On 11 December, the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI) organised a high-level conference in Brussels dedicated to the role of higher education in strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the Southern Mediterranean region. The event brought together representatives of European institutions, universities, international organisations, and policy stakeholders to discuss strategic priorities for a renewed Euro-Mediterranean partnership.
The conference highlighted higher education as a key driver for mutual trust, stability, and sustainable development across the Mediterranean. Participants underlined the need to move beyond fragmented, short-term initiatives and to establish long-term, structured cooperation based on equality, shared responsibility, and joint ownership.
Discussions focused on the importance of reinforcing South–North university alliances, supporting joint degrees, research collaboration, and academic mobility, and ensuring equitable access to European programmes. Special attention was given to brain circulation rather than brain drain, the recognition of qualifications, gender equality, and the inclusion of young researchers and students from the Southern Mediterranean.
The outcomes of the conference resulted in a set of policy recommendations addressed to the European Commission, calling for stronger institutional partnerships, improved funding mechanisms, simplified participation in EU programmes, and enhanced support for innovation, digital transformation, and sustainability in the Mediterranean region.
These recommendations aim to contribute to the implementation of the New Pact for the Mediterranean by placing higher education, research, and innovation at the centre of EU–Southern Mediterranean cooperation.