Tempus Public Foundation had the pleasure of hosting the Informal NA meeting on European University Alliances in Budapest (12-13 May) within the framework of the SPREAD EUI project. The event brought together colleagues from across Europe engaged in supporting the European Universities Initiative. 

The two-day meeting provided an excellent opportunity for National Agencies to exchange experiences and reflect on the diverse roles and activities undertaken at national level to support not only European University Alliances, but all higher education institutions. Particular attention was given to how the developments and results emerging from these inter-university collaborations can be more effectively disseminated across the broader higher education sector in Europe. 

The programme featured presentations on impact and interoperability from NA representatives, ACA and FOREU4ALL, as well as lively discussion. Participants shared valuable perspectives, good practice examples and policy insights that contribute to strengthening the long-term transformative potential of the initiative. 

ACA contributed to the discussions by presenting its study on national-level support for European University Alliances (see ACA Newsletter – Education Europe, January 2026) The presentation underlined the expanding range of activities undertaken by National Agencies to support higher education institutions involved in the initiative and to facilitate the dissemination and wider uptake of its results. Despite the absence of a clearly defined mandate in this area, National Agencies are well positioned to bridge the gap between participating institutions and the wider sector, owing to their proximity to institutions, as well as their broader coordination function within national higher education systems.