Circle U. – European Campus of the Future
European higher education and cutting-edge research? The Circle U. university alliance is developing a joint international campus and offers a variety of opportunities for students, scientists and administrative staff.
Climate change, political crises, overburdened health systems – the major issues of our time require close international collaboration, including at universities. With this in mind, Humboldt-Universität is involved in the European university alliance Circle U., which is funded by the European Commission.
This association of nine outstanding universities1 enables students, scientists and administrative staff to learn, do research and advance their training together, by offering variety of formats across countries and disciplines. The Open Campus consolidates the alliance’s offerings and allows all HU members to be virtually and physically mobile and benefit from what the nine alliance universities, both in and outside the EU, have to offer.
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In addition to Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Circle U. also includes Aarhus University (Denmark), King's College London (United Kingdom), UCLouvain (Belgium), the University of Pisa (Italy), the University of Vienna (Austria), Université Paris Cité (France), the University of Oslo (Norway) and the University of Belgrade (Serbia). ↩
Circle U. offers students the opportunity to gain international study experience in various ways: for example, you can virtually attend courses made available by the partner universities, or take part in free on-site summer schools as well as hybrid semester-long or short-term challenge-based programmes such as hackathons or boot camps. Circle U.'s offers are mainly interdisciplinary and often open to all semesters of study. Depending on the scope of the offer in question, you may be able to gain ECTS.
Of course, with Circle U., you can also do a semester stay or an internship lasting several months at one of the alliance universities. Every year, you also have the opportunity to apply for seed funding and pursue your own European projects. Take advantage of what Circle U. has to offer and network with fellow students from Europe!
You can find all current opportunities for students on the Circle U. website. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact the Circle U. team at HU.
Circle U. offers scientists various opportunities to internationalise their research and teaching. In the Academic Directory, you will find colleagues you can implement projects with. Take advantage of the opportunity to jointly design or redevelop the content and structure of your courses – for example with the support of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) scheme.
If you would like to get more involved in the development of the Open Campus and joint European degree programmes, keep an eye out for the Knowledge Hubs' calls! The Hubs are where Academic Chairs work closely with Student Fellows on the future of European higher education in the areas of climate change, democracy, global health and artificial intelligence.
The alliance also strives to facilitate more joint interdisciplinary research. Alongside its networking opportunities, it offers the annual Circle U. Seed Funding2 call. To be eligible, projects need to bring together researchers from at least three of the member universities. for your research partnerships.
You can find all current opportunities for scientists on the Circle U. website. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact the Circle U. team at HU.
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Here you can have a look at the successfully seed funding projects supported by Circle U. to date. ↩
Joint teaching and research depend on shared expertise and common administrative structures. Circle U. therefore supports staff from the various areas of university administration in collective international training and networking programmes. One way for you to get involved with Circle U. is to take part in one of the staff weeks, which are regularly organised on various topics.
You also have the opportunity to develop your own initiatives and, together with colleagues from other Circle U. universities, apply for funding through the Seed Funding Programme. All current offers for employees can be found on the Circle U. website. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact the Circle U. team at HU.
Background: The European university alliances
On 26 September 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron gave a speech at the Sorbonne in which he proposed the creation of "European universities", networks in which students would have the opportunity to study at several universities in at least two languages. The European Commission took up the idea and since 2019 has selected over 50 consortia in several rounds of calls for proposals to further develop European higher education with funding from the Erasmus+ programme. Circle U. was established in 2020. For measures within the alliance framework, Humboldt-Universität receives additional financing from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Contact
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Dr. Fritzi-Marie Titzmann
Alliance Manager Circle U. / Humboldt4Europe
Circle U. Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin Room 2047b fritzi.titzmann@hu-berlin.de +49 30 2093 46713 -
Natalie Stasiewicz
Project Officer Administration
Circle U. Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin 2047b natalie.stasiewicz@hu-berlin.de +49 30 2093 46711 -
Isabelle Mensching
Circle U. Project Manager Climate Hub & Open Campus
bologna.lab Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117 Berlin Room 0101-0104 isabelle.mensching@hu-berlin.de +49 30 2093 70785 -
Franziska Helms
Editor and events manager / local Circle U. Communication Officer
Circle U. | Communication and protocol Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin Room 2047c franziska.helms@hu-berlin.de +49 30 2093 20095 -
Karolin Toledo Flores
Circle U. Project Manager Research, Innovation & COIL
Circle U. Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin Room 2266 karolin.toledo.flores@hu-berlin.de +49 30 2093 46739 -
Hannah Zoller (on parental leave)
Circle U. Project Manager Research, Innovation & COIL
Circle U. Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin Room 2047b hannah.zoller@hu-berlin.de +49 30 2093 20083 -
Jennifer Dornbrach
Circle U. Mobility Officer & Blended Intensive Programmes
Circle U. Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin Room 2264 jennifer.dornbrach@hu-berlin.de +49 30 2093 46718
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Podiumsdiskussion zu europäischen Universitäten und Demokratie
Event
On 27 November, a panel discussion titled “Guardians of Democracy and Inclusion? European Universities in Challenging Times” will take place at Freie Universität. Among the panellists: a professor and Circle U. insider from the University of Oslo.
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Für Doktorand:innen und Postdocs: Kurs zu Religion, Konflikt und Versöhnung
Circle U.
Circle U. lädt Nachwuchswissenschaftler:innen ein, Zusammenhänge zwischen Religion, Konflikt und Versöhnung aus einer interdisziplinären Perspektive zu erkunden. Der Kurs kombiniert vier Online-Sitzungen mit einer Präsenzwoche in Belgien.
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Internships in Brusssels: Positions open in policy and communications
Circle U.
Circle U. is offering unique internship opportunities for master's students enrolled at or recently graduated from one of the partner universities. There are currently two openings: One for a policy intern and one for a communication intern. Applications close 14 November.
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Circle U.-COIL: Funding for innovative European online teaching
Call for applications
Internationalise your teaching through collaborating with European partners – and offer your students the invaluable opportunity to share a virtual classroom with peers from one of our Circle U. partner universities! Apply now for up to 5,000 euros in funding.
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Circle U. funds projects for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Call for applications
The Circle U. European University Alliance is excited to announce its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Flagship Initiatives call for proposals. Students, staff and faculty are invited to apply for up to 4,000 euros in project funding.
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Participation needed: Survey on experience with hybrid teaching
Circle U.
Hybrid teaching can promote international and interdisciplinary exchange in a sustainable and low-effort way. A project funded by Circle U. brings together the experiences of lecturers from all partner universities to develop useful guidelines for all. Share your insights now!
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20.11.2025
18:00 — 20:00
Main building, room 2246aCircle U. goes social: Meet and mingle for students at HU
Go to event pageDid you know that, as a HU student, you're part of European university alliance Circle U.? The local Student Fellows are inviting you to join their games night where they will share their international experiences and insights with you.
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25.11.2025
14:00 — 15:30
Auditorium im Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum (Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 1) and onlineCircle U.
Open Conversation: Becoming a teacher in times of democracies under pressure
Go to event pageWhat is it like to study to become a teacher in an environment marked by political tension and threats to democratic institutions? In this Circle U. Open Conversation, students from Belgrade share their experiences.
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25.11.2025
16:00 — 18:00
Room 2070aCircle U.
Circle U. semester meeting
Go to event pageWhat's happening at Circle U.? At the open semester meeting, you will get an overview of the alliance’s activities and have the chance to meet the team, the Academic Chairs and our Ambassadors.
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