International Network of Universities

What International Network of Universities does

The International Network of Universities (INU) is a non-profit consortium of 14 universities founded in 1998 and coordinated by Kingston University London (UK). It serves higher education institutions committed to global engagement and internationalization, with member universities spanning Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. INU's core function is facilitating cross-international collaboration among member universities rather than producing technology products.

INU delivers a portfolio of educational and research-mobility programs: the flagship International Student Seminar for Global Citizenship and Peace (hosted annually by Hiroshima University, Japan), the International Student Conference (Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia), Researcher Mobility Awards (£1,700 stipends for early career researchers), the Henry Fong Award (£1,700 student scholarship), a Seed Money Fund (£2,500 per collaborative research project), Staff Knowledge Exchange programs, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), the Intercultural Learning for Global Engagement (ILGE) initiative, and the INU Nursing Collaborative. An online 'Global Citizenship and Sustainable Futures: Learning for Change' program is scheduled to launch in October 2026. The Presidency rotates among member universities; Stellenbosch University (South Africa) holds the Presidency from 2023-2028 with Prof Hester Klopper as President.

INU does not generate commercial revenue. Operations are funded through member contributions and grants; no pricing model is offered externally, no equity investors exist, and no commercial revenue is disclosed. The network won the 2019 EAIE President's Award for its SUCTI (Systemic University Change Towards Internationalisation) project. Day-to-day coordination is handled by a small team (~5 employees, effectively an INU Coordinator role) embedded at Kingston University London.

Name

International Network of Universities

Legal name

International Network of Universities

Website

https://inunis.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The International Network of Universities is a non-profit consortium of 14 universities founded in 1998 and coordinated by Kingston University London. It facilitates cross-institutional collaboration through student seminars, researcher mobility awards, staff exchanges, and seed-funded research projects among its global member universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Network and Internationalization Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Third-Party Short-Term Academic Program Providers (Multi-Discipline) (EDAIAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Student Funding & Mobility Grants Administration (EDADAHAL)

Keywords

• Higher education consortium
• University network
• International education
• Academic collaboration
• Research mobility

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Network Membership and Coordination: INU operates as a non-profit university consortium. The network is coordinated by Kingston University London, with rotating presidency held by member universities. Revenue is not generated commercially; activities are funded through member contributions and grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

INU is a non-profit consortium of 14 universities that coordinates cross-border academic programs for its members. Its core offerings include in-person student seminars and conferences (hosted at Hiroshima University and Parahyangan Catholic University), researcher and staff mobility exchanges supported by small grants (Researcher Mobility Awards up to £1,700, Seed Money Fund £2,500), scholarship awards (Henry Fong Award £1,700), online learning initiatives (COIL, Global Citizenship and Sustainable Futures), and specialized networks such as the INU Nursing Collaborative.

Product overview

The International Network of Universities (INU) is a network of 14+ universities focused on global engagement and internationalization. Rather than a software product company, INU operates as a consortium offering educational programs and mobility initiatives. The core offerings include: the International Student Seminar for Global Citizenship and Peace (flagship in-person program hosted by Hiroshima University), the International Student Conference (hosted by Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia), the Researcher Mobility Program (funding early career researcher exchanges), Staff Knowledge Exchange, Seed Money Fund (£2,500 grants for collaborative research), the Henry Fong Award (£1,700 scholarship), INU Internship Program, and online programs like Global Citizenship and Sustainable Futures and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). The network also supports specialized initiatives like the INU Nursing Collaborative. All programs are coordinated by Kingston University London with the presidency held by Stellenbosch University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• International Student Seminar for Global Citizenship and Peace: INU's flagship program for students focusing on Global Citizenship and Peace
• Researcher Mobility Program
• International Student Conference
• Global Citizenship and Sustainable Futures: Learning for Change
• Henry Fong Award
• Seed Money Fund
• COIL
• INU Nursing Collaborative

Products and services

• International Student Seminar for Global Citizenship and Peace INU's flagship student program hosted by Hiroshima University, Japan, focusing on global citizenship, peace education, and the UN SDGs. It includes lectures, workshops, cultural activities, and a UN General Assembly role-play simulation targeting students at INU member universities.
• International Student Conference Annual conference hosted by Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia, combining academic workshops with field-based activities focused on youth empowerment and sustainable development themes for students at INU member universities.
• Researcher Mobility Program Program providing awards of up to £1,700 to early career researchers (within 5 years of PhD completion) at member universities to spend 2-4 weeks at another INU member institution for collaborative research.
• Staff Knowledge Exchange Program enabling staff exchanges and best practice sharing between INU member universities to further internationalization efforts.
• Seed Money Fund Funding program allocating £2,500 to collaborative research projects between member universities, including Phase 1 new projects and Phase 2 expansion projects.
• Henry Fong Award Scholarship award of £1,700 recognizing outstanding students committed to global citizenship, enabling study at another INU member university.
• INU Internship Program Program offering international internship opportunities for students to develop cross-cultural career skills in global settings.
• Global Citizenship and Sustainable Futures: Learning for Change Online program for motivated students to develop as globally-engaged and socially-responsible citizens, launching October 2026.
• Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Virtual exchange initiative connecting students and faculty from different INU member universities for online intercultural collaboration and learning.
• Intercultural Learning for Global Engagement (ILGE) Group organizing conferences and workshops on intercultural learning, including an annual online conference showcasing expertise from member universities.
• INU Nursing Collaborative Collaborative network of nursing programs across member universities facilitating research collaboration, student-staff mobility, and knowledge exchange in nursing education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 students annually participate in the International Student Seminar for Global Citizenship and Peace
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• University of the Free StateminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Newest member as of March 2026, based in South Africa. Second INU member in South Africa.
• Stellenbosch UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2023Holds INU Presidency from 2023-2028. Prof Hester Klopper serves as INU President. Deeply involved in network governance and strategic direction.
• Universität OsnabrückminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2023German university joined INU in 2023, officially welcomed at Council meeting in Stellenbosch University.
• Taras Shevchenko National University of KyivminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2023Joined as guest member in 2023 as a mark of INU's support to Ukraine during conflict.
• Tecnológico de Antioquia (TdeA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2022Colombian institution joined INU network in December 2022.
• Kingston University LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Serves as INU Coordinator institution, managing the INU website and coordinating network activities. Phone: +44 (0)20 8417 3256.
• Hiroshima UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts annual International Student Seminar for Global Citizenship and Peace. Long-standing member institution.
• James Madison UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member involved in multiple INU initiatives including design school collaborations, nursing collaborative, and researcher mobility.
• Malmö UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedish member hosting Council meetings and collaborating on design and sustainability programs with JMU.
• Parahyangan Catholic UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndonesian member hosting annual International Student Conference and involved in seed money funded projects.
• Universidad Nacional del LitoralcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArgentinian member hosting winter/summer schools and participating in researcher mobility and collaborative projects.
• Rovira i Virgili UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish member and coordinator of SUCTI Training Unit, hosting train-the-trainer courses.
• European University ViadrinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman member that held INU Presidency 2021-2023. Active in intercultural learning initiatives.
• De Montfort UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK member involved in seed money funded Business in Global Citizenship project with UNPAR.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Universitas 21: Global network of 28 research-intensive universities focused on internationalization, student mobility, and research collaboration. Directly comparable to INU as a membership-based university consortium offering exchange programs and researcher mobility, but at significantly larger scale.
• Worldwide Universities Network (WUN): Network of 24 research universities offering researcher mobility grants, collaborative research funding, and student exchanges. Highly comparable to INU's mobility and seed money programs, but with greater research-focused orientation.
• Coimbra Group: Network of long-established European multidisciplinary universities promoting student and staff mobility and research collaboration. Comparable to INU in mission and program structure, though more regionally focused on Europe.
• Utrecht Network: European university network providing student mobility, staff exchanges, and short-term programs. Comparable to INU's mobility and exchange offerings, but operates at smaller scale and within European frame.

Broad incumbents

• Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU): Long-standing association of 400+ universities across Commonwealth nations administering scholarships, research funding, and academic mobility. Comparable to INU's membership model and mobility grants, but operates at much larger institutional scale across more geographies.
• International Association of Universities (IAU): UNESCO-affiliated global association of 600+ higher education institutions providing policy advocacy, data, and networking. Comparable to INU as a higher education membership organization with international focus, though broader in mandate.
• European University Association (EUA): Represents over 850 universities and national rector's conferences in Europe, focusing on policy, funding, and internationalization. Overlaps with INU's internationalization mission but serves a European policy-making role at much larger scale.

Regional players

• Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU): Consortium of 60+ universities led by presidents/chancellors from Pacific Rim economies, focusing on research collaboration and student mobility. Comparable membership-network model but regional focus differs from INU's global reach.
• Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities: European network of 28 research-intensive universities promoting doctoral training, researcher mobility, and policy advocacy. Comparable to INU on research collaboration, but larger and policy-focused.

Others

• European Association for International Education (EAIE): Professional association and conference body for international higher education professionals, which awarded INU its 2019 President's Award. Adjacent to INU's mission and serves a similar audience of internationalization professionals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/INUnetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-network-of-universities

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Network of Universities