Beyond Boundaries: Debordering Processes and Academic Integration in the Euroregion Galicia - Norte de Portugal

Inês Gusman

Director of CEER Foundation

Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela

direccion@fceer.org | mariaines.gusmancorreia@usc.es

​

Borders are more than just "visible lines" on a map; they are complex social constructions with diverse meanings and functions

Haselsberger, 2014

Debordering as a way of blurred the differences between social and spatial entities and the mental categories associated to them

Herzog & Sohn, 2019

Cross-border cooperation structures between Galicia and Northern Portugal.

(Gusman et al., 2020)

Eurorregion Galicia - Norte de Portugal: Constructing a Shared Territorial Future Through Cross-Border Integration

Academic and Scientific Debordering in Action

GNP Euroregion has a university ecosystem which transcends national boundaries:

​

It connects 119,500 students across 13 campuses, with 158 research institutes and 214 university spin-off companies, representing significant academic resources in the cross-border region.

​

These universities have developed specialized and complementary academic strengths, creating a diverse knowledge base that addresses regional challenges through cross-disciplinary approaches.

• Founded in 2004 by the 6 public universities of the GNP Eurorregion
• Our governance structure consists of a Board of Trustees comprising university Rectors and a Direction Board with Vice-Rector representatives from each institution. CEER Foundation is strategically led by a Director from a Galician university and a Secretary from a Portuguese university
• Our mission is to build stronger connections between universities in Galicia and Northern Portugal by fostering effective collaboration through inclusive, dynamic, and innovative approaches to studying and developing the GNP Euroregion.

Centre for Euroregional Studies Galicia - Northern Portugal Foundation (FCEER)

Strategic Areas of Action

CEER Foundation operates through 5 interconnected and collaborative offices across universities.

​

We have contributed to launch and manage over 20 cooperation projects, helping secure more than €20 million in European funding for cross-border initiatives benefiting our territory.

​

We serve as an essential link between universities, research organizations, regional authorities, and various stakeholders across the Euroregion.

​

CEER Foundation

Dissolving boundaries, fostering academic synergies

Entity Types Collaborating with CEER Foundation

UNISF: University Without Borders

A pioneering initiative uniting six public universities across the Galicia-Northern Portugal Euroregion to create joint academic degrees by removing administrative barriers and fostering cross-border educational excellence.

We are moving forward to E-UNISF: strengthening cross-border academic integration through shared resources and joint degrees to create a pioneering model of excellence in European higher education.

Our current projects

CEER Foundation strategic vision to future

​

Facilitating knowledge transfer between universities and stakeholders to strengthen the connection between academic research and the specific needs of our Euroregional territories and communities

Fostering relationships with non-academic entities to maximize the impact of our Euroregion's intellectual resources through effective cross-border cooperation

Keep contributing to investment attraction while supporting local and regional entities in responding effectively to European priorities and objectives by leveraging university research, innovation, and knowledge transfer networks

Contribute to the development of innovative governance models for cross-border spaces and supporting an integrated university ecosystem where institutional strengths are collaboratively shared

Inês Gusman

Director of CEER Foundation

Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela

direccion@fceer.org | mariaines.gusmancorreia@usc.es

​