The grants from the Government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (FWB), mentioned earlier, are awarded to ARES to support the participation of higher education institutions in the FWB in the European University Alliances initiative and to facilitate their development.
As part of this funding, ARES is responsible for coordinating a monitoring committee composed of representatives from ARES, the DGESVR, AEF-Europe, and the Cabinet of the Minister of Higher Education, which participates as an observer. The committee’s objectives are to discuss the implementation of the support provided by the grant, stay informed about developments within the alliances, and contribute to their deployment.
Each year, the monitoring committee conducts an analysis based on activity reports from each institution that is a member of an alliance and has received FWB funding. For example, this process highlighted the need for structural financial support, enabling institutions to strategically plan their use of EU co-funding through a multi-year approach. This need was acknowledged by the FWB Parliament, which in December 2023 approved the allocation of a multi-annual grant to support European University Alliances in the FWB for the 2024–2027 period.
In parallel, ARES also coordinates a European Universities Working Group, bringing together alliance coordinators from the FWB to exchange on alliance-related developments and challenges, share best practices, and prepare for meetings of the European expert group. Through this working group, ARES also fosters synergies with other ongoing initiatives within its commissions or working groups, particularly those related to international joint degrees.
Finally, ARES acts as a facilitator to meet the objectives of the grant by organizing dissemination activities showcasing the work of the alliances.