The Central CEEPUS Office in Vienna organises the annual meeting of the International Commission. Representatives from the National CEEPUS Offices (NCOs) of the member countries and their experts are invited to this meeting. The conference took place at the OeAD house and brought together delegates from 14 of the programme’s 15 member countries. Caroline Senk from the Austrian National CEEPUS Office, which is based at the OeAD, took part.
The session was coordinated by the Central CEEPUS Office and opened with welcoming remarks from the Secretary General of CEEPUS, Michael Schedl and Sigrid Koller, representing the host institution.
The primary task of the International Commission is the selection of academic networks for the upcoming year. During this year’s meeting, members evaluated a record number of network applications. Following extensive discussion and review, the Commission approved a record high of 104 CEEPUS networks for the 2026/27 academic year.
A notable development in this year’s process was the implementation of a new selection procedure that places increasing emphasis on the performance and past achievements of networks. The revised approach aims to ensure that the programme continues to support high-quality academic collaboration and mobility among participating universities.
In addition to the network selection process, the Commission also discussed the future role of Joint Activities within CEEPUS networks. Participants explored the introduction of clearer guidelines and quality standards for such activities in order to further strengthen academic cooperation and enhance the overall impact of the programme.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment among member countries to continue improving the quality and effectiveness of the CEEPUS programme, which remains a cornerstone of regional academic mobility and collaboration.
With a record number of networks selected and new quality-oriented procedures underway, the 2026/27 programme year marks an important step in the ongoing evolution of CEEPUS.
About CEEPUS:
The BMFWF (Austrian Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research) supports students and lecturers in Central and Eastern Europe within the framework of the mobility programme CEEPUS (Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies). The aim of the scholarship programme is to strengthen academic cooperation, ideally through joint programmes. The funding programme enables academic development of students and teachers in the participating countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, and Slovenia. The universities of Prishtina, Prizren and Peja are also eligible to take part.
Both short stays and stays lasting several months are eligible for funding.
CEEPUS
