Moriña (2016) defines inclusive education “as an educational approach proposing schools in which all the students can participate and all are treated like valuable school members” (p.13). In higher education, this means ensuring students’ access, participation and success (Moriña, 2016, p.4). However, the definition can be broadened to encompass the entire academic community, extending beyond national borders through transnational academic cooperation. 

Higher education institutions across Europe have been expanding international collaborations through structured university alliances, such as CIVIS, Una Europa, Civica, and financed by the European Commission. These alliances, built around the principle of transnational cooperation, aim to promote mobility, research partnerships and shared educational opportunities. They are intended to play a key role in the European construction process by facilitating the mobility of talent, collaborative resource management, and the training of future European leaders (Galán-Cubillo, Serrano-Cobos, & López-Navarrete, 2024, p.18).

However, despite the mutual benefits of enhanced internationalisation (Egron-Polak & Green, 2015, p. 2), fostering an inclusive culture within such alliances presents challenges mainly caused by institutional differences, cultural diversity, varying degrees of commitment and power dynamics between members. Additionally, European alliances face longstanding barriers to inclusivity that universities traditionally encounter, including institutional shortcomings (for example, lack of policies), faculty preparedness, administrative resistance, funding constraints, technological limitations, and societal attitudes (Dildora, 2024). Martinez-Acosta and Favero (2018) argue for a strategic plan to address this issue, starting from a comprehensive institutional commitment to inclusivity, involving all levels of the academic community (students, faculty, staff, and administration) and including proactive support for incoming students, open discussions on diversity and inclusion, and implementing assessment and accountability measures. 

Considering this framework, our study investigates, starting from the case of the CIVIS Alliance, how university members of such European alliances understand promoting inclusivity by addressing the following research questions:

1. What shared practices support inclusion and diversity within European university alliances?

2. What common aspirations do academics have for fostering an inclusive culture within international collaborations?

3. What are the main challenges and opportunities for improving inclusion in European alliances?

By examining the perspectives of academics with experience in international collaborations, this study contributes to broader discussions on the future of European higher education and the role of inclusivity in cross-border academic partnerships. This is particularly relevant as alliances provide a platform for institutions to experiment with solutions for achieving deeper transnational cooperation (Charret & Chankseliani, 2023, p. 24).

The study is exploratory and qualitative, based on five focus groups conducted with academics from five of the eleven universities members of the CIVIS European Alliance: University of Bucharest, Autonomous University of Madrid, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aix-Marseille University, and Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen. These universities are also partners in the Erasmus+ project eBelong: Sense of Belonging in the Context of New EU Alliances, in the context of which this research was conducted. Participants were selected based on their experience in international collaborations. This experience included participating in projects, research and/ or transnational educational activities. The focus group discussions, which lasted about 60 minutes and included on average 5 participants from each university, were structured around five key themes: (1) Institutional values of inclusion and diversity; (2) Organizational culture similarities and differences; (3) Perceived benefits and challenges of international collaboration; (4) Strategies for enhancing inclusivity within alliances; (5) Recommendations for fostering a sense of belonging within European alliances. Data was transcribed and analyzed thematically using the Maxqda software to identify patterns and key insights related to inclusivity practices and aspirations across the partners.

Our findings indicate that European university alliances provide a promising framework for fostering inclusivity and diversity in higher education. These alliances are built on core inclusivity and diversity principles, guiding their operational framework. By bringing together resources and expertise in an environment of international socialization and learning, institutions create opportunities for transformative change through collaboration. Academics feel encouraged to adopt and adapt best practices from international peers while actively trying to promote their institutions, practices, and interests. Moreover, partner institutions can complement each other's strengths, thus addressing gaps in institutional expertise. While shared practices are evident across the alliance, further steps are required to bridge institutional differences, bureaucratic challenges, and communication barriers. The five focus groups indicated the importance of harmonized inclusion policies, more substantial institutional commitment, and strategies to foster a sense of belonging to enhance participation. Although the data gathered was not conclusive on specific implementation methods, and there were differences across participants, it was clear that inclusivity and diversity within alliances should not merely be a sum of existing practices. Instead, alliances present an opportunity to develop a centralized inclusivity strategy. However, for this to be effectively implemented, academics' multiple roles and responsibilities must be carefully considered to ensure institutional commitment and practical feasibility, as many times, people feel overwhelmed. Similarly, we should never forget that there is no “one-size-fits-all solution”.

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