The European University of the Future must preserve the fundamental principles of higher education while responding to profound social, technological, and environmental challenges. This Future UniLab envisioning report explores the values that should guide the development of European universities, combining the protection of academic traditions with a commitment to positive societal transformation.

The publication distinguishes between values that sustain the university’s traditional mission and those that enable it to transform society. The first group includes academic freedom, scientific rigour, critical inquiry, intellectual independence, open-mindedness, and the advancement and sharing of knowledge. The second emphasises equality, diversity, widening participation, collaboration beyond institutional boundaries, anticipation of future challenges, and responsibility for the natural environment.

Building on these principles, the report proposes twelve actions for institutional transformation. These include expanding educational opportunities, strengthening collaboration with society, creating supportive spaces for unconventional ideas, encouraging curiosity-driven research, and integrating environmental responsibility into university activities. Particular attention is given to interdisciplinary European student projects, the development of shared communication practices, and the reimagining of physical and digital university campuses.

The report also identifies tensions that may undermine these ambitions, including the commercialisation of higher education, the treatment of students as customers, the instrumentalisation of degree programmes, political interference, and excessive emphasis on rankings and employability. Ultimately, the authors envision universities as independent centres of knowledge and critical reflection that actively contribute to a fairer, more inclusive, and ecologically sustainable society.