As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, universities across Europe are faced with an unprecedented situation. They are working tirelessly to continue to guarantee services to students while ensuring the wellbeing of their entire university community. The Young European Research Universities Network (YERUN) is closely following the measures taken by the European Union (EU) institutions and by its member universities in adapting to this new reality.
YERUN welcomes the flexibility that the European Commission (EC) is applying when it comes to the management of ongoing Erasmus+ and the Horizon 2020 (H2020) Grants. In particular, YERUN members appreciate the prolongation of ongoing project deadlines and the EC’s decision to allow Erasmus+ National Agencies to invoke the ‘force majeure’ clause. However, exceptional times call for exceptional measures. Stressing once more that this situation, although at varying degrees, is affecting everyone in the European higher education sector, YERUN has called upon the EC to consider the implementation of a series of measures in Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+.
