Members

SGROUP MEMBERS:

  • The Association is composed of member Higher education institutions committed to international cooperation, academic excellence and innovation.       
  • The number of members is not limited.
  • A balanced geographical representation shall be encouraged to ensure diversity and inclusiveness.
  • Two types of membership status: Full Members and Associate Members:

 

  1. Full Members are universities based in Europe that offer doctoral (PhD or equivalent) degree programmes. Admission to Full Membership requires endorsement by the General Assembly following a recommendation by the Executive Committee.
  2. Associate Members are universities located outside Europe. They may be invited to join by the Executive Committee and admitted upon endorsement by the General Assembly. Associate Members may actively participate in the General Assembly and all Association activities but shall not have voting rights or eligibility for election to the Executive Committee.

 

Both categories of members shall share the commitment to promoting the Association’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.

Membership is institutional and continuous, subject to the fulfilment of obligations as defined in the SGroup Statutes.

The rights and obligations of SGroup members extend beyond any basic participation as they reflect shared responsibility, strategic alignment, and ethical collaboration. The Association fosters a collaborative environment where all members, regardless of their status, are encouraged to contribute meaningfully to shared goals, initiatives, events, and projects.

 

MEMBERS’ RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS

All members of the Association commit to upholding its Statutes and are expected to actively support its mission and strategic goals, and to engage constructively in its governance and collaborative activities, in line with the SGroup Identity Paper.

 

General Obligations of All Members

  • Statutory Compliance: Respect the Statutes and any resolutions adopted by the General Assembly or by the Executive Committee.
  • Strategic Engagement: Contribute actively to the mission, vision, and objectives of the Association, aligning institutional strategies where appropriate with the SGroup Action Plan and calendar of activities; and participating in projects, thematic activities, and knowledge exchange, within their areas of competence, expertise and capacity;
  • Communication and Liaison: Establish and maintain clear institutional points of contact (Liaison Officers) responsible for ongoing and effective communication with the SGroup Office and with their counterparts in other member universities, so as to support a deeper communication within each member institution, including (but not limited to) Doctoral Schools (or equivalent), Language Centers, Project Offices, Research Services, Centres for Teaching and Learning;
  • Dissemination: actively disseminate all SGroup initiatives and support the involvement of relevant Departments/Units, Students, Staff, Researchers, and Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in programmes, events and activities whenever appropriate;
  • Mobility/Exchange Promotion: Facilitate and promote physical, virtual, and blended mobility/exchange of students, academic staff, researchers, and administrative personnel within and beyond the network; ensuring transparent and timely recognition of credits, learning outcomes, research activities, and qualifications obtained through exchanges or joint programmes; and providing appropriate academic, cultural, and social support for visiting students, scholars, and staff from member institutions; 
  • Collaboration and Partnerships: Proactively engage in the development and implementation of joint educational, research, and innovative projects, including participation in European and international programmes; 
  • Ethical Conduct: Uphold principles of academic freedom and integrity, mutual respect, diversity, equity, inclusiveness, and sustainability in all activities undertaken under the auspices of the Association; 
  • Fee Payment: Pay the annual membership fee as determined by the General Assembly;
  • Reporting: Provide yearly updates on relevant institutional activities, mobility data, and project contributions, when requested by the SGroup Office.

 

Additional Obligations for Full Members

  • Governance Participation: Attend and vote in General Assembly meetings; participate in the election process for the Presidency and for the Executive Committee.

 

Additional Obligations for Associate Members

  • Non-Voting Role: Respect the governance structure by participating without voting rights, while contributing to discussions and strategic input.

 

Rights of All Members

Participation: participate in the Association’s activities, events, and working groups, and contribute to the Think Tanks, thematic groups and strategic initiatives;

Access to Resources: access shared materials, project outputs, best practices, internal databases, and publications produced by or for the Association;

Information and Transparency: be regularly informed of developments in the Association’s governance, projects, membership, and finances;

Representation: appoint a representative in international leadership position to the General Assembly, a Liaison Officer and to contribute to the decision-making process and the election of the SGroup President and the Executive Committee (applicable only to European/Full Members);

Initiative and Proposals: propose initiatives, projects, amendments, or agenda items for discussion by the Executive Committee and/or the General Assembly;

Affiliation: Publicly convey the institution as a member of SGroup – Universities in Europe and use the Association’s branding in accordance with the network communication guidelines.

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