Prof. Dr. Rado Bohinc, President of EMUNI University, participated in the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Policy Conference “Co-creating the Common Mediterranean Knowledge Space”, held on 6 October 2026 in Barcelona as part of the UfM Higher Education and Research Week.
During Plenary Session 1, President Bohinc contributed to discussions on the future of higher education cooperation in the Mediterranean, emphasising the importance of moving “from dialogue to delivery” in the implementation of the Pact for the Mediterranean and building on the capacities of existing university networks.
A central point of his contribution was the need to strengthen North–South university partnerships across the Mediterranean. He proposed the establishment of one or more pilot Mediterranean university consortia that could serve as a foundation for deeper and more structured academic cooperation.
Within such consortia, universities could develop joint programmes leading to joint or multiple degrees, as well as micro-credentials, summer schools and graduate study programmes. This cooperation would be supported by the necessary institutional agreements, memoranda of understanding, accreditation procedures and mechanisms for the recognition of qualifications and study periods.
President Bohinc also highlighted the importance of establishing an Intra-MENA Academic Mobility Scheme for students, researchers and academic staff. Particular attention should be given to strengthening the South–South dimension of mobility, alongside North–South exchanges, to create more balanced opportunities for academic cooperation throughout the Mediterranean.
Beyond partnerships between universities, President Bohinc stressed the need for a stronger regulatory and financial infrastructure that would allow Mediterranean academic cooperation to function effectively and sustainably.
He identified three key priorities: the development of a Euro-Mediterranean Higher Education Framework, building on the principles of the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area and facilitating common approaches to qualifications, quality assurance, credits, micro-credentials, joint degrees and recognition; the establishment of long-term and multiannual financial mechanisms, including dedicated support for South–South mobility; and the introduction of an Academic Visa providing a simplified, fast-track and multiple-entry mechanism for students, researchers and university staff moving across the Mediterranean.
These proposals reflect EMUNI University’s mission to strengthen cooperation and connectivity within the Euro-Mediterranean higher education and research area. By supporting stronger university partnerships, greater academic mobility and common frameworks, EMUNI continues to contribute to the development of a more connected Mediterranean Knowledge Space.
