What Coimbra Group does

The Coimbra Group is a Brussels-headquartered non-profit university association (ASBL under Belgian law, registration BE0477 468 939), established in 1985 and formally constituted by Charter in 1987. It is Europe's oldest university network, comprising 42 long-established, research-intensive, multidisciplinary European universities. The organisation functions as a coordination forum: it does not develop proprietary technology and delivers no commercial product. Its core offerings are collaborative programmes and convening activities — including twelve thematic Working Groups (Doctoral Studies, Research Support Officers, Heritage, Equality and Diversity, Employability, Life Sciences, STEM, Social Sciences & Humanities, Education Innovation, and others), three short-term research-visit scholarship programmes for early-career researchers from Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the European Neighbourhood, the annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition for doctoral candidates, the Annual Conference and General Assembly, Climate Symposia, and Policy Seminars addressing FP10, MFF, Erasmus+, and Horizon Europe. The Coimbra Group also issues landmark policy publications such as the Durham Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainability (March 2025) and the Poitiers-Granada Declaration on University-City collaboration (June 2026).

The Coimbra Group's go-to-market is event-driven and membership-mediated: it reaches its 42 member universities through annual conferences, General Assemblies, policy seminars, working group meetings, and scholarship programme activities; it engages EU institutions and policymakers through advocacy events and joint statements on research and education funding; and it conducts outreach to students via the Erasmus Student Network and the European Students' Union (with which it signed an MoU in 2025). Marketing channels consist of the coimbra-group.eu website, a CampaignMonitor-distributed newsletter, and presence on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, and X. The Coimbra Group co-organises advocacy work with six peer European university networks (CESAER, EUA, EU-LIFE, The Guild, LERU, YERUN), as exemplified by the September 2026 Brussels event on EU research and innovation funding.

The business model is non-commercial: revenue is derived from recurring contributions by member universities, with no disclosed pricing or transactional streams. Scholarship stipends for visiting researchers range from €750–€3,200 per month plus travel support, with some host universities supplementing with accommodation and meals; these amounts are programme costs rather than pricing. The entity is governed by an Executive Board (Chair: Ludovic Thilly, University of Poitiers; Vice-Chair: Beatrix Busse, University of Cologne) and led by an Honorary President (Pedro Mercado, University of Granada, for 2026–2027), with a Rectors' Advisory Group and rotating leadership among member university rectors. Revenue figures, audited financials, and headcount are not disclosed in the available data.

Name

Coimbra Group

Legal name

Coimbra Group ASBL

Website

https://coimbra-group.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Coimbra Group is a Brussels-headquartered non-profit association of 42 long-established, research-intensive European universities, founded in 1985. It coordinates collaboration through twelve Working Groups, scholarship programmes for early-career researchers, an annual conference, and EU policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Network Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Study Abroad Provider Networks, Consortia & Membership Organizations (EDAIAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA), University-Sponsored International Internships & Co-op Placements (EDAIAFAB), Academic & Scientific Conferences (MPAGAGAD)

Keywords

• University network association
• Academic scholarship programmes
• Higher education collaboration
• Research policy advocacy
• Doctoral training programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member contributions: The Coimbra Group is funded through contributions from its member universities. The association operates as a non-profit (ASBL) entity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Coimbra Group is a non-profit university network that delivers collaborative programmes and services to its 42 member universities across Europe, including short-term research scholarship programmes for early-career researchers from Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the European Neighbourhood, an annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, an Annual Conference and General Assembly, twelve thematic Working Groups, policy seminars, and high-level publications such as the Durham and Poitiers-Granada Declarations. It also serves as a collective voice engaging EU institutions on higher education and research policy.

Product overview

The Coimbra Group is a European university network comprising 42 long-established, research-intensive multidisciplinary universities. Rather than offering a unified software product, the organisation provides a portfolio of collaborative programmes and services including three scholarship programmes supporting early-career researchers from Africa, the European Neighbourhood, and Latin America; the Annual Conference and General Assembly; the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition for doctoral candidates; Climate Symposia; and Policy Seminars addressing higher education and research funding. The network also facilitates Working Groups across twelve thematic areas, maintains a Botanic Gardens Network, publishes policy declarations including the Durham Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainability and the Poitiers-Granada Declaration on University-City collaboration, and distributes a newsletter. The organization engages with EU institutions on policy matters including FP10, MFF, Erasmus+, and Horizon Europe funding frameworks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scholarship Programme for Early-Career African Researchers Short-term research visit programme (1–3 months) supporting early-career researchers from Sub-Saharan African higher education institutions to conduct research at Coimbra Group member universities, with female candidates prioritised. Stipends range from €750–€3,200 per month plus travel support, with some host universities providing free accommodation and meals.
• Scholarship Programme for Early-Career Researchers from the European Neighbourhood Short-term research visit programme (1–3 months) for early-career researchers from European Neighbourhood countries including Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine and other specified nations, supporting research stays at Coimbra Group member universities in Europe.
• Scholarship Programme for Early-Career Professors and Researchers from Latin American Universities Short-term research visit programme (1–3 months) supporting Latin American early-career researchers from universities across all Latin American countries to conduct research at Coimbra Group member universities in Europe.
• Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition Annual research communication competition for doctoral candidates from Coimbra Group member universities, challenging participants to explain their research and its societal relevance in three minutes using language accessible to non-specialist audiences. First launched in 2017.
• Annual Conference & General Assembly Annual flagship event bringing together rectors, vice-rectors, academics, and partners from across Europe for strategic discussions, Working Group meetings, thematic sessions, and the General Assembly. The 2026 conference was hosted by the University of Granada as part of its 500th anniversary celebrations and gathered nearly 350 delegates.
• Climate Symposium High-level symposium addressing climate change and sustainability in higher education, featuring keynote speeches, institutional strategy showcases, and the launch of the Durham Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainability in March 2025 at Durham University.
• Policy Seminars Policy-focused seminars addressing European higher education, research, and innovation topics, including sessions on FP10, MFF, Erasmus+, and research funding frameworks. The next scheduled edition is the Coimbra Group High-Level Seminar on Educational Policy, 3–4 November 2026 at Jagiellonian University.
• Working Groups Programme Twelve thematic Working Groups covering Doctoral Studies, Research Support Officers, Heritage, Equality and Diversity, Employability, Life Sciences, STEM, Social Sciences and Humanities, Education Innovation, and other areas, facilitating best-practice exchange among member universities.
• Botanic Gardens Network Collaborative network showcasing botanic gardens from Coimbra Group member universities, featuring 42 gardens across European institutions.
• Coimbra Group Newsletter Regular newsletter providing updates on Coimbra Group activities, events, scholarship programmes, and policy developments to subscribers. Distributed via CampaignMonitor.com to members, affiliates, partners, and subscribers who can unsubscribe at any time.

Quantifiable outcome

• 720 early-career researchers applied for 2026 scholarship programmes (64% increase year-over-year), spanning Africa, Latin America, and European Neighbourhood.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• CESAER, EUA, EU-LIFE, The Guild, LERU, YERUNcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2026Coimbra Group co-organises with six other leading European university and research networks the event 'Investing in What Makes Europe Strong: Research, Innovation in the Next EU Budget' on 9 September 2026 in Brussels, advocating for strong EU investment in FP10 and the next MFF.
• European Students' Union (ESU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Coimbra Group and ESU signed an MoU in 2025 to foster student participation and amplify the student voice across all Coimbra Group activities. ESU's Vice-President participated in the launch of the Poitiers-Granada Declaration at the 2026 Annual Conference.
• Erasmus Student Network (ESN)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Coimbra Group works with ESN on operational challenges and opportunities for collaboration between ESN local sections and universities' International Relations Offices. A joint session was held during the 2026 Annual Conference.
• European University AlliancessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Coimbra Group engages with European University Alliances, sharing best practices and collaborating on doctoral education and research through joint thematic sessions and working group activities.
• European Commission / EU InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Coimbra Group is a trusted partner of EU institutions, actively engaging with EU policies and programmes including Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, FP10, and the European Competitiveness Fund. The network submits policy papers and joint statements and co-organises events with EU policymakers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• YERUN (Young European Research Universities Network): YERUN represents younger, high-growth European universities and overlaps with Coimbra Group's co-advocacy on EU research budgets. Operates in similar EU-policy terrain with a more growth-focused orientation.
• UNICA (Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe): UNICA is a European university network linking institutions located in capital cities. While less research-intensive-focused than Coimbra Group, it competes in the same EU-policy and student-mobility domains.
• European University Association (EUA): EUA is the larger umbrella representing over 850 universities across 48 countries, including Coimbra Group members. Both organisations are Brussels-based policy advocates; EUA operates at broader scale and more institutional scope, while Coimbra Group occupies the prestige-heritage niche.
• EU-LIFE: EU-LIFE is an alliance of European life-science research institutes focused on research excellence and policy. Direct peer of Coimbra Group's Life Sciences Working Group and joint co-organiser of the September 2026 EU-budget event.
• CESAER: CESAER is a conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research, with a stronger STEM/engineering orientation than Coimbra Group. They co-organise EU-budget advocacy events together, evidencing direct peer status in policy coalition work.
• The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities: The Guild brings together 22 European research-intensive universities (many of which overlap with Coimbra Group members) to influence EU research and innovation policy. Strong peer overlap in FP10/FP9 advocacy and constituency composition.
• League of European Research Universities (LERU): LERU is a direct peer network of European research-intensive universities that, like the Coimbra Group, advocates for its members with EU institutions on research and higher-education policy. They co-organised the September 2026 'Investing in What Makes Europe Strong' event, evidencing deep overlap in mission and constituency.

Others

• European Students' Union (ESU): ESU is the umbrella body for European student unions and a strategic partner of the Coimbra Group under a 2025 MoU. Not a competing network but a governance counterpart on the student side of higher-education policy.

Emerging players

• Europaeum: Europaeum is a network of leading European universities focused on humanities and social sciences, sharing doctoral and student-mobility programmes with the Coimbra Group model. Smaller scale and narrower disciplinary scope.
• Utrecht Network: Utrecht Network is a smaller European inter-university cooperation that overlaps with Coimbra Group in student-mobility and joint programme activity, but with a narrower footprint and less policy focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coimbragroup
• TikToktiktok.com/@universidaddegranada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Coimbra Group