U!REKA European University turned two years: what has been achieved so far
The first two years of U!REKA European University, coordinated by Metropolia UAS, have resulted in strategic decisions and initiatives that strengthen partners’ transnational collaboration, improve their education, research, and innovations, and offer students more opportunities to learn and engage internationally.
U!REKA celebrates its first two years as a European University. The alliance has set ambitious goals for its first term and succeeded in implementing them through seamless collaboration.
The status of a European University enables and requires commitment and joint efforts in building a transnational community. In Metropolia, for example, U!REKA has been deeply embedded in the strategy, and a joint flagship sustainability course has been integrated into the curricula of all bachelor students. Since autumn 2025, this “Sustainability in Urban European Context” course has already been completed by over 1,800 Metropolia students, giving them vital transnational perspectives on sustainability.
By 2026, U!REKA has launched a joint course catalogue of more than 50 courses related to green, digital, and transversal skills. In addition, 25 blended intensive programmes (BIPs), 14 collaborative online international leaning courses (COILs), various hackathons and internship placements have been jointly offered to expand international learning opportunities and to enhance students’ work life readiness in a constantly evolving global landscape.
Student input strengthens collaboration
Student perspectives are important for all U!REKA activities. To ensure that the voice of students is heard, the alliance has a Student Council, which has student representatives from each partner university. Two of these representatives also belong to the U!REKA Steering Committee, giving them full voting rights in the highest governance body of the alliance.
The Student Council has enabled more exchange of thoughts and made an impact on how alliance activities are planned and implemented. Most recently, students contributed to the revision of the alliance partnership criteria, making sure that the democratic selection of student representatives is a requirement for new partner institutions.
“Being a student representative in a transnational Student Council offers so many new opportunities. We can exchange best practices between local student unions, establish new connections, learn more about the European Union and European higher education projects, and improve our working life competences,” tells Lari Koskinen, a student representative of Metropolia in U!REKA’s Student Council and a member of the U!REKA Steering Committee.
U!REKA projects involve cities, regions and working life partners
U!REKA has 10 EU projects where partners collaborate with stakeholders to promote European high-quality education, inclusion and path to climate-neutral and smart cities. For example, together with local and regional stakeholders, partners develop positive energy districts in cities to counteract climate change and in another project nature-based solutions to tackle extreme weather and biodiversity loss.
“There are also several U!REKA projects to foster new study opportunities for students related to green transition and innovation. In one of the projects, we co-design a joint degree program in which the students will study in three different partner universities supporting businesses to get the future professionals they need,” tells Mona Roman, Lead Coordinator of U!REKA European University and Research Director at Metropolia.
Further information
Mona Roman
Lead Coordinator of U!REKA European University
Research Director
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences