On 15 June 2026, the European Commission announced the results of the Erasmus+ European Degree exploratory action call published in December 2025.  

In total, 14 European Degree exploratory action programmes have been selected to obtain EU funding. The selected exploratory action programmes will enable the participating European Universities alliances to adapt existing joint programmes or create new ones leading to a joint European degree label and support students’ access such programmes over the next three years. The selected programmes range from having four participating members (D4EU) to as many as 15 (PROCEED). ACA serves as an associate partner in two selected programmes: EDLive and JEDLamP submitted by ARQUS and ENLIGHT alliances, respectively. 

A further nine pathway projects were selected, each one consisting of quality assurance accrediting agencies, higher education institutions, students, and societal partners who will explore the feasibility of implementing a joint European degree in their national contexts. ACA members EDUFI and HARNO are part of the EQuAL-Doc and EuroTeQ PP projects. 

To celebrate the European Degree Label becoming a reality, Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, Director-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture awarded two front-runner programmes – the Joint Master’s in Marine Biotechnology of the European Universities Alliance, by EU-CONEXUS, and the Joint Master’s in Global Challenges for Sustainability of the European Universities Alliance, by CHARM-EU - the first-ever Joint European Degree Label.  

Earlier this summer, the European Commission published the Operational Guide for the European Degree Label (see ACA Newsletter – Education Europe, June 2026), which will inform the efforts of the selected programmes.  

Further progress of the European Degree Label will be discussed at the second annual EU Degree Forum, set to take place on 30 November to 1 December in Cologne, Germany.