Visegrad University Association established

Representatives of 25 universities from 10 countries of Visegrad group and cooperating regions signed the Charter of the Visegrad University Association (VUA) during the official ceremony on November 11, 2011 in the graduation hall of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, where the constituent meeting of VUA took place on 10-11 November, 2011.

Visegrad University Association was established within a strategic project “Sustainability in Agrisector of V4 Countries and Cooperating Regions“ that Slovak University of Agriculture is coordinating with support of the International Visegrad Fund. Apart from constituent members, universities and institutions from Thailand, India, Turkey, Moldova, Italy and Germany are interested in cooperation within the association.

The main aim of the association is to link partner universities in order to provide quality education and scientific environment and to promote development of closer cooperation among the Visegrad group as well as cooperating regions respecting the neighbouring countries policy of the International Visegrad Fund in the field related to all aspects of sustainability.

Association will provide opportunities for grater interaction and efficiency of Visegrad academic and research activities, for raising the profile of the region and strengthening the international cohesion of Central Europe as well as enabling relation to third countries, other regional groupings and international organizations.

The objectives of the association are:

• promote cooperation among member universities in education and research, exchange of students and staff
• Exchange information, scientific knowledge and research results by publishing  international scientific journal „Visegrad Journal on Bioeconomy and Sustainable Development“ and by cooperation in elaborating scientific studies related to the future development of higher education and research as well as to all aspects of sustainability
• to provide platform for cooperation in the field of joint and double degree diplomas
• to promote cooperation among member universities in research and education for the benefit of economy, society, peace and cultural development of the countries referred to the Association.

VUA is open to all universities from Visegrad and other regions dealing with all aspects of sustainability.  Strengthening the academic and research links according the foreign policy priorities with institutions form Central Europe, V4+2, Eastern Partnership and Russia, Western Balkans will be supported.