On 28 May 2026, the EU-CONEXUS Governing Board adopted the EU-CONEXUS Declaration on adherence to EHEA (European Higher Education Area) Fundamental Values, Common European Values and Democratic Citizenship.

Through this Declaration, the Alliance, in which Frederick University participates as a partner along with La Rochelle Université (France), the Agricultural University of Athens (Greece), the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (Romania), Klaipeda University (Lithuania), the Universidad Catοlica de Valencia “San Vicente Mαrtir” (Spain), the University of Zadar (Croatia), South East Technological University (Ireland) and the University of Rostock (Germany), reaffirms its shared commitment to the values that shape European higher education and democratic societies.

European University Alliances are built not only through joint study programmes, research projects and mobility opportunities. They are also built through shared principles. With this Declaration, EU-CONEXUS underlines that transnational university cooperation must be grounded in freedom, integrity, responsibility, inclusion and trust.

The Declaration sets out an Alliance-wide commitment to uphold, promote and embed the fundamental values of the European Higher Education Area, common European values and democratic citizenship across all EU-CONEXUS activities. These values will guide the Alliance’s work in education, research and innovation, mobility, quality assurance, governance, student and staff engagement, external partnerships and service to society.

At the heart of the Declaration are six fundamental values: academic freedom, academic integrity, institutional autonomy, staff and student participation in governance, public responsibility for higher education, and the responsibility of higher education towards society.

Academic freedom is recognised as an essential condition for teaching, learning, research, innovation and public engagement. EU-CONEXUS stresses that academic staff, researchers, students and learners must be able to create knowledge, exchange ideas and take part in open debate without undue interference or fear of reprisal.

The Alliance also highlights academic integrity as a shared responsibility of the whole academic community. Teaching, assessment, research, governance and outreach must be carried out in line with ethical and professional standards, strengthening trust within the Alliance and beyond.

Institutional autonomy is another key principle of the Declaration. EU-CONEXUS recognises that sustainable transnational cooperation depends on mutual trust, shared responsibility and respect for the legal and institutional frameworks of each member university. Alliance-level cooperation should support the capacity of each institution to define and implement its own mission and priorities.
The Declaration also gives strong emphasis to the participation of students and staff. EU-CONEXUS commits to transparent, inclusive and participatory governance, ensuring that members of the Alliance community are encouraged and enabled to contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of joint initiatives.

Beyond the academic community, the Declaration underlines the public role of universities. EU-CONEXUS recognises the responsibility of public authorities to provide supportive frameworks for higher education, while also affirming the responsibility of higher education institutions to contribute to democratic, inclusive, sustainable and knowledge-based societies.

The Declaration links EU-CONEXUS cooperation to the common European values enshrined in the European Union: human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, respect for human rights, pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men.
It also reinforces the Alliance’s commitment to democratic citizenship. Through its educational, research, civic engagement and community-building activities, EU-CONEXUS seeks to support learners, staff and stakeholders in developing the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed to participate responsibly in democratic, diverse and multicultural societies.

In practical terms, EU-CONEXUS commits to integrating these values into the design, delivery, governance and quality assurance of its activities. The Alliance will continue to promote student-centred learning, intercultural understanding, responsible citizenship and inclusive participation, while strengthening a shared academic community based on cooperation, complementarity and trust.
The adoption of this Declaration marks another step in the consolidation of EU-CONEXUS as a European University Alliance with a clear values-based identity. It confirms that the Alliance’s mission extends beyond cooperation between institutions: it is also about building a shared European academic community committed to freedom, democracy, inclusion, sustainability and public responsibility.