Windesheim signs European collaboration within the DIVERSE Alliance
On May 27, Windesheim, together with 11 other European universities, took an important step towards closer collaboration within the DIVERSE alliance. In Istanbul, the participating institutions signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), formally establishing their long-term commitment to cooperation in the areas of education, research, and innovation. Erika Diender, member of the Executive Board of Windesheim, signed on behalf of Windesheim.
What is DIVERSE?
DIVERSE stands for Digital and Innovative Venture Science Education for Resilient and Sustainable Entrepreneurship. It's an international network of 12 European educational institutions working together on sustainable, inclusive, and innovative solutions for societal transitions. What binds these institutions is their shared vision of the role of higher education: as a driving force for innovation, collaboration with society, and strengthening the labour market.
The alliance is building a shared inter-university campus. It offers flexible learning pathways and promotes practice-oriented, interdisciplinary education and research. The goal is to train future-proof professionals who can help tackle Europe’s major challenges, such as circularity, well-being, and digital transformation.
Memorandum of Understanding
With the signing of the MoU, the institutions affirm their joint strategy to contribute to Europe’s digital and green transition. The alliance focuses on flexible and future-oriented learning pathways, strengthening practice-oriented research, promoting international mobility, and fostering close cooperation with the professional field.
These ambitions align with three major challenges currently recognized by the European Union: sustainable economic growth, climate change, and security. As a response, DIVERSE adopts an approach that uses technology to solve societal issues. Always with a focus on real human needs and in an economically sustainable way.
What does this mean for Windesheim?
For Windesheim, participation in DIVERSE offers a unique opportunity to collaborate internationally on themes that are highly relevant locally. The core focus areas of DIVERSE—circular economy, well-being, and digital transformation—seamlessly align with the transition challenges Windesheim is addressing. These include social, healthcare, and energy transitions, as well as educational innovation and strengthening lifelong learning.
This alliance enables us to realize our international ambitions within a reliable network, with direct added value for our students, teachers, researchers, and regional partners.