What's next for the RSAE
RSA Europe is building a policy engagement programme for 2026–27 to connect regional research with EU policymaking and practice. It starts with an online webinar series and leads to in-person events in Brussels and beyond.
The common thread is the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and what it means for Cohesion Policy. The plan mixes policy-facing workshops, data-driven sessions and masterclasses, developed with EU institutions, regional offices and international partners.
Fittingly, given the mixed views I heard in the corridors at EWRC26, the first webinar to run is titled ‘European University Alliances and Regional Transformation: From Local Engagement to European Cohesion’ and will take place on 24 November 2026, 12.00–13.00 GMT (13.00–14.00 CET), with:
- Sandrine Labory, University of Ferrara and COLOURS Alliance
- Alessio Cavicchi, University of Pisa and Circle U Alliance
- Karel Haegeman, Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
Attendance is free, and you can register your place here.
There are now 65 alliances, and with “European University Alliances 2.0” announced in the Commission’s 2026 State of the Union package, the initiative is entering a new phase. The session will ask how alliances contribute to regional ecosystems beyond traditional knowledge transfer, and what this means for cohesion.
The webinar will feed into an in-person knowledge exchange in Brussels, bringing together Regional Representative Offices, regional-studies researchers, alliance representatives and EU officials to examine what the post-2027 MFF means for regional universities. The aim is to test the regions’ concerns against the evidence and create space for new ideas to emerge. If strikes permit, we hope to see you there.