Five years, ten universities, one shared vision: In October, the EuroTeQ Engineering University marked its fifth anniversary at the Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e) with a gathering of over 100 students, staff, and leaders from across Europe. Originally conceived as a bold initiative to connect Europe’s top technical universities, EuroTeQ has grown into a thriving community driving innovation, mobility, and lifelong learning. Two pillars of this transformation – the EuroTeQ Course Catalogue and the EuroTeQ Collider – are now firmly established components of successful cross-border learning.
Since 2020, a small group of dedicated pioneers has grown into a strong network of more than 200 staff members across Europe. In his opening remarks, Prof. Gerhard Müller, TUM Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and member of the EuroTeQ Management Board, summarized the alliance’s original goal: “Our vision from the very beginning was to bring our institutions seamlessly together – to learn from one another, to enrich our students’ learning opportunities, and to prepare them for a future that demands collaboration across borders.”
Reflecting on the alliance’s development, he added: “We realized that technological progress often originates at European universities – but isn’t always scaled up here. By bringing together students from business schools and technical universities, EuroTeQ helps bridge that gap between invention and innovation.”
Backed by continued support from the European Commission, national agencies, and partner universities, the alliance has built a sustainable structure – financially and institutionally – to strengthen the European Higher Education Area and foster lasting collaboration among engineers, educators, and innovators.
Expanding horizons with the EuroTeQ Course Catalogue
One of the alliance’s flagship projects is the EuroTeQ Course Catalogue. This shared platform has fundamentally reshaped how students and universities connect and learn across Europe. By providing online and hybrid courses across partner institutions, EuroTeQ enables students to take part in learning experiences beyond borders – virtually, seamlessly, and with greater flexibility than ever before.
Since its launch in 2021, over 5,300 students have explored more than 800 shared courses. With a fully automated enrollment process rolled out in fall 2025, the Course Catalogue continues to serve as a hub for collaborative, cross-institutional learning – setting a new benchmark for European digital education.
Turning challenges into opportunities: the EuroTeQ Collider
At the heart of EuroTeQ’s hands-on learning approach lies the Collider – a challenge-based learning format where students, researchers, and industry partners co-create real-world solutions. Between 2020 and 2025, more than 1,700 participants tackled 370 challenges, mentored by professors and professionals. The Collider doesn’t just teach skills – it builds confidence, creativity, and collaboration.
Recent innovations include an entrepreneurial bootcamp for start-up-minded teams and a teachers’ challenge-based learning workshop integrated into the EuroTeQathon. The result: a vibrant ecosystem where learning meets impact.
Upskilling professionals for a changing world
EuroTeQ’s commitment to education extends well beyond traditional study programs. Through its Executive Programme on Industrial Science and a professional Course Catalogue of 30 modules, the alliance supports technical experts looking to upskill in leadership and emerging technologies.
Each course is certified with micro-credentials, helping professionals stay at the forefront of industrial innovation while strengthening ties between academia and business.
Empowering educators and fostering collaboration
Behind every transformation in learning stands a dedicated teacher. EuroTeQ invests in educators through joint winter and summer schools, where didactical experts from all partner institutions co-develop new teaching concepts and share best practices.
These collaborations have produced a blueprint for joint EuroTeQ courses, supporting institutional transformation and making teaching mobility a more visible and rewarding part of academic careers.
Charting the next chapter: EuroTeQ 2034
The anniversary event in Eindhoven was more than a celebration of past achievements for students, project managers, and Management Board members – it was a moment to envision the future. For the first time, colleagues from all Work Packages, such as Course Catalogue, Collider, Lifelong Learning, and Communication – came together for cross-team exchange to jointly shape new visions for EuroTeQ.
Looking ahead to the third project phase (2028–2034), the alliance is taking ambitious steps: integrating AI into engineering education, expanding joint course offerings, and building learning environments that are inclusive, collaborative, and sustainable.
Shaping Europe’s educational future
Five years in, EuroTeQ proves what collaboration across borders can achieve – not just for students, but for society. By connecting universities, industries, and ideas, the alliance is engineering the future of technology, teaching, and learning.
The EuroTeQ Engineering University
The EuroTeQ Engineering University was founded in 2020 under the European Universities Initiative of the EU Commission and brings together six leading technical universities:
- TUM (Germany)
- DTU (Denmark)
- TU/e (Netherlands)
- TalTech (Estonia)
- CTU (Czech Republic) and
- École Polytechnique (France)
From its start, EuroTeQ has focused on co‑creating engineering education across borders, combining shared digital platforms, challenge‑based formats, and joint research. Its network extends further through associated partners like EPFL (Switzerland) and Technion (Israel). In 2023, the alliance welcomed HEC (France) and IESE (Spain) Business Schools, reinforcing its multidisciplinary vision.