Make optimal use of our European HEROES network by becoming a HEROESfriend

HEROES is a European University Alliance of nine practice-oriented higher education institutions dedicated to strengthening smart regional resilience.

Working from small and medium-sized cities across Europe, we combine applied research, professional education and digital innovation to help regions anticipate, adapt and recover from disruptions. By co-creating solutions with local ecosystems, we empower people, businesses and nature to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

HEROESfriends is the bridge that connects HEROES with the region.

By becoming a HEROESfriend, you unlock a variety of offers, gain the opportunity to actively contribute to ongoing developments, and the chance to strengthen regional resilience – of businesses, nature and people – together with your local university and a transnational network of HEROES.

Join the HEROESfriends community now!

Become part of a European community and get access to research facilities, challenge students and co-develop innovation to enhance the resilience of your region, it’s businesses, nature and people.

As a HEROESfriend, you:

– Can subscribe to the HEROES newsletter, to stay updated

– Engage with students:

• by giving them real challenges to solve through challenged-based learning;

• hire them as interns and form them into your new employees;

• offer a thesis to get a proper analysis of a challenge within your company.

– Get access to events with restricted access, e.g. conferences, HEROES weeks, workshops

– Find the perfect matching lab for your research topic out of nine universities

– Influence the lifelong learning offers by giving your input and co-create micro-credentials

– As an alumni of one of the institutions benefit from a price reduction for life long learning offers

– Expanding your professional network at both local and international levels

Each HEROESfriend can choose how actively they wish to collaborate — from providing challenges or hosting events to mentoring students or participating in research and lifelong learning activities.

Who can join?

The programme welcomes a wide variety of partners across sectors:
businesses, NGOs, governmental organisations, research and education institutions, schools, alumni, and individual citizens who share our values.

If you would like to become part of this collaborative European community, we warmly invite you to register.

https://heroesuniversity.eu/heroes-friends/

And when you sign up, you can also register for events such as the Virtual Internship Fair or the HEROES International Alumni Conference:

We invite you to be part of the HEROES Virtual Internship Fair 2026, a virtual networking event where companies and organisations from across Europe connect directly with motivated students from our HEROES university alliance. We welcome all types of organisations – industries, academic institutions, companies, Non-Profit and Public Sector Partners. The event offers the chance to present your organisation to a diverse pool of European students, and allows students from the HEROES alliance to meet recruiters from top organisations!

HEROES Virtual Internship Fair

22 October 2026 – 1-4 PM CET

Hosting institution: Deggendorf Institute of Technology (Germany)

Meet Europe´s Brightest Young Talents – One Platform. One Day.

Join the HEROES Virtual Internship Fair & connect with international talents from 9 universities across Europe!

As a participant, this is your chance to:

- Present your organisation to a diverse pool of international students

- Promote your available internship opportunities

- Meet potential interns in a virtual and engaging space

- Connect with the international HEROES network

Registration is now open – Deadline: (extended to) 18 September:

https://eveeno.com/heroesinternshipfaircompanies