THUAS launches European PATHS project within UNINOVIS

On 20 January 2026, The Hague University of Applied Sciences hosted the kick-off meeting of PATHS – Practical Access to Transdisciplinary Hubs for Students. This marks our first collaborative project within the UNINOVIS European University Alliance. Partners from Technische Hochschule Würzburg-Schweinfurt (Germany), Kauno Kolegija (Lithuania) and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (Finland) came together to align on the project’s goals, scope and implementation.

Connecting students to real research

PATHS aims to structurally embed students in research, development and innovation (RDI). Instead of incidental involvement, the project creates practical pathways that connect education with real research projects and regional innovation ecosystems from an early stage. These approaches will be tested in thematic Excellence Hubs, where students, researchers and industry collaborate on real-world challenges.

Tools, roadmap and pilots

The project will deliver a European RDI roadmap, methodological guides for lecturers and researchers, digital tools to connect regional partners, and several pilot projects. A practical toolkit will support universities of applied sciences across Europe in making student participation in applied research a standard element of their programmes.

Key role for THUAS

At THUAS, Dr Tamara Takacs (Centre of Expertise Global & Inclusive Learning) leads a work package that maps best practices and analyses successful strategies for student engagement in applied research.

European impact

Running from November 2025 to 2027 and co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, PATHS strengthens the link between education, research and regional development and prepares students to become future innovation drivers.

Read more on the project page.