"CIVICA has the potential to boost the European Union’s prosperity and competitiveness"

13-01-2025

Manuel Muñiz, Provost of IE University, in an interview about the CIVICA alliance, IE University’s contributions, and the key role of higher education in strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, fostering cohesion, and promoting global dialogue to address current challenges.

1. As Provost of IE University, what do you think IE University brings to this alliance and how does CIVICA benefit from its participation? 

Built under the auspices of the European Commission, CIVICA is an alliance of ten leading European higher education institutions in the social sciences that share common goals: a desire to build unique experiences for our students, the exchange of best practice to improve our research and teaching, and the commitment to advance the global agenda of social impact. IE University is fully aligned with these values and has been a pioneer in some of these areas. To CIVICA, we bring a forward-looking vision, innovation inside and outside the classroom, a robust international presence, and a strong ecosystem of academic, institutional, and corporate partners – without whom there is no way we can fulfill our mission effectively. In that sense, we are very well positioned to lead the CIVICA work package on Global Partnerships & Outreach. 

2. How can the EU leverage on CIVICA to boost the knowledge economy and overall competitiveness of the single market? 

There is no knowledge economy and competitiveness without solid academic institutions. Globally, the highest concentration of innovation, capital, and prosperity is located where you also find networks of top universities. Both maps practically overlap. Of course there are other factors in the equation, like the degree of freedom or the protection of individual rights, but surely, the role of higher education cannot be underestimated. CIVICA has the potential - by fueling shared innovation and knowledge – to boost the European Union’s prosperity and competitiveness. 

3. What is CIVICA’s role in preparing a new generation of global leaders with a strong European vision and democratic value?  

With its ten universities, the CIVICA alliance accounts for 72,000 students and 13,000 faculty members – European or international – who study and teach in Europe for at least a few years. This is a wonderful opportunity for them to be embedded in European values, including democracy and the rule of law, and to take these principles with them as they develop their career.  

4. What impact does CIVICA have on European cohesion in the face of current political challenges? 

The world is moving in a direction of fracture, with the rise of extremist movements in many countries, the weakening of multilateralism and the free trade architecture, and others. We believe that education has the power to mitigate that trend. Our name bears our mission: universities are universal. They are about building global environments, where students come from different geographies, encounter diverse perspectives, and explore new paths for their futures. By pooling together some of the best universities in Europe, CIVICA contributes to building bridges and crafting solutions for today’s most pressing challenges. 

5. What influence do you think CIVICA will have on immigration and mobility policies within Europe? 

CIVICA offers seamless mobility for researchers and students across its ten members, all based in a different country. This allows for ideas and knowledge to spread across Europe and beyond, thanks to the CIVICA partnership and outreach strategy. As we discussed before, all this is happening against the tide as of where our geopolitics is going, with increasing restrictions on students’ visa, or on teaching in English in some countries. At a time when nationalism is beginning to affect the higher education landscape, CIVICA reaffirms the principle that a Europe where ideas, knowledge, and innovation move freely is a Europe that delivers better to its citizens, attracts the best talent, and overall is more competitive. 

6. What role do you think European universities will play in future dialogue and cooperation between Europe and other regions of the world, especially those regions which geopolitical or commercial agenda collide with Europe’s?” 

Universities play a fundamental role in building bridges between societies. It was true when the first European universities were founded centuries ago, and it is still true today.  Whether it is through rigorous research, the internationalization of our campuses, the collaboration with global academic and institutional partners, or a mix of all these elements, academic institutions should remain committed to cross-cultural understanding and to connecting societies. 

Global challenges require global mindsets and solutions. To succeed in our mission to train future global leaders, we must expose our students to ideas and perspectives that they are not familiar with. At IE University, about 90% of our students are international, and no single nationality represents more than 10% of our student body. This makes for an incredibly diverse environment where different perspectives meet – sometimes collide – but always influence one another. Our bet is that by encouraging cross-cultural understanding on campus, universities are a breeding ground for international dialogue and cooperation. 

Article credits: IE University

Photo credits: IE University.