UNITA AS A MODEL FOR INSTITUTIONALIZED UNIVERSITY COOPERATION: FROM THE EUROPEAN GROUPING OF ECONOMIC INTEREST TO THE EUROPEAN GROUPING OF ACADEMIC INTEREST

The project “EGAI – Unita as a Model for Institutionalized University Cooperation: from the European Grouping of Economic Interest to the European Grouping of Academic Interest” intends to examine, test and facilitate the use of a European Grouping of Economic Interest (EEIG) as an instrument of institutionalized university cooperation, with the final goal of designing a new grouping, here named European Grouping of Academic Interest (EGAI). EGAI includes the members of UNITA-Universitas Montium alliance, supported by national authorities in the field of higher education, the other Universities associated to Unita, the Italian authority competent for the registration of the EEIG (CCIAA of Turin) and other alliances or entities interested. Moreover, the project intends to achieve beneficial results for the entire European Academic Community, and notably those alliances wishing to test the EEIG. This analysis and testing will be boosted by the experience gained by the partners within UNITA, that has already chosen the EEIG as legal entity to institutionalise the cooperation in a medium- and long-term perspective. The project will allow to: 1) render the EEIG concretely operational and observe its functioning; 2) identify the necessary features of a legal form specifically conceived for inter-university cooperation, such as the EGAI. A team composed by 15 legal and/or economic experts from all the partners will conduct an in-depth analysis to define the activities to be entrusted to the EEIG, the legal tools to ensure the sharing of personnel, data and material resources within the EEIG, and its economic and financial needs. The testing will be completed through the organization of a lifelong learning activity to be carried out by the EEIG. These analyses will lead to a proposal for the improvement of the existing institutionalised cooperation EU instruments. Results will be presented in a scientific conference and in a winter school at the conclusion of the project