Avoiding Peripheralisation: Swiss and British HEIs Participation in the European Universities Initiative

In this SRHE funded project, together with Antonin Charret, a Visiting Researcher at USI, Agata will explore the complex motivations driving Swiss and British HEIs’ participation in the European Universities Initiative (EUI), considering the specific environmental factors present. They will examine HEIs decision-making processes in applying for a place in the EUI, selecting alliances to join and the approaches to collaboration within the alliances. They will scrutinise the challenges and obstacles they have faced thus far due to their associate member status. Finally, they will explore the anticipated potential short- and long-term benefits of participation in the alliances. In doing so, they will shed light on how the Swiss and British HEIs are navigating the challenging environment to manage their legitimacy and maintain their international standing and engagement with European partners.