The ChallengeEU alliance connects Offenburg University of Applied Sciences with:

the Engineering School Hochschule ECAM La Salle in Lyon (Frankreich),
the Universidade Europeia in Lissabon (Portugal),
the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies in Jelgava (Litauen),
the Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall (Schweden),
the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland in Windisch (Schweiz),
the South East European University in Tetovo (Nordmazedonien),
the Universidad Europea in Valencia (Spanien) and
the University Ermland und Masuren in Olsztyn (Polen).

The wide geographical balance and the inclusion of institutions in rural, peripheral, and urban areas, ensures that innovation potential is harnessed across all regions. By addressing regional disparities and promoting inclusivity, ChallengeEU contributes to a more balanced development of the continent.

The alliance is committed to contributing to the European Strategy for Universities and the new European Innovation Agenda. By co-designing solutions for Smart Specialization Areas aligned with the SDGs, ChallengeEU aims to become a role model for regional European universities. This transformation will foster practical solutions and global contributions, advancing academic excellence and promoting open science and innovation.

The tasks in detail are:

• challenge the European Education System: ChallengeEU aims to transform the European education system, integrate global and regional challenges into its curricula and prepare students to navigate a world of increasingly complexity. By embracing agility and digitalization, ChallengeEU will offer flexible online courses, open-access resources, and alternative credentialing options, transforming the alliance into a single, interconnected campus.  This approach ensures that students and researchers can adapt to changing conditions and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.
• address Regional Challenges: ChallengeEU takes a localized approach to global issues. By integrating Smart Specialization Strategies, the alliance will tackle unique regional challenges, bridging disparities and promoting equitable growth
• promote a Challenge-Based European Education System: ChallengeEU aims to drive innovation based on real problems and societal needs. In strong partnerships with local industry, leveraging their expertise and resources to drive innovation and development. Testbeds for sustainable technologies will be established, fostering research initiatives that address both global and regional challenges.
• embrace the Challenges of Sustainable Responsibility: ChallengeEU is committed to sustainable responsibility. The alliance values collaboration, empathy, and care for the planet and future generations. Guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ChallengeEU promotes an innovation paradigm that contrasts sharply with approaches emphasizing competition and individualism. This ethos of responsibility extends to engaging deeply with local communities, empowering them to participate in shaping their future through education, research, and innovation.
• face the Challenges of Community Engagement: ChallengeEU aims to empower local communities to participate in co-creating the future of their regions through education, research, and innovation. Promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills through challenge-based learning methodologies.
• meet the Challenge of Accessible Education: ChallengeEU is dedicated to making education accessible to all. The alliance addresses barriers faced by diverse learners, including those with disabilities and from varied socio-economic backgrounds. By fostering an environment of inclusive education, ChallengeEU ensures that everyone has the opportunity to continue learning and growing throughout their lives.
• address the Challenges of Lifelong Learning: ChallengeEU recognizes the importance of lifelong learning and provides strategies to help individuals stay current in their fields throughout their careers.

In a groundbreaking effort to foster sustainable development and tackle critical challenges, the ChallengeEU Alliance has identified three Smart Specialization Areas of both regional and global significance. These areas, chosen through internal reflections of academic profiles and goals and consultations with regional policymakers and development agencies, will serve as testbeds for innovation:

• Health and Well-being (SDG 3)
• Smart Digitalization (SDG 9)
• Sustainable Futures (SDG 13)

Within these Smart Specialization Areas, our innovative concept of Multi-Actor Research & Knowledge Exchange Teams, or "M.A.R.K.E.T.s", will emerge. These dynamic platforms will foster transdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and the co-creation of solutions across digital, green, social, and sustainable dimensions. Unlike traditional, one-dimensional models of knowledge transfer, M.A.R.K.E.T.s will promote more responsive research and knowledge exchange practices.

M.A.R.K.E.T.s will serve as vibrant hubs where students, researchers, and diverse stakeholders converge to collectively tackle challenges, share expertise, and drive transformative advancements within their respective domains. These hubs are designed to remain active beyond the initial funding period, ensuring the sustainability of the ecosystems beyond the four-year timeline.

The M.A.R.K.E.T.s will be established and tested in all regions through a series of participatory events:

1. M.A.R.K.E.T. MEETUPs: These strategic co-creation phases are designed to tackle challenges within the defined Smart Specialization Areas in a participatory and inclusive way. These preparatory processes will generate roadmaps for future work within each region's Smart Specialization Area, known as M.A.R.K.E.T. MISSIONS.
2. M.A.R.K.E.T. MISSIONs: Embracing an ethos of openness, these missions will: reflect targeted regional challenges, cultivate future scenarios or solutions, formulate strategies for implementing these scenarios within each region.

M.A.R.K.E.T. Activities will be conducted in regional M.A.R.K.E.T. SQUARES — existing infrastructures either within universities or associated partners' facilities. These hubs will bridge research, education, and innovation with region-specific challenges and specialization strategies. Students, educators, researchers, regional policymakers, public institutions, civil society organizations, NGOs, and companies will collaborate on designated thematic issues within these infrastructures.

Expanding the Open Innovation Model

By integrating M.A.R.K.E.T.s into regional innovation ecosystems, the established Open Innovation model will be expanded and embedded into Smart Specialization Approaches, addressing the needs of the Triple Transition: Green, Digital, and Social. The ChallengeEU Alliance will demonstrate how universities can successfully engage with stakeholders, address key challenges jointly, and promote bottom-up experimentation for system-wide innovation in European regions.

Practical and Transferable Guidelines

To increase the impact of the M.A.R.K.E.T. approach, the Alliance will develop practical, transferable, and openly accessible guidelines. These guidelines will enable regions across and beyond Europe to foster inclusive innovation processes within their Smart Specialization Strategies. Targeted recommendations for different stakeholder groups of the Quadruple Helix innovation model will be included, facilitating their participation in challenge- and impact-driven inclusive innovation processes across Europe. The guidelines will be accessible via the ChallengeEU Repository and disseminated through conferences, policy briefs, and outlined dissemination activities.

Through these initiatives, the ChallengeEU Alliance aims to transform how universities engage with stakeholders, driving significant advancements in addressing regional and global challenges and promoting sustainable development.

To further support its mission, ChallengeEU has established the ChallengeEU Academy. This initiative ensures continuous professional development for students, staff, and partners. It includes a Teaching Academy offering joint academic programs, a Talent Academy providing entrepreneurial skills for researchers, and a Training Academy fostering societal relevance in study programs. By engaging external stakeholders, the academy promotes lifelong learning and reciprocal learning, enriching the open innovation processes within the alliance.

ChallengeEU envisions open European campuses as dynamic ecosystems where diverse stakeholders collaborate on value-driven innovation. Students play a pivotal role, acting as bridges that amplify the impact of the academic community on planetary well-being. By eliminating barriers to education and fostering collaborative regional innovation ecosystems, the alliance will strive to create a more inclusive and resilient European higher education landscape.

The Core Values of ChallengeEU:

• Excellence: Upholding and enhancing inclusive standards of academic excellence.
• Inclusivity: Embracing diversity and ensuring equal access to quality education.
• Sustainability: Integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations into all activities.
• Collaboration: Fostering partnerships within and beyond the alliance, engaging stakeholders from various sectors.
• Responsibility: Promoting transparency, inclusivity, and societal responsiveness in all endeavors.
• Global Perspective: Embracing international perspectives and fostering effective global collaboration.

ChallengeEU is redefining the future of European higher education by fostering holistic, sustainable collaborations and engaging excellence across the continent. This transformative alliance is poised to make a lasting impact, ensuring that European universities remain at the forefront of innovation and societal progress.