COLOURS - COLlaborative innOvative sUstainable Regional UniverSities

The European University Alliance COLOURS (COLlaborative innOvative sUstainable Regional univerSities) unites 9 universities with around 126,000 students and 12,300 staff members in Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, North Macedonia and Latvia. These institutions are joined by 55 Associated Partners who will act as collaborators and multipliers in regional innovation ecosystems. The COLOURS approach, linking Open Innovation, challenge-based teaching and impact-driven research to regional Smart Specialisation Goals, will initiate social and technological innovation affecting over 21 million citizens. All COLOURS universities are regional drivers of innovation, united by a deep commitment to a) foster a profound transformation in academic institutions, implementing a more COLOURful definition of academic excellence, b) enhance sustainable and participatory regional developments across Europe, acting as a role model for more COLOURful regional innovation ecosystems, c) contribute to a Triple Transition of European regions: green, digital and social. This transition will embrace organisational and institutional change to strengthen territorial resilience and innovation capacities.63 CoLab innovation processes will actively involve more than 3.000 students and stakeholders. 27 student Hackathons will foster co-creation. 10 IMAGINE events and 90 open internship projects will integrate challenge-based research and education into existing curricula. 27 challenge-based seminars will offer multidisciplinary learning experiences for all students. At least 10 double degree programmes, 3 joint degrees, 36 field studies, 8 summer schools and a digital CoHub will substantially increase the spectrum of education and learning within and beyond the Alliance. 70,000 students and staff will participate in multilingual events. 36 challenge-based school sessions will involve more than 1.000 learners. 108 public engagement events will reach over 1.5 Mio citizens.