What is UNITA?
UNITA – Universitas Montium- is an alliance created in 2020 in response to the "European Universities" initiative of the Erasmus+ programme. It brings together twelve higher education institutions located in rural, mountainous, and cross-border regions of southern, western, and central-eastern Europe, sharing similar challenges.
The Alliance brings together a community of over 250,000 students and 22,000 employees, including teaching staff and researchers.
The name UNITA is inspired by the words 'unity, unidade, unità, unitate, unité,' evoking the strong ties and similarities that unite us. Universitas Montium, in Latin, highlights our common heritage and commitment to the linguistic diversity and development of the rural and mountainous cross-border territories where the UNITA universities are located.
This pioneering alliance aims to innovate in education; promote research and innovation in the six priority areas (green energy, cultural heritage, circular economy, inclusive societies, digital transition, and global health); create an international virtual campus and promote European citizenship and multilingualism through the intercomprehension of Romance languages.
Students
250 000
in the twelve Alliance universities.
Staff
22 000
employees, including teaching and research staff.
Associated partners
50
public and private bodies.
From west to east:
- Portugal: University of Beira Interior and Polytechnic Institute of Guarda
- Spain: Public University of Navarre and University of Zaragoza
- France: University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour and University Savoie Mont Blanc
- Switzerland: University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (Associated partner)
- Italy: University of Turin and University of Brescia
- Romania: West University of Timisoara and Transylvania University of Brasov
- Ukraine: Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (Associated partner)
- In addition to higher education institutions, the legal entity UNITA GEIE acts as a full member.
UNITA has created a parallel network of universities outside the European Union - the Geminae Programme - consisting of universities in America and Africa where Romance languages are spoken. Its objectives are:
- To share best practices in research, teaching, mobility, administration, and governance.
- To incorporate these universities into our agenda.
- To work together to achieve
- The creation of international, flexible, and personalized programmes.
- Mobility and exchange of students and staff.
- Civic commitment.
- Collaboration in green and sustainable research and development
The first phase of the UNITA alliance took place between 2020 and 2023, promoted by six European university institutions. UPNA joined as an associate entity in 2021 and has been a full partner since 2023.
Membership in this alliance contributes to the internationalisation of the university and opens up new possibilities in education, research, and mobility for everyone in the university community.
To achieve the alliance's goals, task teams have been assigned to develop and carry out the designed activities. UPNA actively participates in these teams thanks to the collaboration of its staff.
These groups outline and examine the current state in each area, sketch out the joint actions to be undertaken, evaluate and facilitate their implementation, and will expand the scope of their actions basing on the results obtained.
UNITA opportunities are part of the outcome of this work.
UNITA UPNA office
- Head of the section: Arantxa Pérez Larrea: 948 166275
- Technical and management staff:
- Izaskun Novoa Gorraiz: 948 168919
- Rakel Osácar Aizpún: 948 166274
- UNITA office: unita@unavarra.es
- Communication: unita.comunicacion@unavarra.es
Joint leaders
5
Joint leaders in UNITA consortium tasks
Hubs
6
Research hubs in which UPNA takes part
Mobility
216
UNITA mobilities