The coronavirus crisis has challenged higher education institutions in many new and unexpected ways. As universities have to take radical measures and make major efforts to slow the contagion and to better understand the virus, they are forging new paths in crisis management. This brings both challenges and opportunities to Europe’s universities, in particular in relation to digitalisation and digitally enhanced learning and teaching, Open Science, research, quality assurance, university autonomy, funding and civic engagement.
On its part, EUA is working closely with members in this difficult moment. The Association has moved its public events online and added new events dedicated to needs that have arisen from the crisis. In many cases, the content of existing events, as well as surveys and projects, has been adapted to those same needs. EUA is working to facilitate the sharing of crisis-related good practices among members. It also gathers useful information via member questionnaires and the monitoring of European-level policy developments and shares information through its many communications activities.
As places that gather many people, universities are emptier now than before, but this does not mean that they are closed. Learning and teaching are very active online and universities remain central in the research of new treatments and possible vaccines. The crisis has opened a window of opportunity for universities to engage even more with society, support governments through research and innovation and to help prepare a more resilient society.
EUA supports its members in these missions, with the hope of best preparing Europe’s societies for addressing global challenges.
As European leaders work towards an agreement on the European Union’s next seven-year budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework, and the related Next Generation EU recovery plan to help the EU’s economy back on its feet, EUA and 14 partner university associations reiterate the urgent need to invest in research, innovation and education to achieve long-term, sustainable recovery and strategic resilience.
The European Commission’s new proposal for the next seven-year budget of the European Union together with the Next Generation EU recovery plan falls short of much needed investment in research, innovation and education.
The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) launched their yearly ESNsurvey, the largest European-wide research project conducted solely by volunteers working to advocate for the improvement of exchange programmes and education in Europe. The deadline to participate is 31 January. This year’s edition of...
view moreLumina Foundation published a study entitled “COVID’s Lessons for Global Higher Education: Coping with the Present while Building a More Equitable Future”. The study offers a preliminary assessment of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on higher education throughout the world, with a special...
view moreThe Delegation of the European Union to Russia organises a digital roundtable entitled “New models of educational process organisation, novel educational practices and internationalisation in the post-Covid reality” on 24 November. The roundtable will bring together officials and experts from...
view moreSeveral EUA members co-organise the webinar “Shaping Post-COVID Internationalisation through Virtual Exchanges and Curriculum Transformation” on 20 and 27 November 2020. This 2-part webinar series is part of the iKudu project, co-funded by the Erasmus+, programme which aims to develop a...
view moreThe European Commission organises the webinar “CEF eSignature for Higher Education Institutions” on 2 December. The digitalisation of administrative processes can make operations easier, faster and more secure. In addition, due to Covid-19, there is strong push for the digitalisation of...
view moreThe European Distance and E-learning Network (EDEN) organises the European Online Distance Learning Week (EODLW) on 2 – 6 November, with one extra day on 9 November focusing on the European Vocational Skills Week. Registrations are open and for free. This fifth edition of the EODLW will reflect...
view moreThis report provides a detailed picture of the immediate impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on...
read moreThe University of New York Tirana in Albania organises an online international conference entitled “The Uncertainties and Challenges in the Balkans: Case of Covid-19” on 20 November 2020. On the occasion, organisers invite practitioners and educators to submit their papers presenting the most...
view moreThe Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) organises the online panel discussion: 'Reinventing International Student Mobility' on 4 November 2020 from 17:00 to 19:00 CET. This 2-hour panel discussion aims at reflecting on the impact of Covid-19 on student mobility issues and how universities,...
view moreThis briefing looks at the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on higher education in Europe over the...
read moreThe National Education Opportunities Network (NEON), the convening organisation for World Access to Higher Education Day (WAHED), released a survey aiming to capture the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on equitable access and success. It looks at how equity policy and practice in this field are being...
view moreTo help mitigate the digital challenges raised by Covid-19, the European Commission launched two extraordinary Erasmus+ calls to support digital education readiness and creative skills. The applications deadline is 29 October 2020. Both calls will help link education, training and youth...
view moreTo mark its 75th anniversary in 2020, the United Nations launched a global conversation on how to tackle the challenges we face and build a better future for all. The UN invites European universities to participate in the UN75 Initiative by hosting dialogues and responding to a one-minute...
view moreEuropean leaders meet this week on 17-18 July with the goal of reaching an agreement on the European Union’s next seven-year budget and the related recovery plan to help the EU’s economy back on its feet. On this occasion, EUA and 14 partner university associations reiterate the urgent need to...
view moreIn the European Commission’s latest proposal for the EU’s next seven-year budget, Erasmus+ is projected to be funded with 24.6 billion euros. While this would represent an increase of 3.4 billion compared to the 2014-2020 programme, EUA has expressed concern in a statement that the amount will not...
view moreThe European Commission’s Industrial Strategy for Europe and the European Digital Strategy...
read moreThe Irish University Association (IUA) organises the IUA/EDTL Webinar: Planning for effective remote teaching during Covid-19 on 24 June from 13:30 to 14:30 CEST. The discussion will focus on planning for effective remote teaching during Covid-19 and the launch of the EDTL Approach: outlining a...
view moreThe EIC COVID-19 platform presents all the projects gathered during the #EUvsVirus hackathon, the European Commission’s initiative launched in April to connect civil society, innovators, partners and buyers across Europe to develop innovative solutions to overcome challenges related to...
view moreEUNIS, the European University Information Systems organisation, opened the registrations for the EUNIS2020 Congress “Virtual Helsinki”, which will take place online from 10 to 12 June 2020. Registrations are open to everyone and free of charge. Participants will be able to hear from leaders,...
view moreAs the European Commission released its new proposal for the next seven-year budget of the European Union, the academic community nourished hope that, in the few past months, it had become clear to policymakers just how fundamental adequate investment in research, innovation and education is to...
view moreThe KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence (KIOS CoE), part of EUA Member University of Cyprus, developed and set up an “Emergency Management System for Handling Covid-19 Cases” in collaboration with the Cyprus Ministry of Health and the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and...
view moreThe seminar “Recognition, transparency and information provision in the time of Covid-19: the role of Higher Education institutions”, organised in the context of the Bologna Process, will take place online on 18 June from 9:30 to 12:45 CEST. The objective of the seminar is to share...
view moreThe International Association of Universities (IAU) released the final report with the results of the survey on the impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education, launched in March 2020 with the aim to deliver an overview of the current state of play worldwide. The survey was conducted online from 25...
view moreIn the context of the coronavirus pandemic, and its expected economic impact, this EUA briefing...
read moreIn Europe, there is little provision of leadership development schemes in higher education. Given...
read moreThe Covid-19 pandemic presents new challenges for inclusive teaching. This article shares the...
read moreWe enter into a New Year, a world more enriched and more impoverished than just 12 months ago. We...
read moreIn this article, the EUA Secretary General contributes to UIIN’s newly released “The Future...
read moreThe radical digitalisation of higher education due to the Covid-19 crisis offers an opportunity to...
read moreChange is in the air. The Covid-19 crisis has turned our lives upside down, but well before this...
read moreUNESCO’s Global Open Science Partnership is well-timed in promoting a much-needed global dialogue...
read moreThe Covid-19 crisis led to major push towards Open Access, which is now well on its way to...
read moreProviding students with the skills for multidisciplinary collaboration and entrepreneurship...
read moreDuring the Covid-19 crisis, universities innovated greatly in various fields to bring solutions to...
read moreThe university campus matters, which was demonstrated best – ironically – when the campus was...
read moreDuring the Covid-19 crisis, enhanced breakthrough innovation from basic research made it easier...
read moreIn the coming academic year, virtual mobility might be the only reliable option for some...
read moreIn this in-depth analysis of the lessons presented by the Covid-19 crisis for universities, EUA...
read moreIn Georgia, higher education institutions traditionally offered classroom learning and teaching...
read moreAlmost 90% of European higher education institutions moved online in April and May due to the...
read moreAs universities move many activities online in the fallout of the Covid-19 crisis, doctoral...
read moreAs universities across Europe move to online learning and teaching amid the coronavirus crisis,...
read moreConfinement due to the coronavirus is a great challenge for the international mobility of...
read moreThe coronavirus pandemic demonstrates the renewed importance of universities’ civic engagement,...
read moreEUA President Michael Murphy assesses the challenges and opportunities brought by the coronavirus...
read moreRefugees bring with them skills, qualifications and experience – including in the medical field....
read moreAs the coronavirus pandemic impacts the global economy, funding for universities is bound to take...
read moreThe 2020 EUA Leadership Roundtable is an exclusive annual session that brings together executive heads of EUA member universities and national rectors’...
Read moreSince the Covid-19 outbreak, universities across Europe have been adapting their ways of teaching and interacting, mostly by shifting to online mode. This...
Read moreThe coronavirus crisis hit Europe by surprise, and it had a considerable impact on EU policies including those with relevance for universities. This webinar...
Read moreEUA together with the European Students’ Union (ESU) organised a webinar on how to address changing policies for student assessment during the coronavirus...
Read moreEUA presented a webinar series based on selected sessions of the 2020 EUA Annual Conference. To support measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus, EUA...
Read moreIt is with much regret that we inform all participants that, in view of the continuing spread of coronavirus in Europe, EUA has taken the decision to cancel...
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