As part of the international art and antiques fair TEFAF in Maastricht, representatives from the five leading euregional universities, the Region Aachen Zweckverband, and the provinces of Liège, Dutch Limburg, and Belgian Limburg signed a letter of intent titled “The art of working together” to develop a cross-border study program. In the future, students will have the opportunity to study simultaneously at the euregional universities. The initiative originally came from Provincial Minister Eilande Demollin-Schneiders and the universities of Liège, Maastricht, Hasselt, RWTH Aachen, and the Open Universiteit Heerlen. Together, they aim to develop trinational curricula that enable parallel studies across three countries.
“This development will make an important contribution to addressing the challenges faced by the Euregio Meuse-Rhine regarding the knowledge-based economy and the labor market. It is very attractive for students because it is certainly exciting to study at different universities and in three countries simultaneously, while also experiencing three different cultures. There is nothing like this anywhere else, and it will become a unique selling point of our region,” said Ulla Thönnissen, Managing Director of the RAZV, at the signing of the agreement.
More than 100,000 young people study at the five participating universities. All universities are easily accessible by public transport, with existing train and bus connections. The goal is to educate students not only academically but also internationally, while promoting the European idea. The universities themselves also want to strengthen their cross-border collaboration.
“The Region Aachen Zweckverband will support the universities in their cooperation and work closely with them. I am convinced that this is also in the interest of a vital euregional economy. Through a trinational study program, students will get to know our diverse region better and hopefully remain here after completing their university education, becoming high potentials available to local companies,” emphasized Thönnissen, highlighting the opportunities this initiative brings for the Aachen region.