Mobility Programme

The EUPRIO Mobility Programme (EMP) is an innovative initiative designed to support groundbreaking projects and address real-world challenges in university communications.

This programme offers EUPRIO members an opportunity to network and collaborate on specific topics, aiming to enhance the university communications community throughout Europe.

EMP is distinct in its content and rules from the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility scheme, as it does not fund individual mobility for attending language courses, conferences, visiting other universities' colleagues, bilateral exchanges or managing pre-organised teams.

EUPRIO encourages practical, impactful projects involving typically teams of 4-6 people, including the project leader, each from different countries and different universities.

The goal is collaborative work to yield tangible results and share best practices in university communications at both national and international levels.

EUPRIO every year gives funds to a number of projects approved by the Steering Committee that are clearly on different topics one by the others.

EMP's objectives include:

• Addressing real challenges faced by EUPRIO members;
• Developing case studies as exclusive resources for members;
• Strengthening networking and knowledge exchange among EUPRIO members;
• Promoting international collaboration in university communications;
• Offering members the chance to work on specific projects, bringing together diverse cultures, work habits, and expertise;
• Creating best practices or innovative solutions for day-to-day challenges in university communications to benefit the EUPRIO community.

All EUPRIO members are eligible to participate in the programme, that is organised in two steps:

1. Call for proposals: members are invited to submit their proposals for leading a working group on a specific topic that could be of interest for the EUPRIO Community (filling in the projects form);
2. Call for participants: all EUPRIO members are invited to apply for joining one of the approved projects (filling in the participants application form)

EMP supports projects conducted online (without timing restrictions) or in-person (lasting up to 3 days). Financial assistance from EUPRIO includes reimbursements for individual expenses, excluding those of the meeting organiser.

This covers:

• Travel expenses up to a maximum of 400 € per person per project.
• Accommodation and living expenses: a lump sum of 600 € per person per project.

Reimbursements will be issued after project completion and upon submission of the final report to the EUPRIO Executive Board (EB).

The EB oversees the entire selection and evaluation process.

Project leaders are tasked with submitting final reports (papers, slides and or guidelines) that will be published in the Euprio Community (MyEUPRIO) for members only.

Anyone in the groups who is an expert on the projects’ topic can apply for taking a workshop at the annual conference or during the year independently. Each proposal will be part of the traditional selection process for this kind of activities and, if approved, it will receive specific funds.

EMP steps and deadlines:

1. September 30, 2024: deadline call for projects
2. October 10, 2024: publication of the 5 projects approved
3. October 10 - November 10, 2024: Call for participants
4. November 19, 2024 - May 15, 2025: Working time
5. June 15, 2025: deadline for presenting the reports

EMP Proposals approved 2024-2025
 

Project n. 1
Team leader: Katelijne Ulenaers, UHasselt/Universiteit Hasselt - Belgium
Title of the project: Let's focus on Internal Communications! Setting up a baseline measurement and developing a toolbox
Description: After noticing the growing importance of internal communication within higher education organisations, especially in the wake of previous EMPs addressing the implementation of internal communication in universities and a pan- European perspective on change communication in higher education, we have identified the need for specific support in terms of data and insights for internal communication. Furthermore, there is a significant demand for information on internal audiences, communication channels, and measurement. To address these needs across our network, we aim to establish a baseline measurement in order to collect insights on what European universities and higher education institutions undertake in terms of internal communications. Furthermore, we would like to analyze the results, and generate a range of practical options, a 'toolbox', for implementing and improving internal communications in higher education institutions. 

Project n. 2
Team leader: Deirdre Kilbride, Una Europa vzw - Belgium
Title of the project: Storytelling for impact in European Universities alliances
Description: Launched by the European Commission in 2018, the European Universities initiative unites higher education institutions in maximising their benefit for students, staff, and society. Now, with more than 60 European Universities alliances active across Europe, the initiative is having an undeniable impact on many facets of our institutions – including our communications departments. In a rapidly evolving sphere that can trigger conflicting priorities, concisely communicating alliances’ purpose and impact among our university communities can be deeply challenging. This project aims to: consider challenges in communicating effectively about European Universities alliances; gather examples of effective storytelling from among the European Universities network; surface recommendations on articulating a succinct ‘elevator pitch’ about your institution’s involvement in an alliance; and recommend actionable tactics to connect your alliance story with target audiences.

Project n. 3
Team leader: Marlene Günsberg, Hanken Svenska Handelshögskolan - Finland
Title of the project: Crisis communication – navigating in a turbulent Europe
Description: We would be interested in exploring crisis communication in connection with possible brand risks for universities in Europe when deciding whether to take a stand on political crises or situations that will affect the universities’ operations short or long term. These could be for example: - political demonstrations, camps etc. - government university funding restrictions - government reduction of financial support to students - government restriction to international mobility and/or the possibility for foreign nationals to study and/or work in a country We could examine recent instances where universities took a stand or remained neutral and gather insights from universities across Europe. It would be interesting to know how the communications department worked with the management and prepared in both instances and how successful the communication was. 

Project n. 4
Team leader: Esther Van Kan, TU Delft - Netherlands
Title of the project: How can we use automation and AI to enhance our social media strategies without losing the human touch?
Description: This project aims to explore the integration of AI and automation in social media strategies within higher education, focusing on maintaining authenticity and human connection. Through collaboration between European institutions, we will examine how AI tools can optimize engagement, content creation, and interaction without diminishing the personal touch that is crucial in student and stakeholder communication., The project will involve knowledge sharing, workshops, and case studies to develop practical recommendations and best practices for universities., By fostering dialogue among institutions with different approaches and challenges, we aim to create a toolkit that helps universities leverage AI and automation without sacrificing the relational and emotional aspects of social media communication, ensuring both technological advancement and a strong human presence.

Project n. 5
Team leader: Ewelina Kolendowicz-Ossowska, Uniwersytet SWPS - Poland
Title of the project: Partnership between universities and the socio-economic environment: communication, best practices, and strategies for effective collaboration with businesses
Description: Collaboration between universities and the socio-economic environment, including businesses and institutions, is based on effective communication. Proper communication channels facilitate the transfer of knowledge, building long-lasting relationships, and promoting the university's potential. Effective communication enables a better alignment of business needs with academic resources, helps students and graduates enter the job market, and supports the creation of innovative solutions for society. This project focuses on exploring communication challenges, identifying best practices, and developing strategies that will enable universities and businesses to collaborate effectively at both national and international levels.