After several Covid-19 related postponements, the UNESCO World Higher Education Conference (WHEC2022) finally takes place in Barcelona on 18 to 20 May 2022, in hybrid mode.
A provisional programme has been launched, and registration for online participation is open. (As streaming capacity is limited, early registration is recommended.)
EUA’s involvement in this major event in global higher education takes several forms. Together with colleagues from its member institutions, EUA has contributed to the forthcoming WHEC report, while President Michael Murphy and several EUA colleagues will be in Barcelona to attend and speak at numerous events. Furthermore, EUA is organising additional WHEC related events. For more detailed information and an overview of the events involving EUA, please see below:
(all Central European Summer Time)
12 May 14:00 – 16:00 How does the pandemic shape the future of higher education?
Pre-WHEC event by the International Association of Universities
Online only – watch the recording here.
The session will present and discuss some key results of the IAU 2nd Global Survey Report on the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education “Higher Education One Year Into the COVID-19 Pandemic”. Focus will be on the different impacts in different world regions.
Michael Gaebel, Director of Higher Education Policy Unit, will share a European perspective.
12 May, 14:00 (launch) Europe’s digital transition in higher education and research
Video podcast. More details will be provided soon.
16 May 12.00-13.45 European Universities Summit: Alliances for the future
by Times Higher Education, Ministerio de Universidades and Educaciόn Superior (SEPIE) at Pompeu Fabra University Campus de la Ciutadella – physical only & fee-based
Michael Murphy, EUA President, will share EUA’s view on the European University Alliances, and how he sees the future of the university sector in Europe.
16 May 10.50-11.40 La acción de las universidades en el apredizaje permanente / The contribution of universities to Lifelong Learning –
Venue: Barcelona University
Organised by the Spanish Ministries of Education and Work, and the Spanish rectors conference, and SPIE
Michael Gaebel, Director of Higher Education Policy Unit, will contribute to a discussion on recent developments and emerging opportunities for LLL.
16 May 14.00 – Greening of European universities contribution to sustainable societies – EUA event
Online only
Organised by EUA – watch the webinar recording.
Thomas Estermann, Henriette Stoeber, Luisa Bunescu, all EUA, will discuss on how the missions and actions of European universities respond to SDGs and greening – based on an EUA survey conducted last year.
18 May 14.30 – 16.00 How can higher education institutions be transformed into lifelong learning institutions? Official WHEC programme
by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning
Venue: Fira, Barcelona, Room 3
Michael Gaebel, Director of Higher Education Policy Unit, EUA, contributes a European perspective to a discussion on trends and developments in lifelong learning at higher education institutions.
19 May 14.30 - 16.00 Innovations and proposals for inter-regional cooperation on Open Science from the perspective of universities. Official WHEC programme
by EU-LAC Foundation and OBREAL Global
Venue: Fira, Barcelona, Room 8
EUA President Michael Murphy will represent EUA in this roundtable as part of a joint initiative from EU-LAC Foundation and OBREAL Global called “Open Science: Innovations, Challenges and Projections for the Future based on an Inter-regional Dialogue”. This initiative aims to facilitate a space that multiplies exchanges, favours training and promotes knowledge of the tools for the practice of Open Science (OS).
20 May 09.30-11.00 From Vision to Action: the regional approach to transformation of HEIs, Barcelona – Official WHEC programme
by the Global University Network for Innovation (GUNi)
The session will reflect on the GUNi Report WHEC “New Visions for Higher Education towards 2030”, with Amanda Crowfoot, Secretary General, EUA, as one of the discussants.
14 June What next for global higher education? – EUA webinar series: A new world? (2nd edition)
By EUA
The webinar analyses and discusses the outcomes of the World Higher Education Conference 2022 (WHEC) towards the backdrop of European and international higher education developments.