EURECA-PRO Established as Legal Entity: Milestone Marks New Chapter for European University Alliance
Brussels, Belgium
- News
On 30 June 2026, the EURECA-PRO Alliance reached a major milestone with the formal establishment of its legal entity as an International Nonprofit Organisation (INPO). The founding documents were signed in Brussels by Bernard Vanheusden, Rector of Hasselt University, on behalf of the alliance’s nine partner universities, marking EURECA-PRO’s transition from a project-based collaboration to a permanent European University Alliance.
From Project to Permanent Alliance
The establishment of the legal entity marks the culmination of nearly two years of collaboration among legal, governance, and project-management experts across the alliance. It transforms EURECA-PRO from a project-based initiative into a permanent European University Alliance with a stable governance framework to support long-term cooperation, internationalisation, joint funding opportunities, and deeper integration across the alliance.
As the EURECA-PRO coordination team explains, “Establishing a legal entity is a crucial step in the maturation of a European University Alliance. It demonstrates a shared commitment among all partners to continue building a common future and provides the structures necessary to deepen cooperation and achieve lasting impact.“
Joining a Select Group of European Alliances
Establishing a legal entity for a European University Alliance remains a complex and demanding undertaking. To date, only 14 of the 73 European University Alliances have successfully achieved this milestone.
With the creation of its International Nonprofit Organisation, EURECA-PRO joins a select group of alliances that have formalised their cooperation through a dedicated legal structure. The achievement provides greater stability, continuity, and strategic capacity, enabling the alliance to pursue its mission more effectively and sustainably.
Most importantly, the new legal entity sends a clear message about the future of EURECA-PRO: it is not a temporary project, but a lasting European University Alliance built on long-term commitment, shared values, and a common vision for higher education in Europe.
A Collaborative European Effort
The process of establishing the legal entity began during EURECA-PRO’s first funding phase with an extensive benchmarking exercise led by the Silesian University of Technology (SUT), which identified Belgian law as the most suitable legal framework for the alliance. A dedicated Legal Working Group, bringing together experts from all partner universities, then developed the statutes for the International Nonprofit Organisation, with an interdisciplinary team from Hasselt University (UH) coordinating the process.
Reflecting on the collaboration, members of the Legal Working Group said: “Each country has its own legal logic. The challenge was to bring those differences together into one structure that inspires trust for everyone. It was only by combining legal, strategic, and operational perspectives that we realized how complex the process was—and that no single partner could have achieved it alone.”
The establishment of the legal entity marks not the end of a process, but the beginning of a new chapter for EURECA-PRO. With a permanent governance structure in place, the alliance is ready to deepen its cooperation, strengthen its impact, and continue working towards a more connected, innovative, and sustainable European Higher Education Area.
Coordinating Team
The establishment of the EURECA-PRO legal entity was coordinated by an interdisciplinary team at Hasselt University:
- Loth van Der Auwermeulen – Research Manager, Faculty of Law, Hasselt University; expert in cross-border cooperation.
- Margot Janssens – Legal Expert, Rectorate of Hasselt University and representative in the EURECA-PRO Legal Office.
- Elke Van Hellemont and Britte Vanlessen – EURECA-PRO Management Team, Hasselt University.
