EURECA-PRO establishes legal entity
On June 30th, 2026, the nine European universities that make up EURECA-PRO achieved one of the most important milestones in the consortium's history. EURECA-PRO has established legal entity in the form of an International Non-Profit Organization (INPO) formally established at the University of Hasselt in Belgium.
The Silesian University of Technology played a key role in this process.
The change in the status of the consortium opens a new chapter in the development of EURECA-PRO. It marks a transition from project-based cooperation to a lasting, long-term partnership between nine European universities. Granting legal entity provides the consortium with a stable management framework, increases its ability to obtain financing, and creates conditions for deeper integration of activities in the areas of education, research, and innovation. EURECA-PRO thus strengthens its position as a permanent element of the European Higher Education Area.
The Silesian University of Technology played a key role in this complex and multi-year process, serving as the leading institution in developing the strategy and transforming the consortium from the design phase to the institutional phase. The university not only initiated and coordinated conceptual work but also conducted comprehensive analyses that formed the basis for the establishment of a new legal entity. The process of creating a legal entity began already in the first phase of project financing, under the supervision of Prof. Marek Pawełczyk, then the Vice-Rector for Science and International Cooperation, manager of the EURECA-PRO project at the Silesian University of Technology.
The turning point was extensive comparative analyses aimed at identifying the optimal legal model for the functioning of an international university alliance. It was the team from the Silesian University of Technology that conducted an in-depth legal analysis and recommended the selection of the most appropriate organizational form, while also designing a multi-year plan for the consortium's transformation in the 2020–2040 horizon. This work was carried out under the supervision of Prof. Marcin Górski, director of the Project Management Centre, who within EURECA-PRO serves as vice-chairman of the Executive Board and leader of the work package responsible for developing the development strategy, transformation, legislative and management solutions. Experts from the Project Management Centre, a team of legal advisors and the Legislation and Organization Office of the Silesian University of Technology were also involved in the activities, in cooperation with attorney-at-law Dominika Dyszel-Słomiany.
In the following months, legal experts representing all partner universities collaborated within a dedicated working group to develop the statute of the new organization. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the entire consortium, solutions were developed that took into account the diversity of the legal systems of the partner countries. The founding documents were signed in Belgium by Bernard Vanheusden, Rector of the University of Hasselt, acting on behalf of all alliance members.
The establishment of an international non-profit organisation places EURECA-PRO in the narrow group of the most advanced European University alliances. So far, only 14 out of 73 consortia have reached this stage of formalisation of cooperation.
The creation of a new legal entity sends a clear signal about the future of EURECA-PRO – not as a temporary initiative, but as a sustainable European University, based on long-term commitment,
shared values, and a coherent vision for the development of higher education in Europe. In this process, the Silesian University of Technology confirmed its position as a leader in institutional transformation, setting the directions of development for the entire consortium.
More information: EURECA-PRO.
