengthening ties across diverse realities within the European Union. The ultimate goal is to build a truly European university, placing the creative potential of Europe cultural heritage at the center of its teaching activities, with a strong commitment to transforming the study of culture, identity, memory, and heritage for the benefit of society. According to the President of the consortium, the foundation is being planned with "a wide menu of training opportunities that allows the mobility of students, academic staff and also technical/administrative employees".
Since the initial concept of the project, the consortium’s composition has evolved. The first application received a score that fell “below the minimum for a Seal of Excellence and funding,” which required a full revision. The revised submission addressed all feedback received and welcomed seven new partner institutions into KreativEU. Strengthening the partnership was a key priority, and to achieve this, João Freitas Coroado recalls that general meetings were held at each partner institution’s headquarters, helping everyone to get to know each other better and prepare the proposal together.
As a result, the second application received a much more positive evaluation: the European Commission awarded it a Seal of Excellence. However, further progress was still needed to secure funding. Once again, the feedback provided valuable direction. Responding to the suggestion to expand the alliance, four universities from Northern Europe were invited to join, boosting the project’s overall prestige. Following a round of visits to the new partners, the proposal was revised and improved, resulting in a new submission — which was finally positive for funding.
Therefore, KreativEU was officially launched with 11 partner institutions, forming a network grounded in Knowledge (connected the “K” at the beginning of the name). In this first phase, “the funding we receive through KreativEU is mainly for organisation and mobility matters,” explains the President. It is important to note that the funding does not cover research activities directly, but “the partnerships created will naturally help future project development.”
The President of KreativEU explains that this pilot phase, running until 2028, also serves to consolidate the relationships between partners. This will be followed by a second phase, in which the alliance will be formally established as an association. The third and final phase aims, by 2034, to the full creation of a European University.
Heritage as a starting point
Heritage is the main idea that unites the institutions of KreativEU. The President of KreativEU explains that it is not necessary for all partners to offer academic programmes specifically in this field. What truly matters is “the heritage context of the regions in which they are located.” João Coroado emphasizes that the goal is “to promote and understand the heritage of each institution and their respective regions,” in order to “contribute as a group to the development of the European Union ideal.”
In terms of structure and organisation, the President of KreativEU ensures that careful attention was given to guaranteeing that all partners have a seat in the management bodies and take on responsibilities within the various committees and work packages. On that note, there is a shared governance model based on collaboration from all institutions.
In the future, there are plans to expand the consortium to include other countries. The ambition is also to go beyond being just a space for knowledge sharing, training, and research. The plan is for all partners to involve innovative companies from their respective regions, creating strong links with local and national economies. João Coroado also hopes to strengthen ties between regions through cooperation between local authorities — for example, the Municipality of Tomar has already established a twinning partnership with Târgoviște, Romania.
Finally, possible expansion of the consortium remains high on the list of priorities. The President would like to see the network become even more representative of the European Union’s diverse realities. For this reason, he hopes that higher education institutions from countries such as the Baltic States, Spain, Belgium, and France will join KreativEU in the future.