Societal Impact of UAS through the U!REKA Alliance

Introduction

Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) play a key role in addressing societal challenges through applied research, innovation and close collaboration with working life and the public sector. In Finland, this role is embedded in legislation and emphasises responsiveness to regional needs and cooperation with municipalities and other stakeholders. At the same time, many contemporary challenges, such as climate change, democratic participation and social inequalities, extend beyond local and national boundaries. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration across regions and countries, as well as new forms of knowledge creation.

European University alliances have emerged as one response. By connecting higher education institutions and their ecosystems across Europe, they aim to strengthen collaboration in research, development, and innovation and to support shared learning between different contexts. The U!REKA European University Alliance, launched in 2024, connects 6 universities of applied sciences, 5 universities and their urban partners to co-develop solutions to shared societal challenges. This article examines how its Centres of Expertise (CoEs) support societal impact through participatory governance, citizen engagement, and cross-border collaboration.

Societal impact in the context of UAS

In the UAS context, societal impact refers to tangible improvements in societal conditions achieved through collaboration with stakeholders. Rather than focusing solely on research outputs, impact emerges when knowledge is co-developed and applied in practice, influencing services, policies, and everyday life.

Municipalities play a vital role as partners, development environments, and users of innovation. Through such collaboration, UAS institutions contribute to sustainable urban development, new service models, and improved governance practices.

Citizen engagement and citizen science further strengthen this role. By involving citizens and community actors in knowledge production, research becomes more relevant and socially legitimate, while also supporting democratic participation in addressing societal challenges.

The U!REKA European University Alliance

U!REKA connects Universities of Applied Sciences with networks of cities, regions, and civil society actors across Europe. Its activities focus on shared urban challenges, including climate neutrality, resilience, and social inclusion.

The alliance brings together multiple urban ecosystems, enabling partners to learn from different contexts and to develop solutions collaboratively. This cross-border collaboration supports the adaptation and transfer of practices between cities facing similar challenges.

The collaboration is structured around the quadruple helix model, which integrates universities, municipalities, industry, and citizens. Through this model, U!REKA seeks to combine research-based knowledge with practical experience and everyday perspectives.

Centres of Expertise as platforms for collaboration

To support its activities, U!REKA has established three thematic Centres of Expertise:

• Climate Neutral and Resilient Cities
• Transition to Circular Society
• Innovative Governance Models and Citizen Engagement

These Centres of Expertise function as long-term platforms for joint research, development, and innovation. They bring together researchers, municipal actors, and other stakeholders to define priorities, co-create projects, and implement solutions.

In practice, the Centres support experimentation, knowledge exchange, and the development of scalable solutions. They also create spaces where different actors can jointly address complex societal challenges.

The Centre of Expertise on Innovative Governance Models and Citizen Engagement focuses particularly on participatory approaches that integrate citizens and stakeholders into research and innovation processes.

Participatory governance and citizen science in practice

Within U!REKA, strategic priorities are defined in collaboration with partner cities, ensuring alignment with local needs and policy goals. At the same time, participatory approaches aim to bring citizens and communities into knowledge creation processes.

The Participatory RDI Partnership approach (Lehtonen et al., 2020; Sipari, 2020) positions citizens as active contributors to research. They may participate in defining challenges, collecting data, and interpreting results in locally grounded projects. This strengthens both the relevance and legitimacy of research and supports the development of solutions rooted in everyday life.

Discussion: European alliances as impact structures

Compared to purely regional collaboration, European University alliances enable cross-border learning and the transfer of solutions between different urban contexts. They also connect local RDI activities to European policy frameworks, strengthening visibility and opportunities for long-term impact.

Participation in such alliances requires collaboration and communication skills in international environments. At the same time, competence develops through participation itself, as staff learn through joint projects and continuous interaction with partners.

Cities and regional partners play a key role in linking alliance activities to everyday life. Through pilot environments, living labs and collaborative development, research results are translated into practices that affect citizens directly. At the same time, participation in large-scale alliances entails challenges. Differences in organisational practices, resources and priorities between partners may slow down collaboration and require careful coordination. Ensuring meaningful participation in transnational settings also requires sustained effort. The observations presented in this article are based on ongoing development work within the U!REKA alliance.

Conclusion

European University alliances provide new opportunities for Universities of Applied Sciences to strengthen their societal impact. The U!REKA case shows that Centres of Expertise can support long-term collaboration, participatory governance, and cross-border learning. Through these structures, research and innovation activities can become more inclusive, relevant, and impactful. For Universities of Applied Sciences, participation in such alliances can also support competence development and strengthen their role in addressing shared societal challenges.

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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