ITEM Partnerships

ITEM is established in cooperation with:

• Maastricht University
• the province of Limburg
• NEIMED: the Dutch Centre of Expertise and Innovation on Demographic Changes
• Zuyd University
• the city of Maastricht
• the Meuse-Rhine Euregion (EMR)

Initially, the Expertise Centre ITEM is set up from the Faculty of Law of Maastricht University. Within Maastricht University, in the field of research, the Faculty of Law collaborates with:

• the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS)
• the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE; specifically the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance/UNU-Merit)
• the School of Business and Economics (SBE; specifically ROA, the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market and Maastricht Graduate School of Governance/UNU-Merit)

Hasselt University

On May 8 2019, ITEM and UHasselt signed a cooperation agreement in the field of cross-border research. By means of this covenant, research can be carried out simultaneously at UHasselt and Maastricht University into cross-border obstacles and opportunities. Problems can therefore be examined from a Belgian and Dutch point of view. Researchers from both universities are joining forces and highlighting cross-border bottlenecks. They do this through joint scientific research and by presenting solutions to policymakers.

International research networks

The researchers of Maastricht University participate in large international research networks. They particularly cooperate within the framework of big EU research projects in the field of migration, work mobility and social security, citizenship, health and security.

The partner institutions are universities, research institutes and think tanks within the Euregion and the EU but also in Asia, Africa, Australia, Canada and the United States. These international and regional contacts can be applied in the set-up and development of ITEM as an expertise centre.

Belgian/German/national/regional partners

Close collaboration with the Benelux and the German public bodies is crucial for the efficiency and future of ITEM. Besides its partners, ITEM has a number of organisations with which it actively collaborates on the basis of specific knowledge and expertise. Among others, ITEM will be collaborating with the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) (Statistics Netherlands).

Maastricht International Centre

Maastricht International Centre is a cooperation of various agencies who together strengthen the Maastricht Region’s abilities as a hub of international business, a source of highly skilled knowledge professionals and site of breakthrough research. Increasing the region’s ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, cross-border workers and international students as well as providing crucial and specialised support to start-ups and established international companies in the area.

Located in Maastricht city centre, between the borders of Belgium and Germany, the mission of the Maastricht International Centre is to represent and promote the Maastricht Region as an area where knowledge knows no borders. It is the service and expertise centre for working and living without boundaries. ITEM is also located at the Maastricht International Centre.

Transfrontier Euro-Institut Network (TEIN)

ITEM is a member of TEIN, which brings together 15 partners from 9 border regions in Europe.The network consists of universities, research institutes and training centres which are dedicated to the practical business of cross-border cooperation in Europe.