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Two interesting Unite! Seed Fund projects with Aalto involvement highlight the transformative impact of the Unite! alliance in both education and research.

One project, “”, coordinated by TU Graz, and involving Aalto's Paavo Alku and Tom Bäckström, has been selected for funding as an Erasmus Mundus Design Measure (EMDM). 

Originally supported by the Unite! Seed Fund for Teaching & Learning, the initiative aims to establish a joint European Master’s programme in Speech, Language and AI technologies across all nine Unite! partner universities. 

Paavo Alku, who has been a key driver of the project, explains the motivation behind the programme: “The programme builds on three domains (speech, language and AI) which are jointly not well represented by current MSc programs in Europe. Most (technical) universities today teach AI, but may not have courses on speech and/or language.”

The long-term goal of this joint programme is to prepare students for the rapid developments and competitive demands of international research in speech and language technologies.

Tom Bäckström, who will soon lead the project at Aalto, highlights the value of collaboration within the Unite! alliance: “The topic is currently taught in many universities around Europe, but in all instances, it is a rather small topic within the corresponding universities… There is currently no Master's program that offers comprehensive coverage of all topics in Speech and Language Technology. By joining forces, our aim is to design the leading master's program of unprecedented quality.”

The EMDM funding now enables the consortium to develop the detailed curriculum and prepare a full Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s application. Alku adds: “We will begin by launching bilateral double-degree agreements between Unite! partners, which will later be extended into a joint European MSc programme. Preparations are already underway for a double-degree agreement between Aalto and TU Graz.”

Driving sustainable mobility with Unite! 

A second success story comes from the research side: the Seed Fund project “Fostering Innovation Ecosystems for a Green Mobility Transition”, led by TU Graz PostDoc Thomas Draschbacher and involving Aalto's Esko Hakanen. 

The idea has now secured funding under the “Driving Urban Transitions Partnership Call 2024”. Together with KTH Stockholm and TU Graz, Aalto will work with companies and stakeholders to develop sustainable road transportation ecosystems, supporting the EU’s climate neutrality goals. The project receives almost €1.5 million in funding. 

Unite! Seed Fund – from idea to impact 

Success stories like these demonstrate how Unite! Seed Fund projects can grow into European flagship initiatives, bridging education and research while strengthening international collaboration. 

The next Unite! Seed Fund call will open 20 January 2026 – a chance to develop pioneering projects that shape the future of international education and research.