Networks and partners

UCN has partnerships with educational institutions in more than 140 countries worldwide. Our international collaborative efforts with our partners are a vital element in fulfilling our ambition to be an internationally-focussed higher education institution. Close cooperation with partner organisations allows us to offer attractive international services to our teaching staff and students as well as it greatly contributes to our constantly evolving teaching and research processes. The cooperation gives our students and staff the opportunities to see the world, and incoming exchange students and international guest lecturers enhance our internationalisation at home efforts to the benefit of all students at UCN. Search our database of registered international partners.

To build our international partnerships, exchanges and to develop knowledge, UCN takes part in conferences with our partners on an ongoing basis as we are always aiming to improve ourselves.

International networks

UCN has international partners all over the world. Most of them are partner institutions who offer exchange possibilities for students and staff.

UCN operates in several international networks:

• ACA – Academic Cooperation Association
• COHEHRE – learning organisation involved in education and training of health and social care professionals across the European Union
• EAIE – European Association for International Education
• EASM – European Association for Sport Management
• EURASHE – The European Association of Institutions in Higher Education
• ENOTHE – European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education
• ENPHE – The European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education
• NORDPLUS – the Nordic Council of Ministers' most important programme in lifelong learning
• WCPT – World Confederation for Physiotherapy

Staff exchange

UCN welcomes staff exchanges with our partner institutions. For all incoming staff and students on mobilities, UCN requires an English proficiency level sufficient for delivering lectures and writing and discussing at an academic level.

UCN is part of the HEROES Alliance

The HEROES Alliance is a European university alliance that, in addition to UCN, includes eight educational institutions across Europe. HEROES was launched on January 1, 2025, and will continuously develop new opportunities for students and employees at the alliance's institutions in the form of educational offers for students, the establishment of joint research initiatives, flexible learning opportunities and a wide range of alternative learning pathways for digital upskilling and employability enhancement.

Together, the institutions have 120,000 students and 14,000 employees and come from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Portugal, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

HEROES stands for Higher Education for Resilience-Oriented and Empowered Societies, and the alliance is part of the EU flagship European Universities initiative.