Matchmaking Sparks Collaboration

Connecting researchers across institutions to build European project proposals

Connecting researchers and academic staff across member institutions is an essential step towards building successful, long-term international collaborations. Within EULiST, Matchmaking Events have grown into a powerful platform for researchers to meet, exchange innovative ideas, and form joint consortia for European funding opportunities such as Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, WIDERA, and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

From Concept to Alliance-Wide Success

The alliance’s first matchmaking initiative was spearheaded by Jönköping University (JU), focusing on Human-Centered Digital Transformation for Sustainable Societies. By bringing together researchers, innovation experts, and external stakeholders, the event demonstrated how structured networking can transform shared research interests into concrete project ideas and Horizon Europe submissions.

Building on this momentum, matchmaking activities have rapidly expanded across the alliance as a scalable model for cross-border cooperation.

Participants, panel speakers, and pitching researchers at the EULiST Matchmaking Event at Jonkoping, Sweden.

Matchmaking Event brings European Project ideas to life

A flagship example of this evolving format took place on 1–2 October 2026, hosted by Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC) in Madrid. Opened by URJC Rector Abraham Duarte and Vice-Rector César Cáceres, the event focused on building proposals in sustainability, climate resilience, energy, digitalisation, education, and innovation.

Participants, panel speakers, and pitching researchers at the EULiST Matchmaking Event at URJC, Spain.

Highlights of the URJC Event:

1. Thematic Round Tables: Expert panels explored topics ranging from campus sustainability initiatives and European funding priorities (with national agencies such as SEPIE and IKY) to university-industry collaboration with regional incubators and municipal partners.
2. Elevator Pitches: Across three pitching sessions, researchers from 7 EULiST universities (URJC, IMT, BUT, NTUA, University of Stuttgart, UnivAQ, and LUT) along with external alliances like ULYSSEUS presented over 30 project concepts for forthcoming European calls.
3. Consortium Building: Dedicated face-to-face networking sessions allowed researchers to match complementary expertise and form concrete partnerships for future applications.

Building the Future of European Higher Education

By combining expert dialogue, concise project pitching, and structured networking, EULiST matchmaking events move beyond simple presentations. They empower researchers to find complementary partners, engage regional innovation ecosystems, and develop high-impact solutions for Europe’s societal challenges.