Aug 1985

Invitations sent to European ambassadors to name Universities to Louvain

In 1985, the International Relations Office at Université catholique de Louvain was celebrating its 20th anniversary and had an inspired idea: invite other universities to come together, collaborate, and dream big. The invitation letters were sent via ambassadors to the European Communities (later, the European Union).

The letter to the ambassadors specifically invited them to establish contacts to rectors of comprehensive universities (including a Faculty of Medicine); big universities in small cities (like Louvain-la-Neuve and Leuven); foundation date comparable to that of Louvain – XV century; comparable number of students – 15 to 30.000.

Oct 1985

Initial meeting in Louvain-la-Neuve/Leuven to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the university’s IR office

That initial meeting sparked something extraordinary. A network of like-minded institutions was born—one that would grow and thrive over the next four decades. Today, we know it as the Coimbra Group, a leading voice in European and global higher education.

May 1986

New meeting in Coimbra, which named the cooperation network after its host university

Following on from the meeting in Louvain-la-Neuve/Leuven a meeting was held in Coimbra on 29-30 May 1986, at which it was decided to name the cooperation network after its host university. Joint projects were discussed, among them exchanges of choirs and orchestras, summer courses for North American students at CG universities, and joint student exchanges.
The 21 founding members of the network were: Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Università di Siena, Universidad de Salamanca, Université de Poitiers, Università di Pavia, University of Oxford, Université catholique de Louvain, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leiden University, Heidelberg University, Universidad de Granada, University of Göttingen, University of Galway, University of Edinburgh, Trinity College Dublin, Universidade de Coimbra, University of Cambridge, Université de Caen, ,Università di Bologna & Aarhus University

Sept 1986

First General Assembly in Aarhus decided to establish a legal entity named the Coimbra Group

The CG started to prepare networks to support student mobility based on a protocol on academic cooperation established at the Aarhus meeting.  Participating Universities decided that common activities would focus in student and teaching staff mobility. The Group also discussed ways in which to influence European policies and support the efforts to establish a Europe-wide student exchange programme. As the ERASMUS programme was to be approved shortly, this became very relevant.

The Movement of Students Aiming at Integration of the Coimbra Group (MOSAIC) was founded, after two members of the Students’ Association in Coimbra invited other Coimbra Group students. Its goal was to provide valuable support to professors and other staff members who develop student mobility attitudes and activities.

Nov 1986

Conference in Leuven supported adoption of the Erasmus Programme

The University of Leuven organised a conference of rectors in late November 1986 at which thirty universities were represented, half of them from the Coimbra Group. The meeting concluded with a telegram to Ministers of Education encouraging them to support the adoption of the Community student exchange programme. The Erasmus Programme was finally adopted in 1987.

September 1987

Founding charter signed in Pavia

The General Assembly in 1987 was held in Pavia, where the founding charter of the Coimbra Group was signed by nineteen universities. The Executive Committee was renamed Steering Committee with an added representative from Pavia (Gabriele Crespi Reghizzi)

Autumn 1987

Seminars to support Erasmus Programme collaborations

During 1987, and in particular following a conference in Bologna in June 1987 to further encourage universities to support efforts to establish the Erasmus Programme, and on the basis of the discussions and decisions at the Pavia meeting, seminars for deans and senior lecturers were organised in a number of areas of interest to the CG members (law, economics and the humanities). The aim was to build on and extend existing collaboration at the same time as extending student services at the participating universities to cater for students coming from abroad. Seminars supported by ERASMUS were organised in Siena and Würzburg in the late autumn of 1987 in time for applications covering the academic year 1988-89 to be submitted to the new Erasmus Programme.

End 1987

Beginning of Circulos Europeos

Collaboration with Latin American universities started with a pilot project at the end of 1987 when Simon-Pierre Nothomb obtained funding from the European Commission to launch a pilot project to strengthen relations with Latin American alumni of European universities to create alumni groups (Circulos Europeos).
The European circles in Latin America are alumni networks of former Latin American students or trainees at European universities. At a point there were 18 such circulos in 12 different Latin American countries, comprising a membership of some 40,000 alumni. The circles organised conferences, colloquia, seminars and cultural activities related to European topics. The Coimbra Group did not perceive the circulos only as an instrument to promote Europe and its academia in Latin America, but also as a means of furthering Latin American integration, along the lines of the European model.

January 1988

Meeting in Salamanca of CG representatives to discuss (among others) the draft of the Magna Charta Universitatum

Delegates included Professor Caputo from Bologna, vice-rector and one of the promoters of the charter laying down the fundamental principles governing universities and their relation to society. A number of translations of the charter were prepared by the CG following the Salamanca meeting.

1988

CG activities in LA

The European Communities trusted the Coimbra Group the responsibility to organise in Latin America a deep dialogue with the citizens of the continent who did their studies or internships in Europe. Twelve circles were created, involving more than 16000 active members, organising conferences, work meetings and different activities to reinforce the dialogue between both continents, exchange on the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and to prepare for the European single market of 1993.

Sep 1988

Magna Charta Universitatum was signed by 430 university rectors in Bologna

One of the main celebrations in 1988 was the 900th anniversary of the University of Bologna and the signing of the Magna Charta Universitatum Europaeum on 18 September. The CG Universities are all signatories.

October 1988 

Joint General Assembly at National Irish University Galway and at Trinity College Dublin

One of the major decisions was to support the continued development of ERASMUS projects and intensify relations between the international offices at CG member universities.

1989

Development of ERASMUS projects

The CG Universities obtained an ERASMUS contract for an exploratory joint programme to develop student mobility projects. The joint programme supported efforts within the CG to organise seminars and ensured continuous follow-up over the first year. The final report (1989) included an overview of international student services and recommendations on the desirable improvements, both of the Erasmus Programme in general and of daily practices implemented by the individual universities.

For the next application round (1989/90) the CG Universities prepared about forty applications to the Erasmus Programme, among them student mobility programmes, joint programme proposals, “free mover” programmes, intensive programmes and “short teaching assignments”. One of the developments was the CG’s wish to promote language learning and a number of intensive language courses were established, most of them offered to students prior to the start of an academic year. Other agreements included waiver of tuition fees for CG students, something also incorporated in the CG Charter. The Irish and British member universities agreed to join the Charter as long as they could maintain their own current fee arrangements.

1989

General Assembly in Poitiers

The CG accepts to support the “Circulos Europeos” project and the first alumni groups were created at the end of the year in Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Santiago de Chile.

The same General Assembly hosted a meeting of MOSAIC, the ‘Movement of Students Aiming at Integration of the Coimbra Group’.

1989

Creation of the Coimbra Group Office in Brussels

The year saw the development of an embryonic office in Brussels into a more stable and permanent fixture with Cecilia Costa, one of the initiators behind MOSAIC, as the first head of office.

1990

General Assembly in Coimbra

Presidents, Rectors, Vice-chancelors, Principal and Provost all meet for the first time, to celebrate the first Lustrum of the CG and the 700th Anniversary of the University of Coimbra

With the expansion of membership came a need to revise the structure of the Coimbra Group. The restructuring was based on a discussion document presented at the General Assembly, with a mission statement and notes on the structure and organization of the network, the “Coimbra Declaration”.

1990

First General meeting of “Círculos Europeos”, Asuncion, Paraguay

1991

Establishment of the TEMPUS Programme

The Coimbra Group continued its collaboration with the Latin American countries through the alumni organisations, but also started projects under the TEMPUS umbrella from 1991 onwards. Just as the TEMPUS Programme was based on the ERASMUS model, the activities amongst Coimbra Group universities built on the experience from co-operation over a number of years with student exchanges within the ERASMUS Programme.

1991

General Assembly in Heidelberg

The “Declaration of Coimbra” was adopted at the General Assembly in Heidelberg in 1991, 18-22 June. The CG Office then prepared the statutes for a Belgian not-for-profit organisation (a.s.b.l./v.z.w) to be adopted under Belgian law, thereby providing the Coimbra Group as an organisation and the CG Office as an administrative body with legal status. The statutes were based on discussions amongst member universities with a view to establishing an organisational structure that secured the autonomy of individual universities, laid down the voting rules and regulations, defined the role of the Steering Committee, and safeguarded joint projects. 

1991

The Coimbra Group gains an institutional dimension

Peter Ulmer (Rector of the University of Heidelberg) becomes the first president of the Coimbra Group, together with Steering Committee composed of Peter Floor (Leiden, Chairman), Simon-Pierre Nothomb (Louvain), Knud-Erik Sabroe (Aarhus), Jorge Veiga (Coimbra), Francisco Gonzalez Lodeiro (Granada), and Valerio Grementieri (Siena).

Nov 1991

First edition of the Coimbra Group Newsletter

1992

General Assembly in Oxford sees new Task Forces MED and Latin America

The CG decided to establish a task force to deal with the Mediterranean area, following the European Commission launch in 1990 of the “Renovated Mediterranean Policy”, with an increased budget compared to earlier policy programmes covering the Mediterranean, and among the objectives and strategies was assistance to societal actors (universities, media and municipalities) to contribute to de-centralised “Med” programmes. The Tempus Programme was expanded to incorporate collaboration with Mediterranean countries, and several projects have since been undertaken by member universities and by the CG Office. The Task Force Latin America was also created, following the ongoing cooperation with the geographical area.

April 1992

CG Office becomes legally registered in Belgium as a non-profit organization

 The statutes were finally adopted and published in the Belgian Official Journal, Moniteur Belge/Belgisch Staatsblad on 30 April 1992.

Sept 1992

“Declaración de Granada” signed, strengthening Latin American collaborations

Rectors from Latin American and European universities met in Granada, where they signed the “Declaración de Granada”, aiming at establishing new, formal agreements for mutual collaboration and support between the universities on the two continents, among them a programme of cultural development and defence of social and cultural identity. The declaration recommended the inclusion of Latin American universities in the Erasmus Programme. 

1992

Establishment of a series of Coimbra Group Lectures

The scheme consists of a programme of guest lectures in a wide range of academic disciplines given by professors from member universities. The Group sees it as a prime instrument for fostering cohesion between the members of the network, and of enriching the academic offer available at member institutions.

1992

Coimbra Group logo adopted

May 1993

General Assembly in Budapest: first formal elections and ACP Task Force

The first formal elections of Steering Group members took place.

The Task Force for Africa Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries was set up.

1993

Office moving

The CG Office moved to Rue de la Concorde. At the same time a full-time secretary was recruited.

June 1994

General Assembly in Groningen

An internal evaluation of member universities was discussed as part of the ongoing restructuring efforts. The University of Groningen presented the book “Charters of Foundations and Early Documents of the Universities of the Coimbra Group” on the occasion of its 380th anniversary.

1994

ALFA Programme launched by the European Commission for university exchanges with Latin America

The European Commission launched the ALFA Programme, which allowed for exchanges of undergraduate and graduate students, at the University of Coimbra. The experiences gained from the “Circulos Europeos” were invaluable and formed the foundation in many of the networks and projects launched. The first major ALFA Programme project was launched in 1994 in Coimbra.

1994

The Humanities project was launched

The project marks the start of a series of initiatives which the Group undertook in the field of open and distance learning and the use of new information and communication technologies. Humanities explored ways of distance teaching for students of the humanities, by producing “a usable model for a virtual classroom”. The importance that the Coimbra Group attaches to “virtual” matters is expressed in the existence of two standing bodies, the Advisory Committee on New Technologies in Education (ACONTE) and the Task Force on Open and Distance Learning, Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning.

June 1995

General Assembly in Leiden on the occasion of the University’s 420th anniversary

1996

Discussion on the future of the Coimbra Group

The Steering Committee invited former committee members to a discussion of the future development of the Coimbra Group, based on the expansion of membership, the internal evaluation of the Group, in view of the changing European environment. An increasing number of former Eastern European Countries were by then pre-accession countries and seemed set to join the EU within the coming years, something that would influence research and education policies of the individual Member States as well as the EU as a whole.

1996

New distance education project “VIRTUE – A virtual University for Europe”

Project coordinated by EuroPACE (KULeuven), with Coimbra Group responsible for the creation of virtual learning environments in Law, Literature and Philosophy

1997

General Assembly in Thessaloniki

Creation of the Advisory Committee on New Technologies in Education (ACONTE), to advise on strategic aspects of new technologies for universities, which eventually led to the creation of an e-Learning Task Force. Creation of a European Cultural Committee as one of the outcomes of the meeting with former steering committee members. 

1998

Publication: Beyond HUMANITIES

Beyond HUMANITIES: Long Term Strategy for ODL in University Environments and Virtual Mobility. Brussels: The Coimbra Group. Peter Floor

Jun 1999

Coimbra Group members endorse the Bologna Process in the “Pavia Declaration” before the official Bologna signing

Most of the year was dedicated to discussions leading up to the signing of the Bologna Declaration in June. The Pavia General Assembly agreed on the “Pavia Declaration”, setting out the Coimbra Group perspectives on the Bologna Process. The declaration was sent to the European Ministers of Education prior to the meeting in Bologna on 19 June.

Nov 1999

First meeting of Coimbra Group of Folklorists in Abo

A first meeting of folklorists was held, and the group would later merge with the Cultural Committee to form the Culture, Arts and Humanities Task Force.

1999

Cotonou workshop in Benin

This project was conducted with the aim to develop a sustainable collaboration strategy between universities in Europe and West Africa. Representatives of 13 European and 14 African universities met with delegates of national and international institutions, among them the European Commission and the Association of African Universities (AAU).

2000

By the early 2000s, the Coimbra Group had a set of task forces

The Coimbra Group Task Forces offered opportunities for university staff in all activities of relevance to the universities to collaborate and exchange information: Latin America, Med, ACP, EPET – European Programmes in Education and Training (later ETM – Education, Training and Mobility), Distance Education (later e-Learning), Research Cooperation (later Doctoral Studies and Research).

June 2000

General Assembly in Graz

Adoption of the Graz Declaration, in which the CG takes a stand regarding cultural identity, expressing the “wish that European cultures within Europe flourish as a result of a variety of cultures and traditions”.

2000

Launch of the Coimbra Group Hospitality Scheme

The Graz Conference saw the start of the Hospitality Scheme, a grant scheme established to assist doctoral candidates from the Balkans to spend a study period at one of the Coimbra Group Universities (following the war in the Balkans). This later grew into a larger scholarship initiative when CG Universities decided to establish similar schemes for Latin American scholars and, later, for African researchers and administrators.

2000

Seminar on “Town and University”, celebrating the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Coimbra Group (Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve)

The cultural and regional impact of universities has been on the agenda of the Coimbra Group since its inception and has been celebrated at various conferences and seminars.

2001

Coimbra Group Student Exchange Network

In the academic year 2000-01 the Coimbra Group universities exchanged the first Student Exchange Network “SEN” students. The idea behind the initiative was to give students in any academic discipline the opportunity to go on exchange to another CG university.

2001

General Assembly in Bristol

At the 2001 Annual Conference in Bristol it was decided to undertake a SWOT analysis of the Coimbra Group to further consolidate and improve collaboration amongst members. A tradition of closed meetings for the Rectors had started the year before and in Bristol the discussions took place in a separate building to discuss the Bologna Process and quality assurance measures.

Apr 2002

General Assembly in Leuven

The results of the SWOT analysis were discussed, leading to a number of consolidation efforts, among them the official legal status of the Coimbra Group a.s.b.l./v.z.w., i.e. a not-for profit organisation, NGO. A further development was the adoption of a new Mission Statement, including the establishing of the Rectors’ Advisory Group (2003).

2002

First Coimbra Group website launched

The Coimbra Group Office 2002, recently moved to Rue de Stassart, presented the website, featuring a presentation of the Group, its organisation, its members, projects and the task forces.

2002

CG signs ACP Service Contract with the European Commission

The aim was to establish an overview of collaboration activities. 

2003

Granada Annual Conference

The Mission Statement was discussed and revised at the Granada General Assembly in 2003, and it remained the central reference to the character of the Group. Establishment of Rectors’ Advisory Group to further strengthen leadership and collaboration among universities, consisting of the former, present and future Honorary Presidents as ex officio members and four rectors, elected by their peers for two-year periods, renewable once. Two new Task Forces: Culture and Doctoral Studies and Research.

2003

First Coimbra Group survey on student mobility

The EPET, later ETM (Education, Training and Mobility) task force provided overviews of CG activity within the Erasmus Programme with an annual review ( Professor Donà dalle Rose from Padova), which showed the continuing high percentage of involvement of Coimbra Group members in European projects.

2003

First CG Postgraduate Winter School

CG initiative to establish winter schools in Split to bring together students and doctoral candidates from the Balkan war-torn countries. 

2004

Launch of the CG Latin America Scholarship Programme

2004

General Assembly in Siena

Creation of the eLearning Task Force.

2005

20th anniversary

The Group consisted of thirty-seven universities in 21 countries and had established an organisational structure of General Assembly, Honorary President and Rectors’ Advisory Group, Executive Board, Administrative and Financial Committee and eight Task Forces: ACP, Culture, Doctoral Studies and Research, E-Learning, EPET, European Neighbouring Countries, Med-Campus, Latin America.

May 2005

General Assembly in Coimbra

20th Anniversary Celebrations – Launch of the “Coimbra Group 20th Anniversary Declaration on the role of universities in the 21st century”, a document on the role of the university in the 21st century”, where the group confirmed its adherence to the principles of the Bologna Process and underlined the crucial role of universities in society. 

The University of Coimbra produced an anniversary publication with interviews to key personalities on the history of the Group and a presentation of each member university. At a solemn ceremony, the University of Coimbra conferred honorary doctorates to Simon Pierre Nothomb (Louvain-la-Neuve), Peter Floor (Leiden), Antonio Savini (Pavia), and Knud-Erik Sabroe (Aarhus), all former or present Chairs of the Steering Committee.

2005

Revised edition of “Charters of Foundation and Early Documents”

First produced by the University of Groningen in 1994, the book was revised and printed by the Leuven University Press

Jan 2006

“The Leiden Rector’ Declaration Towards the creation of a EU–LAC knowledge area”

The Rectors of the Universities gathered at the initiative of Leiden University, with the support of the Coimbra Group and the Grupo Montevideo, met in Leiden ahead of the IVth Summit Meeting. The Rectors subscribe to the terms of the Guadalajara Declaration, and agree in particular with the statement that the EU-LAC “partnership is rooted in deep historical and cultural links and shared principles of international law and values of our peoples” and furthermore that the EULAC recognise the “insoluble link between development, culture, science and technology”. They support the creation of a EU-LAC Knowledge Area. They think it therefore consistent to further projects which “include Latin America and the Caribbean as a target region for the EU Framework Programmes in these sectors, thereby contributing to deepening and developing bi-regional links and encouraging mutual participation in research programmes”

2006

Office moves to University Foundation

Also, the Coimbra Group Newsletter becomes monthly.

2006

CG coordinates BALANCE Project

The experiences from seminar activities and policy discussions formed the background of a CG project in collaboration with North American universities in the “Balance” project (2006-2009, “Bologna: A Long-Term Approach to New Certification in Europe”) to strengthen the understanding among North American universities of the Bologna Process and the emerging European Higher Education Area and foster long-term collaboration. The project identified a joint focus on the doctoral level as it illustrates most clearly the diversity in research-based training at universities on both sides of the North Atlantic, and it was identified as the crucial level at which to intensify research collaboration towards innovation and entrepreneurship.

Nov 2006

Memorandum of Understanding signed with Grupo Montevideo

Rafael Guarga, Executive Secretary of Asociación de Universidades Grupo Montevideo (AUGM) and Guido Langouche, Coimbra Group Chair of the Executive Board, sign the agreement

2006

Position Paper “A European Institute of Technology?”

2007

Position Papers

“The place and role of doctoral programmes in the Bologna Process” and “Response to the EC Green Paper on Research”

2008

“European Storehouse of Knowledge” celebration at Jena Annual Conference

The presentations and descriptions of scientific and cultural inventions and discoveries throughout the ages were collected in the publication “The European Storehouse of Knowledge”.

2009

Position Papers

“Higher education in Europe 10 years after Bologna” and “Response to the EC Green Paper on Mobility”

Feb 2010

Seminar on “The impact of the university on regional economic development and the evolution of the knowledge economy”

On the occasion of the Dies Natalis celebrations of KU Leuven and Université Catholique de Louvain, the seminar counted with the participation of rectors from CG Universities and mayors from cities hosting CG Universities

2010

Seminar in Brussels on “The Forgotten Origins of Universities in Europe”

The event’s aim was to underline the impact of developments in the sciences and philosophy in Europe. The Alexander Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi published the presentations in book form the same year.

2010

TRANS-DOC project

A CG lead project to discuss transatlantic co-operation as well as the transferability aspects of doctoral training. The project developed a generic course template for doctoral candidates on transferability skills, to ensure that doctoral candidates are informed about soft skills such as communication, team building, project leader and entrepreneurial skills, etc.

2011

Seminar “Collegiate Learning in the Middle Ages and beyond”

On the occasion of the University of Pavia’ 650th anniversary, the event underlined the cultural importance and influence of learning institutions in towns and the perception of learning and research as activities independent of church or state intervention.

2011

Coimbra Group Botanic Gardens

The University of Padova and its Orto Botanico invited other CG Botanic Gardens to a seminar, resulting in a collection of botanic garden presentations, published by the University of Padova the following year (revised version in 2015).

2013

High Level Seminar on Research Policy

Since 2013, the Coimbra Group has organised high-level policy seminars on research to address current issues in European research policy of key importance to member universities and to the European research community. The policy seminars followed on from a series of thematic seminars started in 2009, bringing together deans of science (2009-2011, in Leuven, Bologna and Jena), economics (2009 in Poitiers), translation studies (2010 in Granada) and of the humanities (2010-2014, in Montpellier, Uppsala and Dublin). 

2014

Annual Conference on “Universities in the 21st Century: For Infinity” in Groningen

The conference discussed how universities should respond to the challenges of the 21st century in order to thrive and survive.

2015

Structural re-organization approved to focus on research, education, and outreach

The CG has gone through a structural re-organisation, a process managed by the Executive Board and the Rectors’ Advisory Group. The new organisational structure was approved by the General Assembly in Istanbul on 3 June 2015. The ambition of the new structure is to strengthen the support which Coimbra Group membership offers member universities in their key policy priorities and everyday challenges. Member universities have especially expressed a desire to see stronger priority given to research, to education and to policy work.
In order to achieve these objectives the General Assembly has approved a simple matrix structure, where activities carried out to date by the Task Forces are reorganized in a number of Working Groups spanning universities’ three major missions: Research, Education and Outreach (or Third Mission), reflecting the policy priorities for the coming years. The Executive Board will oversee and co-ordinate the implementation of planned activities and the pursuit by the Working Groups of the expected outcomes and objective of their respective work plans.

Jan 2016

Refugee relief

In light of the developing refugee situation, the Coimbra Group collected initiatives from members to help refugees get back into further education after being displaced from their home country.

May 2016

Coimbra Group signs Prague Declaration

The document highlighting the importance of education in the current world, and the necessity to maintain and honour humanistic and democratic ideas and principles. Representatives of UNICA and EUROPAEUM have also signed the declaration.

2016

Launch of the “Poitiers Declaration” at the Annual Conference on “The University in the City”, University of Poitiers    

The Poitiers Declaration is a document defining a collaborative framework for Coimbra Group Universities and the Municipalities in which they are situated, including a set of objectives and accompanying initiatives to be pursued. The document reaffirms the central role that Universities play in the development of Cities, with Cities providing a fundamental framework, functioning as a catalyst for the development of Universities.

Mar 2017

“National Stereotyping and Cultural Identities in recent European Crises”, international and interdisciplinary conference at Trinity College Dublin

Dec 2017

First Coimbra Group High-Level Workshop on “Lifelong Learning and Employability”

The event took place in the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU (Brussels), aiming at bringing Rectors from the Coimbra Group Universities together with European Higher Education Experts and Policymakers to discuss how comprehensive, research-intensive universities can contribute constructively to the Higher Education modernisation agenda on Lifelong Learning and Employability.

Jun 2018

Universities united for the best Horizon Europe

Fourteen European associations representing universities, among which the Coimbra Group, united to respond to the proposal of the Ninth Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Horizon Europe). The universities ask the European Parliament and the Council to support Horizon Europe and to incorporate necessary changes in order to ensure that it will fulfil the EU’s ambitions.

Jul 2018

First CG Summer School on European Multilingualism

An initiative of the Development Cooperation Working Group, that brought together 26 students and 17 staff members from CG Universities and universities in the Western Balkans with the aim of exploring innovative approaches to language teaching and learning.

Oct 2018

Alliances of European Universities

The Executive Board issues paper stating that, as a pan-European network, the Coimbra Group has a crucial role to play in supporting future Alliances. The Executive Board invites consortia which include CG members to contact the Coimbra Group Office to discuss possible ways of collaboration.

Jan 2019

Statement on Brexit

Statement on the BREXIT process, in particular to express full support to our UK colleagues and partners. It was followed by many others, following developments, such as the UK’s withdrawal from the Erasmus+ programme.

Feb 2019

Lecture series: “Narratives of Europe, Narratives for Europe”

In light of the elections for European Parliament, the University of Cologne & the Coimbra Group organised an unprecedented initiative on views on European Integration within the EU member states. Nineteen of the twenty-five speakers were from Coimbra Group member universities.

Jul 2019

Publication: “Guidelines for Coimbra Group Universities on Safety Protocols for Mobility”

The Universities of the Coimbra Group address the various elements to be taken into account in order to guarantee safe and sound mobility periods for their students and staff. The project of drafting safety protocol guidelines for mobility was conceived in the Academic Exchange and Mobility (AEM) working group of the Coimbra Group. The topic proved to be so demanding and interesting that a focus group was established with the aim of benchmarking member universities’ experiences and preparing a toolkit, in the form of guidelines, to help single institutions tackle the issue and find proper and suitable solutions for it. 

Mar 2020

First Coimbra Group briefing paper on Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education

This briefing paper is the result of a rapid consultation of Coimbra Group Working Group on Academic Exchange and Mobility. It will be followed by a more complete version, “ Practices at Coimbra Group universities in response to the COVID-19” (May 2020) and “Universities’ response to the Covid-19 crisis: What have we learnt so far? Key messages and recommendations from Coimbra Group Universities” (December 2021), including feedback from all Coimbra Group Working Groups.

Jun 2020

Annual Conference and General Assembly online

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event, due to be in Montpellier (organised by the two local CG members) was unprecedently held online.

Jun 2021

Annual Conference and General Assembly online

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event, due to take place in Prague was held online for the second year.

Jun 2021

Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Erasmus Student Network

The Coimbra Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Erasmus Student Network during the CG annual (virtual) meeting. Kostis Giannidis, outgoing president of ESN, signed the MoU in a virtual ceremony with Ludovic Thilly, Chair of the Coimbra Group Executive Board. The overarching goal of the document was to increase cooperation, foster internationalisation, civic engagement and active citizenship, with a specific focus on the local level. At that time, more than 75% of CG member universities already had an ESN local section.

Jul 2021

Pilot initiative with Eurail: together for a Greener Erasmus+

The CG started a new pilot initiative with Eurail, the company behind the Interrail Pass. Erasmus+ exchange students and staff from the participating 28 Coimbra Group universities would be able to purchase an Interrail mobile Global Pass with an important discount, and use it to travel by train to and/or from host university, as well as to use it to explore the host country.

Nov 2021

Book Launch: “Why Latin America Matters”

The Coimbra Group Latin America Working Group together with the Centre for Contemporary Latin American Studies (CCLAS) of the University of Edinburgh launch the publication.  This collection of essays aims to make the case for the importance of Latin America as a crucial region in global politics and development. 

Mar 2022

Ukraine Emergency Response

The Coimbra Group Office compiled initiatives taken by its member universities to support those affected by the invasion of Ukraine, more particularly students, researchers and staff. Relevant activities developed by other organisations that could be useful to the academic community were also listed.

Mar 2022

St. Petersburg State University suspended from Coimbra Group

The Coimbra Group Executive Board unanimously decided at an extraordinary meeting to suspend the membership of SPbU for an indefinite period of time. A year later, an Extraordinary General Assembly of the Coimbra Group voted to revoke the membership of SPbU on the grounds that the institution no longer acts in accordance with the values of the Coimbra Group.

Jun 2022

Conference: colonised Objects and Bodies in Europe: New challenges and new perspectives on the Decolonisation of Cultural Heritage

A joint initiative of the Coimbra Group Working Groups on Heritage and Development Cooperation, this event started a set of discussions around the topic of decolonization and complex heritage among CG Universities for the following years.

Jul 2022

The Coimbra Group commits to eight ERA policy actions

Coimbra Group takes active role in specific ERA policy actions with direct impact on our members, such as the one on Research Careers (action 4) and the one on Empowering Higher Education Institutions (action 13) where the Executive Board positioned our association as co-sponsor of the work (action 4) / co-chair of the expert subgroup (action 13) on behalf of the higher education sector, respectively with Portugal and with France on behalf of the Member States.

Nov 2022

Coimbra Group signs agreement on Research Assessment Reform and joins the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA)

The document creates a common vision aiming to maximise the quality and impact of research. It provides a platform for pilots and experiments, for the development of new assessment criteria, methods and tools, and exchange of best practices and mutual learning.

Jul 2023

Coimbra Group signs Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations

The Charter aims to establish a new era of equitable South-North and South-South collaboration based on African intellectual thought and to foster African perspectives on research, development, and funding.

Dec 2023

Coimbra Group introduces Working Group on Global Partnerships

The previous Working Group “Development Cooperation” will continue under a new name ‘Global Partnerships’, with a redirected approach and focus. The activities of the Working Group will align with global and European policies dealing with actual challenges in global partnerships, especially the SDGs and their implementation in education, research and innovation.

Apr 2024

Coimbra Group signs the Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information

Stating that the Coimbra Group aims to coordinate efforts with other leading organisations to promote systemic transformations in the research sector.

Oct 2024

CLACSO and Coimbra Group launch inter-institutional cooperation

The inter-institutional cooperation aims to develop and promote research, education and innovation as well as activities oriented to shared and collaborative publications. These joint actions will benefit the academic community, citizens and the society at large, particularly bridging scholarly collaboration between nations and countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and in Europe.

Jan 2025

Coimbra Group Webinar: “AI Ethics and Governance”

organized by the Equality & Diversity Working Group with the support of the University of Padova, reflects the Coimbra Group’s strategic effort to explore with its members the impact, opportunities, and challenges that AI presents to higher education. It is a key component of an ongoing process of strengthened collaboration among CG member universities on this issue, including the establishment of an AI Inter-Working Group in June 2024.

Feb 2025

CG Statements

“Building a Europe based on the pillars of Education, Research and Innovation” and “Why We Need the European Degree Now”

Mar 2025

Coimbra Group endorses ALLEA Statement on Threats to Academic Freedom in the US

…TO BE CONTINUED…