Upcoming: Franco-Dutch Strategic Dialogue on European Universities Alliances comes to The Hague

On 24 March 2026, the Royal Conservatoire The Hague and IN.TUNE will welcome partners, policymakers and higher education stakeholders to The Hague for the fourth Franco-Dutch Strategic Dialogue on European Universities Alliances.

Hosted by the Royal Conservatoire The Hague together with the European Universities Alliance IN.TUNE, this year’s dialogue will bring together alliance coordinators, representatives of the European Commission, French and Dutch ministries, Erasmus+ National Agencies, accreditation bodies and other key actors to reflect on the future of the European Universities initiative at an important moment for Europe. The dialogue is designed to take stock of the current state of play of the alliances, share good practices and explore how alliances are contributing to the wider European Education and Research Area. 

A timely discussion for the future of European cooperation

As attention turns to the next generation of EU programmes from 2028 onwards, the event will create space for a coordinated and forward-looking conversation on the role of alliances in building stronger, more connected and more resilient higher education systems in Europe.

The discussions will also look ahead to the renewal of Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe, as well as the emerging European Competitiveness Fund. Another key question in the programme is how European Universities alliances can contribute to the ambitions of the Union of Skills and help shape a more joined-up approach across education, research and innovation.

The event is also expected to contribute to a shared statement on the importance of alliances in the years ahead, underlining the strategic value of sustained European cooperation in higher education.

A programme focused on policy, practice and exchange

The day’s programme will combine policy discussion with practical exchange. Following opening remarks at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague, participants will take part in a panel on policy developments featuring voices from the European Commission, French and Dutch public authorities, other alliances, and IN.TUNE through Martin Prchal, Vice Principal of the Royal Conservatoire The Hague and Co-Secretary General of IN.TUNE.

The programme will then move into an exchange on current developments affecting the sector. Topics include the Joint European Degree label, the Future4Alliances project, and the FOREU4ALL community of practice. Alongside these policy and system-level updates, IN.TUNE will contribute a demonstration on pioneering online music teaching, bringing a concrete example of alliance-based innovation into the heart of the conversation.

In the afternoon, participants will join carousel sessions on three central themes: joint programmes in the alliances; funding and sustainability in future European funding frameworks; and the contribution alliances can make to the Union of Skills, with particular attention to giving STEAM, including the arts and humanities, a stronger place. The third session will be introduced by Martin Prchal, again highlighting IN.TUNE’s role in connecting strategic policy debates with the perspectives of arts education.

IN.TUNE's contribution to the dialogue

As co-host, IN.TUNE brings a distinctive dimension to the dialogue. The programme includes musical moments and a live demonstration linked to online music teaching, showing how artistic practice and educational innovation can enrich discussions that are often framed primarily through policy and funding.

This contribution reflects IN.TUNE’s broader role within the European Universities initiative: not only participating in high-level conversations about the future of alliances, but also showing in practical terms how cross-border cooperation can generate new approaches to teaching, learning and institutional collaboration. By hosting the event at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague and shaping key parts of the programme, IN.TUNE helps connect the strategic aims of the alliances with the creative and educational value that the arts bring to European cooperation.

The programme

The dialogue will begin on the evening of 23 March 2026 with a welcoming reception at the Résidence de France in The Hague, hosted by His Excellency Ambassador François Alabrune. Participants will receive an official invitation from the French Embassy.

More details on the whole event are available in the draft programme.