ACA – 2026 – 2027: Framework Partnership - Operating Grant

ongoing

The Academic Cooperation Association (ACA) is a leading European association supporting research, innovative practice development, and smart policymaking in international higher education. Guided by its Strategy 2023–2027, ACA promotes a vision of a closely interconnected world of thriving, fair societies, empowered by international higher education. This proposal supports ACA’s objectives and activities for 2026–2027, contributing directly to Erasmus+ objectives and EU policy goals in education. In a period marked by global uncertainty, rapid technological change, and societal challenges, ACA’s work continues to enable inclusive, future-oriented, and sustainable internationalisation of higher education. The initiative will empower ACA members to deliver improved support to their national HEIs, informed by evidence-based practice, policy insight, and forward-looking approaches. ACA’s activities for the period will be guided by three specific objectives: (1) to build the capacity of staff across all levels of ACA member organisations in key European and international higher education priorities; (2) to support evidence-based EU policy co-creation processes in higher education; and (3) to raise awareness of the added value and impact of EU policies and programmes among key stakeholders in Europe and globally. Six thematic clusters will guide implementation: (1) Inclusion and Diversity, (2) Digitalisation and Greening, (3) European Universities Alliances and the European Degree, (4) Global Partnerships and Talent Attraction, (5) Future Skills for Students and Staff, and (6) Institutional Change and Impact. ACA will deliver on these objectives through a combination of peer-learning activities, strategic events, thematic groups, knowledge-sharing outputs, and targeted communication and dissemination. This work will foster equity, excellence, and innovation, while reflecting the EU’s core values and contributing to its green, digital, and social transitions.