We spoke with Dr. Christian Kästner, Head of the International Office at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and project coordinator on behalf of the university, for our BAUHAUS.INSIGHTS series. He explains in our interview how the alliance plans to continue and what specifically will change here at the university. 

Mr. Kästner, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar has been the coordinating university for the alliance since spring 2023. And you co-authored the funding application that was submitted to the European Commission. Could you outline the BAUHAUS4EU project to us briefly? What are the main goals and visions?

Ten universities from all across Europe are involved in BAUHAUS4EU, an alliance that will continue to exist in the long term, regardless of the successful application and beyond the funding period – there’s no expiry date. The aim is to develop comprehensive internationalisation offers for all members of the participating universities. So not only for students and professors, but also for academic staff, doctoral researchers, and technical and administrative employees. By doing this as an alliance, we can plan together reliably for the long term and develop formats for dialogue and cooperation on all levels.
 
Another focus is on involving the regions in which the respective universities are located more closely in the alliance’s work. A European network of regional players is to be established with the universities’ support and cooperation between them facilitated. For us, this means that Thuringia’s connection to the EU will be reinforced so that the benefits of the EU can better be seen and utilised in the region. We’ll also integrate Europe into the everyday lives of our students and employees more – this will take place entirely naturally through the diverse exchange formats that the alliance will offer. We hope that the countless positive individual experiences will help to strengthen the European peace project in the long run.

I strongly believe that the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar being a part of the BAUHAUS4EU alliance will boost its appeal and allow us to contribute to the sustainable development of Thuringia. The funding we have now received from the »Erasmus+ European Universities« programme is initially limited to four years, meaning it has a project format. This gives us a tremendous boost to rapidly implement many things that it would take longer to develop otherwise. And the status of a »funded« alliance opens up the possibility of further funding from the state, the federal government and the EU.

Nine other partner institutions from all across Europe are involved in the alliance in addition to the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar – the coordination can’t be easy. What challenges arise when ten European universities pursue a common goal?

First of all, it’s important that we really are pursuing the same goal! And we are – as we had to ascertain and formulate our ideas for the funding application: We’ve developed a very detailed collaborative work plan for the coming four years. There will still be challenges, of course. Starting with the different legal frameworks that need to be dovetailed during the development of joint study programmes and other teaching formats. This is no small task – as anyone who’s been involved in developing and accrediting study programmes can confirm. It will also be undeniably difficult to integrate in the two partner universities in Ukraine. These couldn’t be included as full alliance members as the Erasmus regulations do not allow this, but we still want to involve them in all activities.

Every international project naturally also entails geographical challenges and distances that must be overcome. For the sake of environmental sustainability, we’re focusing heavily on digital formats. There should of course also be physical mobility between the universities though. We plan to mainly use Erasmus+ funding for this of which the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar has fortunately received a fair amount. Some of our partner universities don’t have as much Erasmus funding however, so it won’t be as easy for them.

We must also address cultural differences – after all, every university is its own cosmos and the decision-making and work structures are not always congruent. There are personal cultural influences, too. These don’t actually present a challenge as such, but rather contribute to exactly the kind of enrichment that we are seeking. Many delegation visits have already taken place to the alliance partners over the past two years and the feedback from the many delegates and all the others already involved in the cooperation is unanimously positive. It’s fun to gain new perspectives, explore these together and see what fruitful impetus develops for your own work and your own life as a citizen of Europe.

And finally, language is of course also a topic that is both enriching and challenging. We want to support multilingualism, even if English will undoubtedly be the working language for the collaboration.

You received confirmation at the end of June that your efforts have paid off: From 2025, the universities in the alliance will receive a total of €14.4 million in funding. This should be used to facilitate international mobility for students and lecturers, for example. A European digital campus is also planned. Are there any other projects in particular that can now be implemented thanks to the funding?

The project also involves developing concrete measures and then implementing them. There will be a design phase and this will then be followed by an implementation phase. It’s already clear that the development of joint study programmes will form a central component. European Bauhaus modules are also planned and various teaching formats are being considered, which will be implemented in cooperation with regional partners. We’re currently working on offers to support researchers at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar who want to submit an application to the EU and are still seeking suitable partners in Europe.

The alliance’s broad geographical reach and the involvement of strategically important regional partners in all ten partner regions can substantially enhance EU applications. While funding has not been allocated specifically for this, it will nonetheless lead to measurably positive support for our university and its partners. And we want to develop a regular exchange programme for technical and administrative employees to enable more people to share their experience internationally. The aim is to conceive very broad internationalisation offers for all status groups.

Do you think that the project and the associated financial support will have a lasting impact on research and teaching at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar – and, if so, how?

Definitely! How exactly depends on us as a university. A great many opportunities exist for anyone interested in getting involved: These opportunities will increasingly become visible as the project progresses and the alliance develops. I expect that the university will agree to and position itself on this in the joint strategic processes – as it has already for STEP 2026–30. I’d like every member of the university to be able to get involved in the university’s internationality and to help shape it so that it enriches our work and makes it enjoyable.

I’d like to end by taking a brief look to the future: What outcomes and impact do you hope the project will have?

I hope that we’ll have grown together into a smoothly functioning alliance by the end of the project. That we then act as one on the European level and complement and empower each other when setting new goals. That we generate new innovative creativity and make a lasting and tangible contribution to strengthening Europe and liberal democracy by collaborating closely.

Mr. Kästner, thanks very much for the interview!

For more information on the BAUHAUS4EU University Alliance, see: www.bauhaus4.eu 

The BAUHAUS.INSIGHTS questions on the BAUHAUS4EU University Alliance were asked by Luise Ziegler.