On 20 October 2026, the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference, Tempus Public Foundation and Semmelweis University jointly organised a higher education conference in Budapest focusing on the institutional impact and sustainability of centrally managed Erasmus+ projects. The event, titled From Projects to Institutional Change, explored how international cooperation can contribute to institutional development and how project results can be integrated into long-term strategies and practices. 

The conference was opened by Béla Merkely, Rector of Semmelweis University and President of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference, and Balázs Vince Nagy, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Tempus Public Foundation. Both highlighted the role of internationalisation in institutional development and the contribution of Erasmus+ to this process. 

ACA Director Irina Ferencz presented findings from the study marking 20 years of Erasmus Mundus, examining the impact of joint programmes on teaching and learning, institutional processes, and European and global higher education cooperation. 

The conference also addressed developments in European higher education policy. Kinga Szuly from the European Commission outlined preparations for Erasmus+ 2028–2034, including perspectives on the continuation of the European Universities initiative and its contribution to European higher education reforms. 

Institutional examples illustrated how cooperation within European Universities alliances can lead to the development of Erasmus Mundus joint programmes. Presentations also examined how research results generated through Erasmus+ projects can inform curriculum development, teaching methods and student engagement. 

The afternoon parallel sessions focused on the strategic expansion of international partnerships, the institutionalisation of project-based cooperation, changes to institutional services and the integration of joint programmes into university structures. 

Across the discussions, particular attention was given to knowledge transfer, shared procedures and organisational arrangements that enable project results to remain in use beyond the funding period. The conference provided an opportunity for Hungarian higher education institutions to exchange experiences of translating international project participation into longer-term institutional practices. 

Further details are available in the conference reports published, in Hungarian, by Tempus Public Foundation and on the Hungarian Erasmus+ website.