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ECIU - challenge conventional thinking

ECIU - European Consortium of Innovative Universities

An alliance of 13 universities united by a joint goal to make an impact.

What is ECIU?

Here, learners, teachers, and researchers work with cities, communities, and businesses to solve real-life challenges – and foster change.

The European Consortium of Innovative Universities, ECIU, was founded in 1997 and is the leading international consortium of universities with a shared focus on innovation, creativity, and societal impact to promote the development of a knowledge-based economy. Linköping University is one of the partner universities. The mission is to challenge conventional thinking with a focus on innovation in teaching and learning as well as entrepreneurship and societal impact of research.

In April 2024, Linköping University’s Vice-Chancellor Jan-Ingvar Jönsson was appointed new president of the European network for innovative universities in Europe, ECIU.

EU logo, co-financed by the European Union
EU logo, co-financed by the European Union

A network since 1997

Innovators of higher education

Since 1997, LiU has been a member of the ECIU network, which stands for the European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The network consists of 12 universities in Europe and an associated university in Mexico. The universities within ECIU share much in common. They are all known as pioneers in higher education and entrepreneurship. Collaboration with the surrounding society plays an integral and central role. The universities in the ECIU network are all strong in both technology and social sciences.

In 2017, an opportunity arose to form alliances or networks of European universities within Europe. The aim was to enhance the international competitiveness of higher education. The network in which LiU participated submitted an application that was approved, leading to the formation of ECIU University. The pedagogical approach used within ECIU University is called Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). This approach involves students, teachers, and researchers collaborating with the surrounding society to solve real-world problems provided by organisations outside the university environment.

13 member universities

News about ECIU

Female teacher in a classroom

10 September 2025

Playful learning with superpowers

How can play, music and movement become part of future teaching? In an international seminar, students and teachers together explored exactly that – in a creative play lab where superheroes, collaboration and emotions were at the centre.

04 September 2025

LiU opens office in Brussels

Linköping University has opened an EU Office in Brussels to increase its presence and influence within European research and innovation. The office will be led by Lisa Pohl, who most recently comes from the European Commission.
Ceetnova logo

07 May 2025

CEETNOVA - a new initiative to strengthen Europe's innovative power

Linköping University is one of five European universities that together run CEETNOVA - a new Erasmus+ project that aims to increase knowledge valorisation in research and education.

Contact us at ECIU

ECIU Logo

ECIU@LiU

  • Key building, 2nd floor, Campus Valla

Postal address

ECIU@LiU
Linköping University
581 83 Linköping
Sweden

Visiting address

ECIU@LiU

Campus Valla, Key building, floor 2

ECIU University for students

Sustainable cities

ECIU University

ECIU University will transform higher education into an open ecosystem for solving societal challenges, conducting research, and learning for life.
A bunch of people in a conversation.

ECIU for students

At the core of ECIU University is a challenge-based approach – a model where students, teachers, and researchers collaborate with businesses and society to solve real-world challenges.