NEXT3 Project Gives the Einstein Academy a Euregional Dimension
The new educational programme NEXT3 gives the Einstein Academy a cross-border, Euregional dimension. The programme, which received approval last week, aims to develop a Euregional curriculum in mechatronics and cross-border technologies. This field combines mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science to design and build intelligent machines, systems and robots.
Strengthening cross-border collaboration
NEXT3 can be seen as the expansion of the Dutch Einstein Academy into a euregional Einstein Academy. Students from across the Euregio will gain access to jointly developed educational programmes.
This creates direct added value for the regional labour market and business community.
NEXT3 is also part of broader euregional efforts to prepare the education sector for the possible arrival of the Einstein Telescope in the Euregio and to support cooperation between Belgium, the Netherlands and North Rhine-Westphalia in making this ambition a reality.
Partners
NEXT3 (New Education for Cross-Border Technologies) represents another step towards a stronger cross-border knowledge infrastructure. The curriculum and course modules are currently under development, so it will still take some time before students can officially enrol.
The project is led by Zuyd Hogeschool. Other Dutch partners include Fontys, Vista College and Gilde Opleidingen. From North Rhine-Westphalia, the partner is FH Aachen. The Belgian educational partners are UCLL, PXL, Qrios and SyntraPXL in Flanders, and HELMo and HEPL in Wallonia.
An ERDF support
NEXT3 receives more than €2 million in funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Most public authorities within the Euregio are also contributing financially to the project.
According to Agnes Berendsen, Programme Manager at the Einstein Academy: “The curriculum currently being developed aligns perfectly with the shared ambition of the partners and the province to strengthen the (Eu)regional economy and labour market.”
Last week, eleven higher professional education institutions from the Euregio Meuse-Rhine signed a cooperation agreement during the international Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conference in Maastricht. The aim is to further intensify their trinational cooperation, notably by enabling cross-border education and internships.
