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This is the first briefing in a new EUA series focused on evolving university governance. The present publication explores the governance set-up of the European University Alliances formed under the EU’s European Universities Initiative.
For the first time, the document presents a comparative overview of the complex governance structures of these networks, examining their ability to sustain beyond the three-year project timeframe, while remaining relevant for their members.
The analysis highlights several challenges that focus on the alliances’ governance sustainability and draws the attention of universities and policy makers to the conditions needed to sustain their financial capacity and ensure increased collaboration and better alignment with institutional strategic priorities.
For the European higher education sector, the past five years have seen many changes and transformations, some gradual, others more drastic and disruptive. ...
The European University Association (EUA) calls on European and national policy makers to make a substantial leap forward in supporting transnational university cooperation including the alliances und ...
Why is the European Union important for universities, and what does the European Parliament do? ...
EUA's Autonomy Scorecard country profiles delve into in-depth system analyses, offering insights into recent developments and presenting the sector's perspective. ...
Transnational joint education provision — education jointly developed and delivered by two or more institutions in different countries — has emerged as a desired experience for many students, a ke ...
European higher education institutions (HEIs) are facing increasing demands for more flexible learning and flexibility in learning paths. ...
Higher education and research form the backbone of European innovation and development, and with it, the EU’s global competitiveness and long-term ambitions to tackle complex societal challenges. ...
This report analyses external drivers of change in six dimensions (political, economic, social, legal, technological and environmental) and outlines four different forecasts of possible futures for tr ...
The Erasmus+ programme is of key importance to the higher education sector, but despite its success, it requires further enhancement. ...
The 2023 edition of the European University Association’s Autonomy Scorecard, the most comprehensive yet, provides a full comparative analysis of the state of play of university autonomy in 35 highe ...
This report presents the key findings and recommendations of the NEWLEAD project’s efforts to build the capacity of university leaders across Europe in steering change and addressing new prior ...
This NEWLEAD guide offers recommendations and reflections for university leaders, university sector representatives and policy makers interested in setting up a leadership development programme (LDP). ...
To properly measure the progress of the European Universities Initiative, a holistic approach that focuses on real added value for universities and their communities is essential. ...
The Scorecard 2023 provides a full comparative analysis of the state of play of university autonomy in 35 higher education systems in Europe. ...
As the European Universities Initiative moves into a new phase, EUA has taken stock of its impact thus far, notably in how it may further policy reforms that benefit transnational university cooperati ...
Today, more than ever before, universities are expected to fulfil multiple and increasingly challenging roles. Invariably, university leaders are walking a tightrope, caught between long-term strategy ...
Amid renewed political interest in transnational university collaboration, notably joint educational provision, the European Commission has indicated that it will test possible criteria for a European ...
This report outlines the conclusions of the Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group “Strategy and organisational culture”, which explored the role of strategy and organisational culture in pro ...
Given their education, research and societal missions, universities are important actors in the transition towards carbon neutrality, sustainable societies and economies. They are well placed to play ...
During the upcoming presidencies of the Council of the European Union, there will be an opportunity to work towards long-term system transformation by jointly strengthening research, education and inn ...
Given the rapid and intense change taking place in our societies and, invariably, at our universities, institutional leadership has become a game-changer in the capacity to adapt. This is even more so ...
In the six months since the UK left the European Union, the picture of how universities are impacted has become clearer. Focusing on the EU programmes, trade in services, data and travel, this EUA br ...
The present policy input comprises EUA’s key messages for the European Commission’s public consultation on micro-credentials in the summer of 2021. The results of the consultation will feed into t ...
In Europe today, almost every higher education institution uses digitally enhanced learning and teaching. Since EUA began exploring this topic in 2013, digitally enhanced learning and teaching has bee ...
Digitally enhanced learning and teaching is widely used across the European Higher Education Area, with general acceptance growing over the years and institutions widely acknowledging the benefits it ...
The process to renew the European Research Area (ERA) is gathering pace and is set to continue in the coming weeks, months and years. Building on previous policy positions, this policy input further e ...
On 30 September 2020, The European Commission published a Communication on “Achieving the European Education Area by 2025”. It outlines key EU actions in education for the next five years. EUA wel ...
EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, during the European Research and Innovation Days in September 2020, stated that excellence and inclusiveness are two sides of the same coin in the new European Research ...
Micro-credentials have attracted interest as a means to increase the effectiveness and flexibility of higher education and to provide upskilling and reskilling opportunities for the labour force. ...
Universities have a strategic interest in trade in higher education services and this policy briefing provides an update on different negotiations and their potential impact on the sector. ...
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 ...
EUA Strategic Plan The need for strong universities has never been greater in addressing societal challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, resource scarcity, ageing populations, migration a ...
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, inno ...
There is a legitimate need for data on the performance of higher education institutions. It is important for the institutions themselves, as well as their stakeholders, including society. The use of i ...
The European Universities Initiative has been at the centre of many discussions in European higher education and research for the past couple of years. Universities across the continent enthusiastical ...
In early 2020, EUA conducted a survey on international strategic institutional partnerships and the European Universities Initiative that gathered responses from 219 higher education institutions from ...
Building synergies between education, research and innovation across disciplines is crucial to tackling the major challenges our societies face. As the European Union projects ambitious policy goals, ...
Many in the university sector are committed to the European idea and regret the UK’s exit from the Union. There is widespread concern about how this will affect the strong links in research, educati ...
Inclusiveness has become a strategic question for a number of higher education institutions across Europe, impacting learning and teaching, research and institutional cultures. Many have taken action ...
Fifteen university associations join together to call for an ambitious long-term EU budget for research, innovation and education to boost efforts to solve the manifold future challenges. ...
Over the last decade, policy makers and universities in Europe have been paying greater attention to efficiency and effectiveness in a more demanding higher education context. This study has been publ ...
University mergers are a widely spread phenomenon in Europe. This briefing analyses the features of close to 130 cases of university mergers and clusters (since 2000) recorded in the EUA University Me ...
The EFFECT project produced a feasibility study on how teaching enhancement can be promoted in the most efficient manner at the European level. Launched at the 2019 European Learning & Teaching Fo ...
This report is a milestone of the EU-supported project “Transition to University Autonomy in Kazakhstan” (2017-2020) and focuses on the state of play of university governance and recommend ...
Many European universities are initiating strategic transformation programmes that either seek a step change in institutional efficiency, respond to drastic shifts in higher education policy and finan ...
This essay is the result of the 15th Transatlantic Dialogue held in July 2018. The seminar, organised by EUA, the American Council on Education and Universities Canada, and hosted by the European Univ ...
This report provides examples of government-led initiatives implemented in response to national policy objectives and university-led collaborative initiatives and partnerships pursued by the Irish hig ...
The EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement was the first of a new generation of free trade agreements. Ratified in 2015, it sealed the EU’s relationship with a strategic partner in a deep and comprehensive t ...
The EU hopes to conclude a series of trade deals in the near future. Its new agreement with Japan follows hard on the heels of its deal with Canada (CETA), which is now being provisionally i ...
This briefing includes the latest information on the progress of the agreement and reviews its potential impact on higher education. It has a triple focus on the “provisional application” of ...
This report provides a summary of the input, discussions and findings from the first USTREAM peer learning seminar on policy frameworks for efficiency and effectiveness in the higher education co ...
The Scorecard 2017 provides a full comparative analysis of the state of play of university autonomy in 29 higher education systems in Europe. The report complements the presentation of the main outc ...
The EUA Autonomy Scorecard offers a methodology to collect, compare and weight data on university autonomy. A core set of autonomy indicators was developed to offer an institutional perspective on ins ...
This briefing focuses on the detail of the EU side of the CETA. On the Canadian side, the Agreement involves federal administrations as well as those at provincial and territorial levels. This is not ...
EUA reports regularly on two policy areas which have implications for higher education institutions: EU trade agreements and EU legislation on the recognition of professional qualifications. ...
EU trade negotiations can affect the conditions under which the European higher education sector operates. The position of EUA’s Board and Council is that the EU should not make commitments in ...
With the series “Leaders’ Perspectives”, EUA gives the floor to the executive heads of its member universities on the essential issues connected to governance and funding. Th ...
Europe needs talented students and researchers in order to achieve its goals for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. For this reason, the European University Association (EUA) welcomes the initia ...
This Update joins others in a growing dossier aiming to keep the higher education sector informed of developments in EU trade negotiations. It follows a Statement issued by EUA Board and Council at th ...
“University mergers in Europe” is the second thematic report published by EUA as part of the DEFINE project. DEFINE explores strategies for efficient funding of universities in Europe, lookin ...
The statement warns that TTIP and TiSA cast into doubt the ability of national and regional authorities to determine the nature of their Higher Education provisions and calls on the EU to ma ...
This Update follows a background paper published by EUA in January 2014 and Updates issued in April and August. ...
This publication intends to provide observations on and recommendations for enhancing the complementarity between higher education mobility policies at the institutional, national and Europe ...
This Update follows a background paper published by EUA in January and an Update issued in April 2014. EUA is primarily concerned with the status of higher education as a tradable service and the ext ...
The TRESAL survey, undertaken under the ALPHA PUENTES project, gathered information developments in Latin American higher education over the past decade, through responses from university leadership, ...
This Update concerns TTIP as it stands at the beginning of April 2014. It covers the current context and the issues that may prove to be of relevance to EUA members and to the European higher educatio ...
The Alfa PUENTES Project is an international cooperation initiative created to foster the development of the Latin American Higher Education Area. Led by European and Latin American university associa ...
La encuesta TRESAL tuvo por objetivos: i) recabar la opinión de las universidades, sus profesores y estudiantes, sobre la importancia y los avances en los temas de mayor interés para las agend ...
The EU and the US have embarked on negotiations designed to culminate in a major trade deal. Will it lead to unrestricted market access to higher education services? This is not the first time that th ...
The report is the result of the project Europe-Africa Quality Connect: Building Institutional Capacity through Partnership (QA Connect) that took place between October 2010 and September 2012. Th ...
Le rapport est le résultat du projet intitulé Europe- Afrique Quality Connect : Construire une capacité institutionnelle à travers le partenariat (QA Connect), qui s’est déroulé ...
At the end of first decade of the Bologna Process, there was an acute awareness that academic mobility in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) had probably not improved as anticipated, but also t ...
Le projet de Tableau de bord sur l’autonomie dresse un bilan détaillé et précis du degré d’autonomie institutionnelle dans 26 pays européens. Ce projet se concentre sur les cadres législatif ...
The Autonomy Scorecard project provides a detailed and accurate picture of the status of institutional autonomy in 26 different European countries. The project focuses on the legislativ ...
The Access to Success project (2008-2010), funded by the Erasmus Mundus programme of the European Union, aimed at raising awareness of access and retention issues in higher education in Africa and Eur ...
The Association of African Universities (AAU), representing over 200 university members throughout Africa, and the European University Association (EUA), representing over 800 universities and univers ...
Le Livre Blanc du projet « Accès à la réussite – Pour renforcer la confiance et les échanges entre l’Europe et l’Afrique » est lancé à un moment important à plusieurs titres : tout d’ ...
The white paper resulting from the project "Access to Success: Fostering Trust and Exchange between Europe and Africa" comes at a particularly critical moment in various regards: first, it arrive ...
Institutional diversity is becoming more central to higher education policy as higher education institutions are moving to the centre stage of political and public attention, with ...
Changing expectations of universities’ contributions to a knowledge-based economy and society over the last decade have transformed the relationship between the state and higher educa ...
This essay is based on a meeting of 28 higher education presidents, rectors, and vice-chancellors who met in Vancouver, Canada, for the 11th Transatlantic Dialogue. The&n ...
At the first-ever global meeting on graduate education, "The Strategic Leaders Global Summit on Graduate Education" held in Banff, Canada on August 31, 2007, higher education leaders from North Americ ...
Sound governance, competent and accountable management, transparent and coherent institutional quality processes are rising to the top of the work agenda of European university leaders today. The ...
EUA´s role in promoting the external dimension of the Bologna Process, and whether and to what extent the association should enhance its international activities, have been addressed briefl ...
On 10-11 April 2006, the Consejo Universitario Iberoamericano (CUIB) and the European University Association (EUA) gathered in Oviedo (Spain), at a meeting hosted jointly by the University o ...
The Western Balkans countries have great potential in spite of the scale of the challenges still facing universities. Despite the problems, governments, higher education institutions and students shar ...
in June 2003, the European University Association (EUA) and the American Council on Education (ACE), in cooperation with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), organi ...
The Universities of Europe, Latin America and The Caribbean, grouped together in the framework of the Iberoamerican University Council and the European University Association, express their ...
Following the Management Seminar organised in Istanbul in 2000 for its members, EUA invited the two seminar facilitators to turn their presentations into articles. In addition to t ...
Rather than analysing European academic cooperation and mobility for their own sake, the following pages try to set interuniversity developments in their historical context, as higher educat ...
This essay emerged from the rich conversation of the Transatlantic Dialogue held in July 2001 at the Université Laval in Quebec, Canada. The purpose of this meeting was to explore the ...
On 11 and 12 October, the European University Association (EUA) attended the annual in-person meeting of the Global University Associations Forum (GUAF) in Beijing, hosted by the China Association of ...
On 17 September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the Commissioners-designate and their portfolios. ...
As member states have handed in their nominations, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen now has a tricky and highly political task. That is to shape and allocate portfolios before presen ...
Starting in April 2025, the European University Association will bring together up to 20 senior university leaders for a pilot Leadership Development Programme that fosters exceptional leadership skil ...
On 28 June the European Commission published the results of the 2024 Erasmus+ call for the European Universities Initiative. ...
Following a recent court decision, the European University Association (EUA) calls on Turkish authorities to seize the opportunity to thoroughly reconsider how university rectors are appointed. ...
Members of the Global University Associations Forum (GUAF) have released a joint statement on the topic of the UNESCO Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education ...
The European Commission is currently conducting an interim evaluation of the progress in putting in place and developing the European Education Area (EEA). The evaluation involves a number of consulta ...
The European University Association (EUA) and swissuniversities welcome the Swiss Federal Council and the European Commission’s respective adoption of final mandates for negotiations between Switzer ...
On 27 March, the European Commission published a new higher education package, including proposals for Council Recommendations on a European recognition and quality assurance (QA) system and attractiv ...
The online conference “Beyond Europe: R&I Internationalization Strategies for European Universities” will take place on 24 January 2024 and it is hosted by the MCI | The Entrepreneurial School ...
The annual meeting of the Global University Associations Forum (GUAF) took place on 4-5 September 2023, in Bangkok, Thailand. This is the second time that GUAF’s members have met in person, with thi ...
On 3 October, the European Commission launched the 2024 Erasmus+ call for European Universities alliances. The aim is to reach the political goal of 60 alliances with more than 500 higher education in ...
The RM Roadmap project consortium needs your support to ensure that the voices of research managers (RMs) are heard at the highest levels. ...
The European Women Rectors Association (EWORA) is pleased to announce the 8th EWORA Conference which will be co-organized by EWORA, Istanbul Technical University ARI Technopark and Kadir Has Universit ...
AURORAL Smart Learning Community is a professional learning network that follows the principles of mutual learning and the community science and is centered around the H2020-AURORAL project. It is bei ...
The OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) has published the report “Promoting diverse career pathways for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers”. ...
To what extent are Alliances of European Universities transforming higher education and research? Circle U. and UCLouvain are organising the event on 24 October in Brussels, Belgium, and online to ref ...
The European University Association (EUA) and the Latin American and Caribbean Space for Higher Education (ENLACES) have published a joint statement ahead of a summit between the two regions’ leader ...
The European Students’ Union (ESU) Board Meeting held in Tbilisi approved the creation of a consultative body to ESU that will gather the student representatives from the student councils of the Eur ...
The European Research Executive Agency (REA) has published a new report analysing the intermediate progress of the research and innovation projects of 17 European university alliances supported by Hor ...
The European University Association condemns the recent decision by the Swedish government to shorten the mandate of external members of university boards from three years to 17 months. ...
The NEWLEAD project consortium published a new workbook focused on Leading change in diversity and cross-cutting challenges. ...
The European University Association has urged the European Commission to be mindful of not letting the notion of protection stand in the way of dialogue between a multitude of actors, both within Euro ...
Coimbra Group member universities are offering 90 scholarships for young professors and researchers that are both national and residents of Latin American, Sub-Saharan Africa or European neighbourhood ...
Current crises, and the geo-political, economic, social, environmental and technological change and uncertainty that they bring, are impacting how universities work, follow their missions and collabor ...
Six Turkish universities are raising funds to support university students affected by the devastating recent earthquakes. ...
In accordance with a December 2022 Council of the European Union decision to protect “the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary”, the European Commission ha ...
The fourth European Universities call under the Erasmus+ programme is now open for submissions. ...
The European Commission has launched a new Erasmus+ call for proposals to pilot a joint European degree label and test institutionalised EU cooperation instruments, such as a possible European legal s ...
On 17 May, representatives of the European University Association and fellow university associations in Africa, the Americas, the Arab region and Asia came together in Barcelona to formally constitute ...
EU education ministers welcome the European Strategy for Universities and have confirmed their support for the four priority areas in the higher education package put forward by the European Commissio ...
EUA held an official pre-event to the European Union-African Union Summit to explore the role of regional and interregional approaches for improving higher education systems on 10 February in collabor ...
On 18 January 2022, the European Commission launched a new higher education package, including a European Strategy for Universities and a Commission proposal for a Council recommendation on transnatio ...
On the occasion of the 8th Meeting of Asia-Europe (ASEM) Ministers of Education, the ASEAN University Network (AUN), the European University Association (EUA) and the International Association of Univ ...
The current standstill in the association of Switzerland to the Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ programmes is disadvantageous for both Switzerland and the European Union in terms of lost opportunities. ...
On 30 November, the European Commission published the 2022 call for proposals for alliances under the European Universities Initiative. ...
The European Union and the United Kingdom benefit from joint research and innovation, as well as interconnected universities that strive for excellence and cooperation. Europe’s universities are uni ...
The European University Association (EUA), the European Students’ Union (ESU) and Scholars at Risk (SAR) join together to condemn the criminalisation of students and academics in Belarus. They call ...
Scholars at Risk – Ireland and ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, organise the online conference “Academic freedom and intellectual dissent” on 8 June, from ...
On 17 May 2021, the Education Ministers of EU member states adopted Council Conclusions on the European Universities Initiative. The Council Conclusions come at a crucial point as the mid-term evaluat ...
The European University Alliance E³UDRES² (Engaged and Entrepreneurial European University as Driver for European Smart and Sustainable Regions) celebrates its official Online Opening Conference “ ...
On 14 February, Frédérique Vidal, French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Innovation, announced plans to order the French research agency (CNRS) to conduct an enquiry into French universi ...
In Turkey, the practice of appointments of university rectors by the President of the Republic is generating a new wave of criticism. The recent nomination of a new rector at Bogaziçi University in I ...
EUA member Central European University launched the 10th edition of the annual European Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Social Sciences and Humanities. ...
EUA partner Scholars at Risk (SAR) organises “Free to Think 2020: Responding to Attacks on Higher Education” on 19 – 20 November 2020. ...
Coventry University’s Centre for Global Learning: Education and Attainment (GLEA) organises the online conference “Reconstructing education through a global lens” on 2 – 6 November 2020. ...
The sixth edition of the International Turkic World Tourism Symposium will take place on 9-11 April 2020 in Denizli, Turkey. Organisers invite interested participants to send their abstract congress p ...
Results of the EU-CELAC Academic and Knowledge Summit. ...
Following the recent news of further infringements on university autonomy and academic freedom reflected in two decrees (675 and 676) published in the Turkish Official Journal on 29 October 2016, the ...
The South African government has expressed its ambition to substantially increase the number of doctoral graduates by 2030. Graduates will be prepared for a world that is more connected in both cultur ...
The EUA-CDE Annual Meeting in 2018 included perspectives from outside Europe. Speakers from Asia, Africa and North America presented our European community with the global dimension of doctoral educat ...
20 January 2016 The European University Association (EUA) would like to express its concern for the academics in Turkey being investigated for expressing their views, under the petition “We Will no ...
Click below to see more photos of the event! What will be financed tomorrow, and how, depends largely on what expectations society and policy makers have of universities. What competing visions of ...
What is the state of university finances in Europe, and what does the future hold? Enora Bennetot Pruvot previews EUA’s latest funding research in University World News. ...
What would it actually mean if ‘Brussels’ had more of a say on education policy? EUA’s Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik weighs in on the resurging debate on whether the EU has the power it needs to foster ...
After decades of transformative reforms, universities appear more streamlined and effective. However, Bjørn Stensaker argues that it should not be taken for granted that internal restructuring and im ...
Reacting to EUA’s Research and Innovation Agenda 2027, Sebastian Wörwag describes how universities are the engines that will transform our societies through transnational and transdisciplinary exch ...
To achieve lasting impact and shape the future in a positive direction, foresight must go hand-in-hand with strategic decision-making. In Research Europe, EUA’s Policy Coordination and Foresight tea ...
For James Livesey, the current moment in history demands original and profound institutional innovation on the part of universities. In this article, he outlines how EUA’s Research and Innovation Ag ...
How can we foster the capacity of university leaders to effectively steer change and address new transformational priorities? Josep M. Garrell and Thomas Estermann reflect on the results of the NEWLEA ...
For Science|Business, EUA’s Thomas Jørgensen examines the European Economic Security Strategy. He argues that making this strategy work for higher education and research depends on the granularity ...
Digital transitions pervade every aspect of our lives, but some university teachers still appear reluctant to develop their digital competences. For Barbara Bruschi and Manuela Repetto, it is urgent t ...
Despite a proliferation of initiatives to promote Open Science, many obstacles persist. Here, Jean-Pierre Finance examines the progress that this movement has made and looks to the next steps, includi ...
Beyond getting the technology in place, digitally enhanced learning and teaching (DELT) in higher education requires considerable resources and engagement, strategy and leadership. In this article for ...
Collaborative teaching is finally gaining momentum in and between European universities. But what tangible benefits does this offer to teachers and their institutions? Here, Joan-Tomàs Pujolà outlin ...
Martin Prchal expands the debate on teaching and learning to how institutions should see themselves as learners in their continuous endeavours to improve the learning experience of their students. Her ...
If we want universities to make a leap in transnational cooperation, policymakers must take their own leap in implementing reforms that work towards creating the necessary framework conditions. In Res ...
The growing participation of women in higher education is not yet reflected in university leadership. Here, Kerstin Mey examines barriers to reaching a critical mass of female leaders in higher educat ...
In May 2022, the world of higher education met for the first UNESCO World Higher Education Conference in over a decade. Here, after returning from the event in Barcelona, EUA’s Thomas Jørgensen rec ...
Leaders must respond to the unprecedented challenges facing the higher education system. In these times of uncertainty, hope is the fundamental leadership driver that will help our institutions to rem ...
National, system-level initiatives can support and enhance learning and teaching, as highlighted in the study National Developments in Learning and Teaching in Europe. While higher education instituti ...
The European University Association reflect on the Commission’s latest package of higher education proposals.The European Commission’s new higher education package is welcomed by Europe’s univer ...
The European Strategy for Universities proposes steps towards European degrees, a European legal statute for university alliances and foresees the expansion of the European Universities Initiative. Be ...
Plan can boost international collaboration, provided member states engage, say Thomas Jørgensen and Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik.On 18 January, the European Commission launched a new policy strategy f ...
Current assessment practices do not reflect what students know, understand and what they can do. A new assessment literacy that emphasises evidence-based instruction and self-regulation in student lea ...
A successful curriculum is interdependent with a successful assessment. Manuel João Costa from the University of Minho emphasises the importance of institutions understanding their own assumptions ab ...
All universities need more autonomy to be innovative, not only those engaged in the European Universities Initiative. EUA expert Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik writes that limiting flexible collaboration opti ...
The concept of leadership in teaching is not easy to pin down. Drawing from the LOTUS project, EUA expert Thérèse Zhang explores two definitions and highlights the roles that leaders in teaching cou ...
On the occasion of EUA’s 20th anniversary, Cardiff University President and Vice-Chancellor Colin Riordan analyses the role of the Association in a changing world. The piece highlights that while so ...
What does NextGenerationEU mean for the university sector? Funding expert Enora Bennetot Pruvot outlines investment and reform opportunities, highlighting that the national recovery and resilience pla ...
This piece by Oliver Vettori of the Vienna University of Economics and Business analyses the tightrope walk of university leadership. It points out the importance of getting experts to agree on a way ...
With the rapid growth of the student body, the need to refurbish university real estate and the changing balance between block grants and project-based funding, an in-depth discussion is needed about ...
With billions of euros on the table, Next Generation EU could be a game changer for research and education – especially in countries like Italy where underfunding is already a cause for concern. The ...
The European Commission’s global approach to research and innovation is an ambitious vision for the whole global knowledge system. However, as this University World News article highlights, universi ...
The Academic Freedom Index provides a robust assessment of academic freedom levels worldwide that can inform and guide advocacy and policy efforts. Co-developers Janika Spannagel and Ilyas Saliba from ...
On the occasion of EUA’s 20th anniversary, President Michael Murphy and long-time senior expert and Director Michael Gaebel look back at two decades of global university collaboration. Offering a br ...
As the mid-term evaluation of the first European University Alliances comes up, stakeholders must keep a balanced approach and look at the future of the initiative in a holistic way. As EUA expert Ann ...
As the European University Initiative nears its mid-term review, it is time to think seriously about how the alliances are governed. Complex setups must retain their fitness for purpose and benefit th ...
While the fundamental principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy have not changed in the last 30 years, their context has. EUA’s Monika Steinel analyses the panorama and reflects on w ...
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the European University Association, Andrée Sursock analyses two decades of transformation and renewal in Europe’s higher education landscape, and charts ...
When Covid-19 forced universities to quickly switch to online and blended learning and teaching, the European University Association was already deep into the preparation of a study on the topic. This ...
In Europe, there is little provision of leadership development schemes in higher education. Given the pace and intensity of transformations in our societies and invariably in our universities, institu ...
The important upsurge in statements of support for academic freedom at the intergovernmental level in Europe points to the urgent need for meaningful implementation. Civil society and higher education ...
In a rapidly-changing labour market, how can students be prepared to be citizens of the world, as well as the future job creators and workers? Wyn Morgan and Catherine O’Mahony look at the definitio ...
The radical digitalisation of higher education due to the Covid-19 crisis offers an opportunity to engage in deeper institutional change addressing the digital and green transitions. As Natalia Timus ...
Fair recognition in the European Higher Education Area can only be fully achieved if practices in higher education institutions are more systematically addressed. As Jenneke Lokhoff at Nuffic points o ...
The European Commission should learn from the Bologna process, which has shown how universities can work together with policymakers to bring about meaningful education reform, argues Tia Loukkola. Th ...
Creating European research and education areas requires a transparent and inclusive dialogue, says EUA senior policy coordinator Thomas Jørgensen.The European Commission’s release of communications ...
Micro-credentials are growing exponentially in popularity, attracting the interest of various stakeholders due to their flexibility and ability to meet the demands of a rapidly changing labour market. ...
The idea of a European degree is fascinating and attractive, but it also raises many conceptual and practical questions. What does a European degree mean? How would it differ from the current degrees ...
In the coming academic year, virtual mobility might be the only reliable option for some institutions in the fallout of the Covid-19 crisis. EUA expert Michael Gaebel gives a vision for the future of ...
Confinement due to the coronavirus is a great challenge for the international mobility of researchers and students, but international collaboration remains crucial for universities. EUA experts Thomas ...
EUA President Michael Murphy assesses the challenges and opportunities brought by the coronavirus pandemic to Europe’s universities, in particular in relation to funding, digital tools, Open Science ...
Refugees bring with them skills, qualifications and experience – including in the medical field. This has been frequently stated but requires proactive acknowledgement and enhanced integration measu ...
As the coronavirus pandemic impacts the global economy, funding for universities is bound to take a hit. EUA’s Thomas Estermann explains what the crisis means for the higher education sector in Euro ...
Learning is the core of education, and curriculum design is the key to learning. It combines all dimensions of university education and contributes significantly to its quality. This is, however, easi ...
Brexit is a sad moment, as is always the case whenever a member of a community leaves. But for European universities, it may be felt as a particular blow. Amanda Crowfoot, EUA Secretary General, talks ...
Europe’s universities are transnational in outlook, international in their collaborative endeavours and work across borders. However, maintaining our strong universities requires ambitious investmen ...
Internationalisation of the learning experience within higher education is becoming progressively important with an increased emphasis on non-mobile domestic students. With increased attention to sust ...
Despite Brexit, British higher education institutions must remain in the European family of universities well beyond the transition period. This has been the university sector’s stance since the ref ...
Why should universities collect formative data at the course level if they aim to make evidence-based improvements in learning and teaching? Murat Sözer and Zuhal Zeybekoğlu from the Koç University ...
As societies transform, diversity is becoming a key concern for higher education institutions across Europe, impacting learning and teaching, research and institutional cultures. EUA’s Thomas E. Jø ...
The Global Convention on Recognition will provide a strong instrument for higher education institutions in dealing with the increasing global mobility of students. Allan Bruun Pedersen, Vice-President ...
The European Universities Initiative is a great opportunity to deepen collaboration and revive the debate about necessary system level reforms. However, it is important to be aware of the risks. EUA ...
University autonomy and academic freedom should be more than topics of proclamation and celebration. Sijbolt Noorda, President of the Magna Charta Observatory, discusses why they should be lived in th ...
The new European Commission must make research, education and innovation a priority as it sets out the roadmap for the next five years. In Science Business, EUA President Michael Murphy presents a sim ...
Doctoral education has a major role to play in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. EUA-CDE Head Alexander Hasgall explores this, as well as how the goals, in turn, can benefit doctor ...
As the results of the EU elections become clearer, EUA’s Thomas Jorgensen discusses the major changes in store and how universities could be impacted.The dust is still settling after the European Pa ...
Universities are changing. Strategy expert Claudia Nuss reflects on what it takes to successfully lead the transformation process. ...
To remain world leaders in research and innovation, Europe’s universities need more supportive policies and funding frameworks, write EUA President Rolf Tarrach and President-elect Michael Murphy fo ...
Innovation is increasingly important for universities – as it is for society. Universities are one of the strands of the so-called “triple helix”, providing impactful research to sustain competi ...
The shift to a student-centered education system has implied disruptive change in learning and teaching. Roberta Moscon from the University of Trento discusses how more higher education institutions a ...
An interview with Michael Gaebel.In 2013, a European Commission high-level expert group report pointed to the fact that in all areas of education becoming a teacher usually requires formalised pedagog ...
Quality assurance and the enhancement of learning and teaching are no longer exclusively the responsibility of those with the explicit responsibilities attached to their job titles. As EUA’s Tia Lou ...
Addressing the lack of recognition for the value of effective teaching requires more than making participation in teaching enhancement yet another requirement for academics, writes EUA Director, Highe ...
The University of Jyväskylä in Finland is redefining the role of language and communication skills in curriculum development and aiming to educate multilingual academic professionals. A university-w ...
Research-based education is happening in Europe, but there are clear challenges with how it is defined and understood. Bjørn Stensaker from the University of Oslo breaks down the topic and makes some ...
As discussions are underway at the European Learning & Teaching Forum, EUA’s Tia Loukkola gives an overview of the extensive work taking place in the field, including reports, lessons learnt by ...
Student-centered and active learning are a necessity for European universities to remain relevant to young people and society. Cecilia Christersson and Patricia Staaf of Malmö University discuss the ...
A higher education institution’s graduates reflect the achievement of intended learning outcomes as well as successful learning and teaching practices. Jurgita Vizgirdaite from the Kaunas University ...
The relationship between higher education institutions and society, as well as between learning and teaching, is evolving. This is driven by the changing ways in which students learn, different types ...
Higher education institutions have been and are investing in finding a better balance between the valorisation of teaching and research. The example of KU Leuven, in Belgium, shows that even though an ...
The need to better professionalise academic teaching careers is now on the agenda of more and more universities in Europe. Iwona Maciejowska from Jagiellonian University explains why these universitie ...
More than ever before, universities in Europe are becoming interested in fundraising. Christian Vranek discusses the different kinds of income-generating partnerships for universities and why they mat ...
The continuous development of teaching competences needs commitment at all levels. It is a systematic process that requires a framework for teaching performance, a professionalisation body, preferably ...
The EUA Thematic Peer Group on the evaluation of learning and teaching has enhanced a student partnership project at Queen’s University, Belfast. Claire Dewhirst, chair of the Thematic Peer Group, e ...
How can higher education institutions model open, democratic and engaged communities? How can they initiate social and cultural change? Those two questions are vital in today’s world, particularly b ...
Recognition of study and qualifications are key for people to move freely to study and work in Europe. However there are challenges to get recognition properly working. EUA’s Tia Loukkola addresses ...
In uncertain times with anti-EU movements and Brexit negotiations, the EU institutions must make an effort to reach an agreement on Horizon Europe. EUA’s Lidia Borrell-Damian talks about the key ame ...
Thomas Estermann from the European University Association examines the university efficiency debate, explaining that behind the push to save money there is actually much more, including a silver linin ...
Lidia Borrell-Damián from the European University Association argues the European Commission’s Horizon Europe initiative holds great promise for the future of research and innovation in Europe. Thi ...
Academic freedom is the latest of the many victims on Hungary’s path towards an illiberal state, argues Lesley Wilson. This editorial was first published on The Parliament Magazine on 7 September 20 ...
The Hungarian government’s clampdown on gender studies and research into migration sets a dangerous precedent. This editorial was first published on The Guardian on 6 September 2018. Universities i ...
The European Commission’s proposal for the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Horizon Europe) shares broad similarities with Horizon 2020, but there are some significant differenc ...
The proposal for the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, also known as Horizon Europe, has been published by the European Commission. Universities and research centres across Europe ...
As the Rector of the University of Groningen, and an economist, I am often asked why universities receive so much public funding for academic research. What is the use for society? A simple first resp ...
It is at the apex of higher education, research and innovation, but issues around integrity and employability must be addressed for doctoral education to continue to thrive, says Luke Georghiou. Ambi ...
As Europe decides how to best invest in the future of research and innovation, it is clear that Horizon 2020’s successor will need more funding. It is also quite certain that its design must be more ...
Director of Research and Innovation, European University Association, Lidia Borrell-Damián shares her thoughts on what lies ahead after Horizon 2020, in which she envisions a new kind of impact by li ...
Investment in research and education not only brings the highest European added value, it is also the most effective long-term, future-oriented commitment that the EU can make towards its citizens, wr ...
The lack of funding needed to achieve Europe’s widely advertised ambitions for global excellence in research and innovation should be addressed in discussing Horizon 2020’s successor. Understandin ...
Since the beginning of time scientific research has been based on exchanges between peers: personal letters, books, articles in specialised journals. But the last 70 years have seen a burst in this se ...
With nearly 40 per cent of Europeans aged 30-34 now holding tertiary qualifications, universities have their work cut out delivering good learner-paced education to increasingly large and diverse popu ...
In the run up to the European University Association’s first pan-European Learning and Teaching Forum in Paris 28-29 September, we speak to Professor Jean Chambaz, a European University Association ...
Europe needs more ambitious research funding, or risks losing precious knowledge, writes Rolf TarrachThe European Union is currently defining its priorities for the next decade. The scientific communi ...
The implications of the political, economic and societal landscape in Europe are becoming ever more complex for Europe’s universities. The Old Continent faces prolonged financial and economic crises ...
Michael Gaebel, Director of Higher Education Policy at the European University Association, highlights the upcoming European Commission Erasmus+ review. This article was first published on Open Access ...
In the top 50 performing participants in Horizon 2020, 4.2 billion euros went to 37 universities, 11 research agencies and two research institutes. These are all from 12 countries in Europe: the UK, G ...
The current state of the European Union demands new political thinking and action – not just “business as usual”. Europe faces a series of interlinked economic, political, societal and cultural ...
Horizon 2020 plays a significant part in developing the research and innovation capacity of the European community, as well as of the individual member states. We have already witnessed the 7th Framew ...
For the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), participation in Horizon 2020 is a number one priority. The framework programme gives us the opportunity to collaborate with excellent re ...
Erasmus+ as the successor of the Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) brings a major contribution to universities like the Deggendorf Institute of Technology and has improved the implementation of activi ...
There is no doubt that Erasmus+ offers an excellent range of opportunities for students and staff to broaden their international experience. Key Action 1, in particular, provides a fantastic variety o ...
The University of Granada was very active in many of the Erasmus+ predecessor programmes and in bilateral mobility with partners all around the world. When the current Erasmus+ Programme took off in 2 ...
For Ghent University, Erasmus+ is a vital instrument in the attainment of its strategic ambition to see 25% of its students study abroad by 2020. Erasmus+ Key Action 1a on student mobility accounts fo ...
As EUA launches the call for participation for its pilot Leadership Development Programme, President Josep M. Garrell presents the initiative and encourages leaders from EUA member universities to app ...
Today, higher education institutions are tasked with multiple and challenging roles. They accommodate evolving student expectations, address changing labour market needs and sustainability pressures, ...
The EUA Autonomy Scorecard is a comprehensive tool that gathers, monitors, and compares system-level data regarding university autonomy across Europe since 2011. ...
This playlist includes contents produced by EUA in relation to the Commission’s European Strategy for Universities. Released in January 2022, it is an important step in connecting the university-rel ...
EUA is currently piloting a Leadership Development Programme for senior leaders in European higher education institutions. ...
The Global University Associations Forum (GUAF) is a platform for dialogue, cooperation and joint action. Established in 2021, it brings together leaders of university associations representing major ...
Europe has a unique multilateral and multilevel framework for cooperation in higher education and research. For more than two decades, governments across Europe have built a common framework for highe ...
The STAND project aims to improve the processes and mechanisms of university autonomy by increasing the management capacities, accountability and transparency of universities in the Western Balkans in ...
Today, higher education institutions are tasked with multiple and challenging roles. ...
The LOTUS project aims to contribute to capacity building and strategic change management for learning and teaching at higher education institutions across Europe. ...
The I-AR project aims to implement fair automatic recognition by offering guidance in policy development on a European and national level. Furthermore, through capacity building, higher education inst ...
EUA has developed its vision for Europe’s universities in 2030. After intensive consultations with more than 100 experts and visionaries from the EUA membership and a wide range of external partners ...
The DIGI-HE project explored different ways higher education institutions can boost their strategic approaches to digitally enhanced learning and teaching and enhance their capacity. ...
The EUniQ project aimed to develop in close cooperation with European Universities, a quality assurance approach for European Universities. ...
The TRUNAK project seeks to enhance university autonomy in Kazakhstan. It seeks to develop both the management and governance of Kazakh universities, as well as the capacities of national authorities ...
The EUA Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Groups gather a selected group of EUA member universities each year to discuss and explore practices and lessons learnt in organising and implementing lea ...
The EFFECT project aimed to facilitate the exchange of experience and effective methods in terms of university teachers’ development at the European level. ...
The University of Barcelona (Coordinator) and the European University Association (EUA) comprise the consortium ‘SPHERE’ (Support and Promotion for Higher Education Reform Experts), an initiative ...
The ATHENA project contributed to the development, reform and modernisation of higher education systems in the Eastern Neighbouring partner countries Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine. ...
Leading a university has never been more demanding. University leaders must juggle multiple roles, balancing the needs and expectations of a diverse array of stakeholders. They are accountable for a w ...
The regulatory, financial and societal environments in which universities operate are changing at an increasingly fast pace. EUA is dedicated to supporting universities in their efforts to make succes ...
In parallel to well-established European collaboration in higher education within the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area, the European Union is working towards creating a Euro ...
To shape the future that universities want, we must proactively engage with possible futures. The world is changing rapidly. And with it, universities and their contexts are changing. Among the major ...
Universities provide a forum for dialogue, knowledge and innovation exchange and cooperation across cultures and political divides. This is a key condition for an effective and collective response to ...
The call for participation in the European University Association’s pilot Leadership Development Programme is now closed. Applicants will be informed about the results by December 2024 at the latest ...