KreativEU – Knowledge & Creativity European University

The University of Greifswald is a partner in the KreativEU alliance. Together with ten European universities, the overarching goal and vision of KreativEU is to establish a European university that places the creative potential of Europe's cultural heritage at the centre of its teaching, research and transfer activities.

The overarching aim of the KreativEU consortium is to establish a fully European University that places the creative potential derived from Europe’s cultural heritage at the heart of its teaching, research and transfer activities. Committing to a long-term institutional, structural and strategic cooperation the partners will jointly implement an ambitious yet inclusive vision for transforming the study of culture, identity, memory and heritage for the benefit of society. Going beyond established approaches to cultural heritage, the novel approach of "ecocultural identity" brings together the research perspectives of cultural and life sciences at a crucial point, the human being, and can be described as "where culture meets ecology". The ecocultural identity approach acknowledges that the environment itself and how we read it is shaped by cultural practices. Thus, the concept will foster a strong sense of shared purpose between the KreativEU members, as it provides a bridge to intensified collaboration beyond the social sciences and humanities with researchers across our institutions dealing with key global challenges such as climate mitigation, CO₂ sequestration, biodiversity loss, and the spread of zoonotic diseases.

Building upon this strong foundation, KreativEU will provide the EU with innovative concepts, methods, and solutions to address both current and future challenges, contributing to a sustainable and harmonious future for communities and the environment alike. Our comprehensive strategy endeavors to instill a profound appreciation for the interplay of cultural and ecological stewardship, positioning the alliance as a catalyst for positive transformation across local, regional, and global domains.

KreativEU recognizes the inseparable interconnection of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, as well as the interwoven nature of local and national traditions, crafts, cultural practices, and folklore. The alliance is dedicated to formulating cutting-edge educational and research programmes that reevaluate these elements and their associated ecological surroundings, the lived environment, especially in the context of the digital age. This commitment serves as the foundational principle guiding KreativEU's efforts, ensuring that its initiatives not only embrace cultural and ecological interconnectedness but also leverage digital advancements to enhance the accessibility, dissemination, and understanding of cultural heritage.

In addition to the University of Greifswald, ten other universities are collaborating in the KreativEU alliance to form a European University. These are:

• Adana Alparslan Türkeş Science and Technology University (Turkey),
• D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics (Bulgaria),
• Breda University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands),
• Polytechnic University of Tomar (Portugal),
• Södertörn University (Sweden),
• Opole University of Technology (Poland).
• University of Camerino (Italy),
• University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (Czech Republic),
• University of Trnava (Slovakia),
• Valahia University of Târgoviște (Romania).

The Polytechnic University of Tomar is the lead partner.

The VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-USSH) and the Catholic University of Lviv, with which the University of Greifswald already has bilateral cooperation agreements, are also participating as associated partners.

Associated partners already brought on board by the University of Greifswald include the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald and the district of Greifswald-Vorpommern, the Alfred-Krupp-Wissenschaftskolleg, the Pomeranian State Museum and the State Office for Culture and Monument Preservation as well as Nordischer Klang e.V. and the student initiatives GrIStuF e.V. and GreiMUN e.V.