One of the major challenges of European higher education remains the creation of shared programs between institutions from different countries and their recognition by all national systems. In recent years, with the development of the European Universities alliances promoted by the Commission since 2019, this issue has gained special relevance.
Currently, there are 65 alliances in Europe that bring together more than 570 higher education institutions from 35 European countries, whose members collaborate stably in teaching, research, and student exchanges. One of their main objectives is to develop shared academic programs, which has driven the growth of double degrees and, above all, joint degrees.
While double degrees allow students to obtain two diplomas issued by different universities, joint degrees lead to a single degree supported by all participating institutions. To achieve this, universities must jointly design the academic program, agree on evaluation systems, set access requirements, and coordinate quality assurance mechanisms. In many cases, reaching these agreements is easier than overcoming the procedures required by different national administrations.
In fact, the main problem usually does not arise within universities. Numerous European institutions have been developing joint programs normally for some time. The European Union also promotes academic cooperation initiatives such as Erasmus Mundus master’s programs, which currently exceed 200 joint programs. Transnational academic collaboration is perfectly viable, but difficulties arise when those studies must be officially recognized in countries whose regulatory frameworks remain different.
Since the European Commission cannot create a single European degree valid throughout the Union on its own, it has opted for a gradual strategy that aims to progressively bring national systems closer together and facilitate that shared programs can be evaluated and recognized more homogeneously across the European Union.
The first step of this strategy has been the Joint European Degree Label, a European distinction established through a recommendation from the Council of the European Union approved in May 2025. The label can be granted to those joint programs that meet common European quality criteria, academic integration, and transnational cooperation, and its practical application is being progressively rolled out from 2026.
Although this distinction does not constitute a new European degree, it certifies that the program meets shared standards at the European level and provides a common reference for its evaluation by national authorities. The Joint European Degree Label also represents the first phase of a more ambitious goal: the creation of a future joint European degree, known as European Degree, which facilitates the recognition of shared studies between universities from different countries.
Achieving this goal requires sustained collaboration between universities, public administrations, and quality agencies from different countries. This joint work also constitutes a valuable exercise in academic diplomacy, as it generates stable spaces for institutional dialogue, strengthens mutual trust, and promotes the progressive convergence of national higher education systems.
One of the major challenges of European higher education remains the creation of shared programs between institutions from different countries and their recognition by all national systems. In recent years, with the development of the European Universities alliances promoted by the Commission since 2019, this issue has gained special relevance.
Currently, there are 65 alliances in Europe that bring together more than 570 higher education institutions from 35 European countries, whose members collaborate stably in teaching, research, and student exchanges. One of their main objectives is to develop shared academic programs, which has driven the growth of double degrees and, above all, joint degrees.
While double degrees allow students to obtain two diplomas issued by different universities, joint degrees lead to a single degree supported by all participating institutions. To achieve this, universities must jointly design the academic program, agree on evaluation systems, set access requirements, and coordinate quality assurance mechanisms. In many cases, reaching these agreements is easier than overcoming the procedures required by different national administrations.
In fact, the main problem usually does not arise within universities. Numerous European institutions have been developing joint programs normally for some time. The European Union also promotes academic cooperation initiatives such as Erasmus Mundus master’s programs, which currently exceed 200 joint programs. Transnational academic collaboration is perfectly viable, but difficulties arise when those studies must be officially recognized in countries whose regulatory frameworks remain different.
Since the European Commission cannot create a single European degree valid throughout the Union on its own, it has opted for a gradual strategy that aims to progressively bring national systems closer together and facilitate that shared programs can be evaluated and recognized more homogeneously across the European Union.
The first step of this strategy has been the Joint European Degree Label, a European distinction established through a recommendation from the Council of the European Union approved in May 2025. The label can be granted to those joint programs that meet common European quality criteria, academic integration, and transnational cooperation, and its practical application is being progressively rolled out from 2026.
Although this distinction does not constitute a new European degree, it certifies that the program meets shared standards at the European level and provides a common reference for its evaluation by national authorities. The Joint European Degree Label also represents the first phase of a more ambitious goal: the creation of a future joint European degree, known as European Degree, which facilitates the recognition of shared studies between universities from different countries.
Achieving this goal requires sustained collaboration between universities, public administrations, and quality agencies from different countries. This joint work also constitutes a valuable exercise in academic diplomacy, as it generates stable spaces for institutional dialogue, strengthens mutual trust, and promotes the progressive convergence of national higher education systems.
