The INVEST Centre of Excellence is part of the INVEST european university alliance. The INnoVation of REgional Sustainability: European UniversiTy Alliance (INVEST) was created in 2020 and unites seven universities across Europe, each with extensive experience and a shared profile as internationalised entities. This alliance includes:

• Slovak University of Agriculture (SUA) in Nitra, Slovakia
• University of Agribusiness and Rural Development (UARD) in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
• University of Thessaly (UTH) in Volos, Greece
• Karelia University of Applied Sciences in Joensuu, Finland
• University of Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB) in Milan, Italy
• University of Córdoba (UCO) in Córdoba, Spain
• University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA) in Reims, France

Together, these institutions collaborate under the European Commission’s initiative to form and evaluate European Universities, aiming to enhance educational quality and integration across the continent.

The vision of INVEST is to create a modern European University satisfying needs and requirements of the new generation of Europeans as the leaders in introducing sustainable life in regions across Europe. We see INVEST as a fully functioning, innovative, and bottom-up network of universities, achieving higher standards in education, training, research, and innovation through international synergy and excellence taking greater responsibilities towards the development of an inclusive society and knowledge-based economy.

The objective of INVEST is to create excellence in education and research, by building a truly integrated European University System, based on shared values and international cooperation, bringing together diverse stakeholders, and enhancing the quality and relevance of education and research, in addressing contemporary challenges facing the respective regions

To achieve this, INVEST is constructed around three strategic pillars: 

• Regional transformation, ecosystems and entrepreneurship
• Flexible education and work-based pedagogy
• Creation of a Centre of Excellence in research, development and innovation

INVEST focuses on sustainable regional development and covers three priority areas:

• Water, Energy, Food and Environment Nexus
• Quality of Life
• Entrepreneurship

The INVEST Centre of Excellence in RD&I consists of a network of researchers, united to support joint
research initiatives that strengthen both regional development and European competitiveness.
The INVEST CoE main objectives are to:

• Establish a collaborative research initiative for joint excellence to answer regional sustainability challenges
• Foster an "innovation philosophy", building inclusive, strong, and lasting partnerships with governance, business and users
• Create networks within and beyond the INVEST alliance, to connect communities and infrastructures

The INVEST CoE offers opportunities to researchers at all stages of their career, from doctoral candidates to senior researchers. This integrated approach not only enhances individual careers but also builds collective capacity to respond to regional challenges. It is composed of 7 research clusters:

• Smart sustainable agriculture
• Green energy & energy transition
• Water resources management
• Education & capacity-building
• Urban-rural relationship
• Circular- & bio-based economy
• New businesses models & smart technologies