The SGroup is a dynamic network of universities from across Europe and beyond, committed to fostering academic collaboration, promoting internationalisation, and supporting institutional development.
Established in 1992, the network brings together over 35 member universities, combining a strong European base with global outreach. The SGroup acts as a platform for dialogue, joint action and knowledge sharing, enabling its members to strengthen their international strategies, participate in cross-border initiatives, and engage in global higher education developments.
Through a wide range of thematic programmes and working groups, the network supports member institutions in addressing global challenges, building inclusive partnerships, and enhancing their impact at both regional and international levels.
The University of Lille is an active member of the SGroup and contributes to several of its initiatives, including those related to doctoral education, staff mobility and university diplomacy.
SGroups' Missions
The SGroup’s mission is to promote high-quality cooperation between its member universities in the fields of education, research, and institutional development, with a strong emphasis on internationalisation and strategic partnerships.
The network aims to:
- Foster academic excellence through joint projects, knowledge exchange and capacity building;
- Support member institutions in developing and implementing global strategies;
- Promote inclusive and sustainable international cooperation in higher education;
- Facilitate collaboration across borders, disciplines and cultures;
- Serve as a platform for advocacy, strategic foresight and institutional innovation.
By working collectively, SGroup universities seek to enhance their impact on global education, address shared challenges, and contribute to the transformation of higher education systems in a fast-changing world.
Key Programmes and Strategic Activities
Strategic Projects and Working Groups
SGroup promotes collaborative initiatives across various areas such as:
- Global engagement and university diplomacy
- Doctoral education and early-career researcher support
- Staff development and internationalisation of services
- Sustainable development and social responsibility
- Innovation in education and research
Within this framework, members engage in working groups to exchange good practices and co-develop strategic actions.
Exchange and Mobility Opportunities
The SGroup supports a variety of mobility schemes that strengthen collaboration across member institutions. These include:
- Staff exchanges and job-shadowing opportunities
- Joint PhD supervision and research stays
- Thematic visits and short-term exchanges linked to network initiatives
While participation in these schemes may vary from year to year, member universities are encouraged to explore these opportunities to promote staff development, foster research collaboration, and support institutional internationalisation.
Think Tank Academy (TTA)
The SGroup’s Think Tank Academy (TTA) is organised into five distinct Intellectual Hubs — permanent thematic and regional groups that serve as engines for dialogue, policy innovation, and academic cooperation.
These hubs include:
- Think Tank for Asia & Pacific (formerly TTChina)
- Think Tank for the Americas (formerly TT Latin America)
- Think Tank for Africa
- Think Tank for the Social Mission of Universities
- Think Tank for Innovative Doctoral Education (TTIDE)
Each hub gathers researchers, university leaders, and experts to analyse shared challenges — such as societal responsibility, doctoral training, regional development, and globalisation — through workshops, publications, webinars, and strategic meetings. These hubs also feed into other key event formats, such as the Spring Conference and Autumn Think Tank Meeting.
Flagship Programmes
Beyond its thematic hubs and mobility schemes, the SGroup develops targeted programmes that reflect its commitment to academic excellence, intercultural collaboration, and institutional capacity building.
- PhD Cup – A science communication competition designed to highlight the research of PhD candidates across the network. It encourages participants to present their work in a clear and engaging way to a non-specialist audience, promoting research visibility and outreach.
- ICON Programme (Intercultural Competences and Networking) – An immersive training initiative primarily aimed at administrative staff, designed to strengthen intercultural understanding, peer exchange, and the development of internationalisation practices within university services.
These programmes provide additional opportunities for member institutions to engage in concrete, high-impact actions that complement the work carried out through the Think Tank Academy and mobility schemes.
- 3 Three PhD candidates from the University of Lille were selected for the 2025 PhD Cup final in Szeged, Hungary, in recognition of their outstanding skills in science communication.
- 1 The Vice-Dean for International Relations of Lille’s Faculty of Science is set to participate in a staff visit to a partner university in Mexico in 2025, as part of the ICON mobility scheme.
The University of Lille’s Engagement
The University of Lille is an active member of the SGroup network and contributes regularly to its strategic initiatives and events. It is represented on the Executive Committee, where it helps shape the direction of the network’s activities.
In October 2024, Kathleen O’Connor, representative of the University of Lille, was re-elected for a two-year term on the Executive Committee. This re-election reflects the university’s ongoing commitment to promoting international cooperation in education and research.
In 2024, Lille hosted the Think Tank Academy Spring Meeting, bringing together member institutions for high-level exchanges around SGroup’s thematic priorities. The university also contributes to ongoing reflections on doctoral education and is actively exploring new opportunities for collaboration within the network.
