Redefining Sustainability in Higher Education Governance: The European Universities Case

Abstract

Sustainability is a multifaceted concept, particularly within the realm of higher education. In this context, it is linked to the role that Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play in advocating for sustainable practices aligned with the UN sustainable development goals. Conversely, it also pertains to the adoption of sustainable approaches within HEIs own activities. This paper deals with a very specific aspect of sustainability-related practices in higher education, that of governance models and how that influences and determines the overall sustainability of a Higher Education Institution. Based on the exemplary case study of FilmEU, one of the new “European Universities” promoted and funded by the European Commission, we argue that the design of more participatory and distributed governance models is essential for the overall sustainability of HEIs and a catalyzer of sustainable practices across higher education.

1. Introduction

In 2017, the Rome Declaration [1] underscored the EU’s commitment to fostering a “Union where young people receive the best education and training and can study and find jobs across the continent”. Concurrently, the Commission outlined the vision of the European Education Area (EEA) as a genuine shared space for high-quality education and lifelong learning across borders for all. This vision was further reinforced by the publication of [2], emphasizing the pivotal role of higher education in shaping the future of Europe. To realize the European Education Area and the associated European Higher Education Space, numerous actions have been devised and implemented. Among these, the European Strategy for Universities [3] stands out as a significant initiative aimed at assisting the higher education sector in adapting to evolving conditions and fostering cooperation across borders. Central to this strategy is the “European Universities initiative”, which has been supporting 50 Alliances since 2020, involving approximately 400 HEIs, to enhance levels of cooperation and integration. In 2023, the Commission launched a new and final call for this program, intending to support a total of 60 European Universities and approximately 500 European HEIs starting from 2024.

Initially conceived as a project-oriented endeavor funded through Erasmus+, the initiative transitioned to a more programmatic approach as implementation progressed. Additional funding sources such as H2020 and Horizon Europe funding have been incorporated, with discussions currently underway at the EU level regarding a post-2027 Investment Pathway. With three cohorts of Alliances already funded, it is evident that this foundational initiative has reached a critical juncture. Various obstacles, including funding challenges and the legal status of these trans-European universities, underscore the significant role that governance plays in shaping the understanding of the ultimate outcomes and impacts of this ambitious initiative, with its diverse conceptualizations and implications.

FilmEU—The European University of Film and Media Arts was established as one of the recipients of EU funding in 2020 through the second call for the creation of European Universities. It stands out among the various Alliances due to its thematic focus and by concentrating mainly on Film and Media Arts disciplines. Additionally, FilmEU distinguishes itself by its relatively compact size, comprising only four members when it was created, contrasting with the larger memberships of most Alliances. However, FilmEU’s small size is offset by its remarkable diversity. It encompasses institutions representing diverse cultural and geographical regions, as well as a wide spectrum of institutional profiles found within European higher education. This diversity encompasses comprehensive universities, research-intensive institutions, Polytechnics/Universities of Applied Arts, smaller art-oriented colleges, publicly funded institutions, and private non-profit organizations. Moreover, the Alliance’s members vary in their national, international, regional, and local orientations, resulting in a diverse array of governance models ranging from heavy academic involvement to distinct separation between management and academic boards.

While FilmEU’s diversity presents challenges, it also presents opportunities, particularly in the establishment of a joint trans-European university. However, these opportunities are accompanied by uncertainties regarding the future legal and regulatory framework governing European Universities. This uncertainty is a primary challenge facing FilmEU and other European Universities, as they grapple with the complexities of setting up a diverse consortium within an ambiguous legal context. Consequently, the convergence of these challenges places governance at the forefront of FilmEU’s agenda. The Alliance must navigate various societal, legal, regulatory, technological, and cultural transformations as it strives to establish a sustainable governance model for the future. Despite the uncertainties, FilmEU remains committed to its mission of promoting excellence and innovation in Film and Media Arts education within the evolving landscape of European higher education.

In the case of FilmEU but also of most of the other European Universities, these challenges are further increased by the ongoing enlargement process of these Alliances that in the case of FilmEU takes the Alliance from the initial four partners to eight partners already in 2024.

In this paper, we argue that the governance issue is the core aspect of a broader questioning of the sustainability of these European Universities model. At the same time, we put forward the argument that the type of governance models we are experimenting will highlight the importance governance models and structures have in shaping more sustainable and socially relevant HEI that actively attain many of the UN development goals and with their practices contribute to a more sustainable society.

Governance is undoubtedly a multifaceted subject. Firstly, there exists no unanimous agreement on the precise definition of governance, leading to uncertainties regarding its affordances and impacts. Determining what constitutes “good” or “bad” governance can sometimes be subjective, reliant on leadership qualities, or the appropriateness of adopted models. This paper primarily focuses on the latter aspect, aiming to delineate the framework best suited for governing a trans-European University comprised of campuses dispersed across Europe, each hosting various national institutions with their unique profiles and missions. Effective governance ensures the institution’s desired objectives are sustained and engages stakeholders in either informing or participating in policy formation, procedures, and outcomes to foster trust for the institution’s collective benefit. Previous research on European Universities has predominantly examined governance within the Alliances, revealing a duality between managing ongoing Erasmus+ and H2020 projects securing Alliance funding and conceptualizing future models, often left as experimental due to the absence of a clear legal statute [4]. Governance of the project pertains to Alliance management and decision-making during the funding period, while governance of the European University addresses both the legal entity supporting universities—where a definitive statute is yet to materialize—and interactions between this entity and Alliance participants. This paper focuses particularly on future governance models of European Universities themselves, distinct from the already available management models of Alliances.

Presently, two central elements dominate our discussion: the lack of a precise definition of the legal framework for European Universities and their ongoing implementation and expansion. This dual challenge poses significant risks, compelling Alliances to devise provisional governance models while concurrently designing and testing potential permanent ones. European Universities represent a novel and highly innovative concept necessitating the establishment of consensus governance spaces [5] if they want to flourish amidst such uncertainty. This initiative calls for the creation of collaborative governance spaces to facilitate the cross-pollination of diverse perspectives on education, research, innovation, and societal services.

If we understand sustainability in the broad manner defined under the Brundtland report [6] that states: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”, from this follows that sustainability in an organizational context concerns an organization ability to pursue its objectives and mission over time. For this to occur, we postulate that, in the case of a HEI, governance constitutes the core factor ensuring sustainability and the experiment of the European Universities is exemplary of this.

Future governance models must enhance the capacity of these Alliances to adapt regionally and internationally, fostering collaboration with other stakeholders across their regional innovation ecosystems to bolster competitiveness and sustainability. This necessitates ensuring the full and transparent participation of all stakeholders and engaging them effectively.

The primary contribution we anticipate from this paper is a deeper understanding and clarification of a possible future governance model for European Universities and their unique characteristics. Governance of European Universities will need to depart significantly from other known governance structures. Drawing from [7], governance should encompass “structures and processes that are designed to ensure accountability, transparency, responsiveness, rule of law, stability, equity and inclusiveness, empowerment, and broad-based participation in HEIs. Governance also represents the norms, values, and rules of the game through which affairs are managed in a manner that is transparent, participatory, inclusive, and responsive.”. The specificities of European Universities necessitate a nuanced interpretation of this definition, emphasizing key elements such as participation (involving HEIs and stakeholders), transparency (ensuring operational transparency to members and stakeholders), and what we term “institutional dependency”, meaning the inherent link between the European University and its members, while navigating potential conflicts between national and European dimensions.

In our perspective, the success of European Universities and the fulfillment of their objectives hinge on all members of each Alliance fully grasping the benefits they offer, which should clearly complement their own missions and those of their constituent members. Preliminary research outlined in [8] underscored the importance of a dynamic, agile, and bottom-up governance model that ensures the aforementioned participation, transparency, and dependencies. This implies that the transformative potential of European Universities for all participating HEIs will only materialize through ongoing institutional dependencies and interactions. The European University and its members should operate akin to a unified human body, characterized by perpetual mutually beneficial interactions and dependencies among its parts. In light of this, our governance approach for the European University underscores the executive function of different bodies at the European University legal entity level, alongside the strategic and supervisory powers of each participating HEI. The proposed governance model advocates for a clear distinction between the strategic and supervisory roles carried out by bodies representing Alliance members and the executive role of the Alliance’s steering committee, serving as the principal management and decision-making body at an operational level, with responsibilities for consistent and effective reporting to members. This governance model, rooted in mutually beneficial interactions and dependencies, draws inspiration from existing governance models at the EU level, such as those of the EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) [9] and the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) [10], in addition to the extensive work and design efforts undertaken in earlier stages of FilmEU.

The forthcoming governance models for European Universities should prioritize accountability, sustainability, and desirability. Accountability entails ensuring that all participants are responsible for their actions in a transparent manner, facilitated by clear procedures and guidelines. Sustainability necessitates transparency and adaptability to maximize benefits. Desirability requires that the transformative potential of the European University and its benefits are fully realized and shared among all members, making participation in the University a desirable prospect for both members and their respective communities. These frameworks should exhibit flexibility and transcend the dichotomy between project-level management and the broader programmatic dimension inherent in the establishment of European Universities.

Discussions on governance encompass strategic planning, supervision, operational decision-making structures, and crucial aspects such as quality assurance and external evaluation. This paper addresses these diverse dimensions and their multifaceted implications.

All organizations, including HEIs, bear responsibility to their stakeholders and society at large. Accountability entails delineating a clear mission, objectives, initiatives, and performance metrics. Exceptional institutions state clearly their aspirations and methodologies for achieving objectives. Irrespective of external variables beyond our control, such as the definition of a legal framework for European Universities, governance within the Alliances and future Universities involves the convergence of three interrelated dimensions:

1. the framework, initially comprising the overarching legal statute for European Universities, followed by each University’s specific legal statutes, bylaws, and regulations,

2. the systemic level, represented by projects that systematically contribute to the establishment of the University as a cohesive system through their activities and outcomes,

3. the actors, involving cooperation among diverse stakeholders, as embodied by the various bodies integrated into governance models, utilized for establishing and evaluating strategic and operational objectives.

A significant contribution of this paper lies in identifying multiple layers of governance, represented by distinct dimensions (e.g., funding versus autonomy), which exhibit mutual dependencies and influence the governance models of European Universities. These dimensions, delineating a conceptual governance framework for European Universities, are distributed across five intervention domains: politics, profession, organization, knowledge, and the public. The first domain encompasses critical aspects such as the mission of these HEIs, their institutional dependencies, and governance structures (both internal and external management and decision-making). It also encompasses management procedures, decision-making bodies within the institution, and those of the legal entity advocating for the University. The second domain, focusing on human resources, addresses the recruitment and retention of talent (including students, teachers, and researchers), which significantly impacts the success of European Universities. Funding and financial sustainability pertain to the management and allocation of financial resources essential for the operation of the Universities. Matters such as budget allocation, auditing, and revenue sharing among partners play pivotal roles at this level. This dimension also involves the definition and implementation of funding models aimed at enhancing the Universities’ autonomy. Quality assurance and operations entail establishing rules and structures to aid management in guiding operations effectively. The dimension of innovation and entrepreneurial potential underscores the necessity for governance to bolster Universities’ capacity to amalgamate all dimensions of the knowledge domain and cultivate an entrepreneurial ethos. Lastly, the evaluation of impact gauges Universities’ ability to contribute to regional development across all the regions they operate in.

In summary, good governance can be understood as a set of conditions aimed at creating a framework that upholds the integrity of the academic value system, while simultaneously situating universities within their broader environment to render them receptive and accountable to external messages, demands, and expectations. It should not impede transformation or a higher education institution’s capacity to engage across various ecosystems [11, 12]. This is the type of governance sought in European Universities. As this issue underscores, governance must enhance the management of future Universities by ensuring that strategies and decision-making processes result from collective and participatory efforts that reflect the aspirations and interests of all stakeholders. Above all, governance must be tailored to the purpose of ensuring the success of this formidable initiative.

2. Background on FilmEU

2.1 What is FilmEU?

FilmEU—The European University for Film and Media Arts, (Project: 101004047, EPP-EUR-UNIV-2020—European Universities, EPLUS2020 Action Grant), unites four European Higher Education Institutions: Lusófona University in Lisbon (hereafter referred to as LU), Portugal; Tallinn University—Baltic Film, Media, and Arts School (hereafter referred to as TLU) in Estonia; LUCA School of Arts in Brussels (hereafter referred to as LUCA), Belgium; and Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology in Dublin (hereafter referred to as IADT), Ireland. These institutions collaborate with the common goal of collectively advancing high-level education, innovation, and research endeavors in the multidisciplinary realm of Film and Media Arts. Through this collaboration, they aim to reinforce Europe’s pivotal role as a global leader in the creative sectors and underscore the significance of culture and esthetic values for societal well-being. Our overarching vision is for FilmEU to evolve into an exemplary transnational university by 2027, fostering deeper cooperation among all Alliance members while complementing their existing structures. This evolution will enhance our capacity to engage locally, regionally, and globally within the cultural and creative industries and other societal domains they influence.

To pursue its objectives, FilmEU will propose an innovative governance and management model relevant to the needs and aims of a European University, but which can be customized for FilmEU’s mission and needs, while adhering to the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG). To identify such model, we started by analyzing several existing models and approaches, starting with the internal governance models in each one of the HEI that integrate FilmEU. At the same time, we conducted an analysis of relevant models in place in other European Universities. For this we resorted to the analysis of secondary info, namely the EUA report [13], besides meetings with UNA-Europa and Aurora that were used to collect primary info on the models being developed by other Universities. A special case study was produced on the governance model of UNA Europa. The model implemented by UNA Europa has been identified by FilmEU as a valid model of governance for the Alliance. In parallel to this, we conducted several focus groups with external experts, namely stakeholders coming from associated partners and conducted desk research to be able to identify key examples of best practices. This work culminated in a special conference held in Belgium in May 2022.

The conference “Future Governance Models of the European Universities” that took place in Brussels on May 5, 2022, was a key milestone in this process, where external stakeholders and specialists from different Alliances debated with the FilmEU’s team possible governance and management models for the future European Universities. This was a key moment in the development of our governance model. Additionally, the conference coupled with the work developed by the FilmEU project and led to the publication of all our research into the matter of governance in a special issue of The International Journal of Film and Media Arts published in December 2022.

2.2 Enlarging FilmEU

Following the recommendation of the EU Commission, from September 2021 FilmEU began promoting the enlargement of the Alliance with the objective of bringing in new full partners for this second phase. It was an advantageous and helpful process that forced us to better articulate our identity and mission. In engaging with new partners, it clarified what it is we want to achieve. We assessed the partners in line with a specific set of published criteria. We had conversations, conducted site visits, and consultations with several HEIs and through that dialog identified four new partners that are now part of the FilmEU family. We are certain that all eight partners now going forward into the second phase share the same understating and ambition for FilmEU.

FilmEU has had to deal with changes in its Alliance in the first phase. SZFE in Hungary was a key member of the original bid. However, SZFE changed and began an intense transformation driven by state legislation in the period after the submission of our original application. This continued into the early months of the project. Their role naturally changed and the teams in all the partner HEIs, managed this period well, including SZFE. However, it became clear that our Hungarian partners lacked overall capacity to continue with the Alliance. On September 24, 2021, the Project Management Board (PMB) agreed to change SZFE’s involvement in FilmEU, to that of an associate member, provided that the Commission would also approve this plan. Tallinn University—Baltic Film, Media, and Arts School (TLU) already an associated partner with FilmEU, then joined the consortium as full member on January 01, 2022, taking over many of the roles and responsibilities afforded to SZFE. The PMB were delighted to welcome TLU to the fold given that they had been enthusiastic original members during the development of the proposal.

Though challenging, FilmEU is now stronger and more agile because of the changes that have occurred. We understand what it required to make an Alliance work and function in a positive way that ensures all partners are heard, contribute meaningfully to the project, and can add value based on their unique offering.

All eight partners fulfill a broad set of criteria that overlap and complement each other. We have better addressed the need to ensure a geographic spread across the EU. Each of the HEIs display a degree of autonomy and flexibility in their decision-making process in line with national frameworks. Each has a strong pedigree in the screen arts and can evidence strong international partnerships and engagement over time. All the partners can boast several specialisms in relevant areas with expert facilities related to specific aspects of CCSI. The Alliance members each can point to existing strong research profiles, some are building that profile thanks to FilmEU with most able to offer provision of programmes up to L10.

As we have expanded, past associations are to the fore with the current partners. Not everyone in the Alliance is known to everyone and it is this alchemy of the old and new, traditional film school and bigger multidisciplinary institutions that ensures that FilmEU is and will be more than the sum of its parts. The work conducted so far has allowed FilmEU to become a hub of educational, research, and innovation activities focused on Film and Media Arts as a multidisciplinary field that brings together knowledge from the arts and the humanities putting it at the center of the cultural and creative sectors. Our expansion from four to eight partners ensures greater competitiveness via an increase in the Alliance critical mass.

We see the enlargement process as an advantage for future growth and development. We see it as fortuitous that we have started as four members and are now expanding to eight. We have a clearer identity and sense of what we want to achieve. Our discussions with the new partners we will onboard in the initial stages of FilmEU+ (second phase project name) were based on real experiences and an open understanding of what is involved and required of us all. In assessing our future partners, we looked for HEI with the same vision as us for the future of film and arts education. We also considered other dimensions (i.e., only HEIs who have been awarded an Erasmus Charter were allowed to apply for full partnership status). We share a progressive and inclusive view of the world and we looked for partners that shared that view.

Each current and new member of FilmEU adds value and new advantages to the consortium. On top of the broadening of the geographical reach, to include three widening countries, we have a diverse cultural mix plus a far broader range of discipline areas. Each “film school” or member of FilmEU is unique because of the context in which it sits. We now include an incredible range of cognate disciplines (including cooperation across and within member schools), facilities, relationship with national industries, regional engagement, languages, genres of interest, research profiles, and more.

The Alliance represents a diversity of regional, cultural, linguistic, economic, and historical perspectives/challenges, besides being an eclectic mixture of several types of HEIs, fully representing the richness and diversity of the European Higher Education Area and its academic tradition. FilmEU new partners bring on board new regional knowledge, but also are in an advantageous position to learn from existing partners, thus allowing the project to contribute to the development of the European Education Area and bring benefits to other higher education institutions in Europe and beyond, by driving inclusion and excellence. The partnership’s complementarity is evident in how each of the HEIs integrates tradition with innovative facilities and technology. This integration ensures that students have access to cutting-edge settings and equipment for conceptualizing, developing, filming, and completing film and TV productions in a professional environment. Given the ever-evolving nature of Film and Media Arts, the active involvement of HEIs in the Alliance with their respective industries and stakeholders serves as a complementary aspect, enriching not only the educational offerings but also their relevance.

2.3 The initial old partners

Lusófona University (LU) is a leading provider of Film and Media education in Portugal with campus in the country two main cities: Lisbon and Oporto. LU is a comprehensive university with education and research activities across several scientific domains from health sciences to engineering, from the social sciences to business and management. Arts and Media represent a core aspect of the university activity, and LU brings to the Alliance, not only its large expertise and offers in these domains, but also its distinctive focus on the Portuguese-speaking countries, namely in Africa and South America, and its long track record of experience in large educational, research, and innovation endeavors at an international level. The University has a very strong international profile that directly derives from its mission’s focus in the development of the Portuguese-speaking countries, but also the high international profile of its education, research, and innovation activities. The University key units in the domain of CCSI include the Film and Media Arts Department and the research unit CICANT—Centre for Research in Applied Communication, Culture, and New Technologies. These structures are very active across the quadruple helix in the Iberian Peninsula region and in Europe and currently promote several projects targeting CCSI development in the region and the deepening of the relations between education, research, and innovation in CCSI in Europe. The University is a member of NEB—The New European Bauhaus, an active participant in several Erasmus+, Horizon and EIT initiatives, and the coordinator of FilmEU.

Luca School of Arts (LUCA) is a highly research-driven Art University, with its campuses in Brussels and Genk, and its collaboration with KU Leuven on its PhD programme in the arts, further demonstrating a leading status as a center for excellence in the fields of artistic research. Brussels, the heart of Europe, has a strong connection to the European Institutions and the seat of eight community agencies: including the Education, Audio-visual and Culture Executive Agency, the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation, and the Research Executive Agency.

Tallinn University (TLU) operates as the regional international center for film and media studies. Baltic Film, Media, and Arts School (BFM) is a key player in the regional film and media ecosystem, operating not only as an educator but as a partner for audio-visual industries in Tallinn and beyond. TLU is a comprehensive university and has a large local network of stakeholders to mobilize for the benefit of FilmEU+ Alliance. Close cooperation exists with the Estonian Film Institute, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Estonian Public Broadcaster ERR, Estonian Film Industry Cluster, IGDA Estonia, Estonian Virtual and Augmented Reality Association, etc.

FilmEU’s cultural and geographical breadth expands into English-speaking parts of the film and media industry through Ireland’s only Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT), home to Ireland’s National Film School (NFS). IADT and its National Film School not only serve as an educator but also as a partner for the audio-visual sector in Ireland and beyond. As part of IADT’s strategic engagement, they work with a variety of stakeholders from primary education through to industry and drive excellence in inclusive and connected higher education. IADT and the NFS have an ongoing engagement with Screen Ireland, the guilds and representative bodies, festivals, and distributors, thus giving it a direct access to the industry intelligence for monitoring its activities.

2.4 The future new partners

VŠMU offers an internationally attractive and stimulating environment in the center of Europe, which is geographical within easy reach of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Austria. There is no language barrier between Slavic language partners which leads to good cooperation with neighbors in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Ukraine. Slovakia is part of the V4 countries and therefore has support from Visegrad funding schemes; VŠMU will help the FilmEU+ Alliance become the CEE region’s hub of cultural and creative industries. VŠMU is directed toward openness, integration, and the creation of opportunities and possibilities for members of the academic community in projects and foreign activities with an elevated level of results. With its 1050 students is the largest artistic educational institution in the Slovak Republic.

Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (LMTA), and naturally its Films and TV Department, is a key institution itself in regional film and media and music industry ecosystem. Graduates of LMTA Film, as well as Sound and Music studies programmes, develop their careers in Lithuania, as well as regionally and internationally in film, TV, and media production companies, co-operate and co-create with cultural, educational, and social partners from their fields, as well as stakeholders of related areas of cultural and creative industries. Strategic external partners include central national institutions (e.g., Lithuanian National Radio and Television, Lithuanian Film Centre), all the main actors from within private and public sectors, and several international film festivals (e.g., Vilnius Film festival, Scanorama, VDFF, and Vilnius International Short Film festival).

VIA University College joins IADT thematically as a strong HEI teaching animation, bringing the strength of an 18,000-student university college plus the specialist knowledge of Animation and Transmedia. VIA works to develop programs and pedagogies that use practice-based learning to engage self-directed inquisition into a wide range of fields. Transmedia and Animation are both engaged in leveraging emerging media for storytelling, emphasizing the technological advancements driving this field forward. They maintain close partnerships with two festivals, namely THIS and Viborg Animation Festival, which serve as significant channels for disseminating information about FilmEU and facilitating dialogue within the community.

The National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA) mission is to educate highly qualified specialists in the field of screen and performing arts, adaptive to the dynamically developing cultural, creative, and technological conditions. Educational partnerships with the University of National and World Economics, the Academy for Music, Dance and Fine Arts, the National Sports Academy, the National School for Ancient Languages and Cultures, and the National Music School develop diverse creative and cultural projects related to increasing the quality of education and research.

3. Management and governance model of FilmEU

As we expand to an Alliance of eight partners and from a project basis to a programmatic pathway, we are revising our structures to better suit our plans and ambitions. They will align with the parallel move toward becoming a legal entity. These are sensible changes that are scalable and support the technical and functional requirements of a programme of this scale, complexity, and importance. They are designed to give us all confidence and ultimately to free us up to focus on ensuring FilmEU becomes the best University it can be to the benefit of students, staff, our wider community, and stakeholders. The following structures will develop and be codified as FilmEU+ evolves into a fully-fledged institution. A full standard operating procedures (SOP) for the operational and management structures will be developed and implemented as part of the first year of FilmEU+.

3.1 Steering committee

As illustrated in Figure 1, the steering committee (SC), which replaces the project management board, will be the primary management and strategic body during the funded period and ensures the decision-making, reporting, and communication between partners. It is comprised of two experts per institution: the main leader representing the HEI and one implementation manager. Each person has a vote with the Alliance coordinator having a casting vote. Each Alliance member can also bring one non-voting operational support person. This board has the support of the financial controllers. A consortium agreement ensures the governance of the funded period, the organization/allocation of resources, conflict resolution, and other relations between the partners. Responsibilities of the SC include risk management by monitoring timelines, activities, indicators, budgets, progress reports, and quality assurance, plus working with the Academic Council, the Advisory Board, and the Project Management office to ensure efficient delivery of the proposal. The SC meets, at least, monthly. Minutes will be recorded, and decisions and action items logged alongside a critical communication plan for those decisions; funding being released once all reporting requirements have been met.

Figure 1.

FilmEU’s project management and decision-making tree.

3.2 Project management office

The project management office (PMO) is a unified structure integrating staff from each partner. Its role is to manage the project as a whole, support the SC by orchestrating and facilitating the project work, and liaise closely and regularly with every partner. The staff are involved in the routine management, progress monitoring, partner liaison, and technology and content oversight. It meets monthly with the SC.

Effective communication and collaboration structures are indispensable for the future European University’s success. At the core of overall project communication lies a secure online collaboration platform. This platform grants each partner independent access to vital reference documents, code, working materials, meeting agendas, supporting resources, individual task lists, and other pertinent project details. By centralizing knowledge and ensuring swift retrieval, the platform serves as the repository for all project-related information. Given the need for comprehensibility across the Alliance, all communications and documents, without exception, will be in English. The project management office (PMO) oversees the new project management platform and ensures the prompt internal dissemination of SC decisions and action items. This office, along with the SC, will be established as part of the expanded Alliance, with a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the PMO to be established in the first year of FilmEU+.

3.3 Academic council

The Academic Council (AC) is composed of the rector/president of an Alliance member (or their substitute) plus one of the two SC members from each institution. Each of the two institution representatives will have only one vote. There will also be two student representatives appointed by the Student Council (one undergraduate and one postgraduate) and four staff representatives, elected from the Task Forces for 2 years and rotating through all eight full partner institutions. The chair of the AC will rotate through the partner institutions for a 1-year term.

This council is the highest decision-making and oversight structure, the one who will ultimately approve all decisions taken by the Task Forces and the SC. It will have financial oversight approving yearly accounts and all significant academic decisions. These ultimate decisions will take the form of approval of the yearly Work Packages’ reports of all FilmEU+ activities. The AC will meet twice a year. The governing policy, protocols and legal frameworks of the AC, and its areas of competence will be codified as part of FilmEU’s evolving governance structures.

3.4 Advisory board

The Advisory Board (AB) is composed of six representatives from the associated partners. This board meets at least once a year for progress presentations and quality control feedback. Associated partners also engage with individual Task Forces as indicated.

3.5 Student council

A Student Council sits twice a year to discuss students’ perspectives on the Alliance and its activities. Each Alliance member will have three student representatives (one undergraduate, one graduate, and one postgraduate). Students have the capacity to propose resolutions that will be considered by the Steering Committee subject to FilmEU regulations. Other competencies will be included as the governance model evolves. The council elects, from its members, two students to sit on the Academic Council.

3.6 Task forces and task forces leaders council

Task Forces (TF), one per project Work Package (WP), are responsible for all technical and scientific decisions made within their WP. Task Forces control WP tasks by consensus of the partners and under the leadership of the WP leaders. They establish mechanisms for the WPs that ensure the quality of deliverables and other outcomes that are needed for other WPs and present all deliverables to the SC. Each Task Force includes one delegate from each full partner participating in the WP, plus one extra representative from each co-leader who will lead the Task Force. Each Task Force Leader is responsible for summarizing the progress of WP during the yearly FilmEU Summit. TF meet as frequently as needed—at least once a month—to accomplish the work plan.

Task Forces Leaders Council (TFLC) will ensure transversal communication across all Task Forces, making sure that the work plan is implemented with a general vision of all tasks and activities. This council meets bimonthly.

3.7 Communications and processes

FimEU+ is built upon the existing Microsoft Teams platform prepared for the first phase of FilmEU. Each location assigns a communication officer from the PMO who is responsible for guaranteeing the distribution of relevant project information to each team member and across the Alliance. Awareness of cultural diversity, different decision-making styles, and ways to accomplish tasks must be fostered as part of the inherent institutional culture of the University. In addition, a dedicated online intranet will be made available to all partners throughout the project for internal communication and information dissemination, with a dedicated online forum available for any student or teacher inside the Alliance to access, facilitating ease of communication.

3.8 Arbitration and dispute resolution

Conscious that we need to ensure that all partners and stakeholders are confident that the necessary checks and balances are there, the Alliance agreement includes all necessary clauses to ensure the timely and efficient delivery of the project. Standard operating procedures also direct our activities including decision making, mediation, arbitration, and dispute resolution processes. The release of funding is tied to the satisfactory completion of the relevant milestones, tasks, and deliverables.

4. The FilmEU association

As the project FilmEU+ now moves to a more permanent integrated programmatic Alliance, so too our legal entity requires a parallel evolutionary process. FilmEU will move, in line with European Commission guidance, toward becoming a fully-fledged legal entity. This is our clear ambition. The nature and composition of that entity will evolve and emerge in the coming years with it coming into being as currently envisaged, in 2027.

The first step in that direction is the FilmEU Association, the structures of which in place are legally defined by the deed of formation of a not-for-profit organization under the Belgian law. In view of future consolidation FilmEU Association is a full partner in FilmEU+. The association was established by three core partners (LU, IADT, and LUCA) in 2022 and will expand to include all eight partners over the course of the second phase of development.

The Academic Council of FilmEU+ will evolve to become the General Assembly of the FilmEU Association. The General Assembly is composed of all effective members, as represented by their rectors, presidents, or directors. A rector, president, or director can designate among the members of its institution a senior representative who can represent or accompany him or her at General Assembly meetings. The accompanying representative does not have a voting right as each institution has only one vote.

The Steering Committee of FilmEU+ will evolve to become the Board of Directors of the FilmEU Association, that is the executive body of the FilmEU Association. Per effective member two directors shall be appointed by the General Assembly who were proposed as candidates by that effective member. In case a candidate proposed by an effective member is not appointed by the General Assembly, the effective member concerned shall have the right to appoint a new candidate until a candidate has been appointed by the General Assembly. A candidate proposed by an effective member should be an employee of that effective member. Figure 2 depicts these future governance arrangements.

Figure 2.

FilmEU future governance model tree.

The Board of Directors is responsible for appointing a President of the FilmEU Association. The President’s term of office, which rotates among the members of the Board of Directors, lasts for 1 year. Each director is appointed by the General Assembly for a term of no more than 3 years. A director may be reappointed once, for a maximum of two consecutive terms. However, a former director may be re-elected only if at least 1 year has elapsed since the end of their second mandate. Directors are elected individually and not as representatives of their institutions. The Board of Directors holds extensive powers to manage the FilmEU Association and is authorized to undertake all actions necessary or beneficial for achieving its objectives. It is responsible for convening meetings, proposing decisions, and preparing the agenda of the General Assembly. Additionally, it is tasked with implementing decisions made by the General Assembly. The Board of Directors functions as a collective body, and directors are entitled to allocate powers and responsibilities among themselves. However, such allocation of powers is not binding on third parties, even if it is made public.

The Advisory Body of the FilmEU Association will be composed of the same individuals as the Advisory Board of FilmEU+. It will consist of at least six members designated by the General Assembly. The Advisory Board provides guidance to the FilmEU Association regarding its strategic directions. It convenes at least once a year, with the possibility of holding additional meetings at the invitation of the General Assembly/Academic Council.

5. Conclusions

In this paper we have presented the case of a governance model currently under development in one of the Alliances—FilmEU—that is part of the novel EU “European Universities initiative”. Our argument claimed that governance models are the cornerstone of sustainability in higher education and only bottom-up, distributed, and participatory models like the one we presented can ensure organizations are agile and impactful, two core conditions for the successful completion of HEI mission and objectives, particularly in international contexts. Our case highlights the complexity and challenges of this European initiative and how the proposed governance models can at the same time facilitate HEIs green transition by fostering transformation and inclusiveness.

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by FILMEU—The European University for Film and Media Arts, Project: 101004047, EPP-EUR-UNIV-2020—European Universities, EPLUS2020 Action Grant.