The document discusses European Commission initiatives to increase transparency in higher education. It outlines the EU's modernization agenda to support knowledge and innovation through initiatives like "Youth on the Move" and the "Innovation Union." It then summarizes several EU-supported transparency initiatives, including the U-Multirank multi-dimensional global university ranking system. The document advocates for a ranking system that evaluates other aspects beyond research, such as teaching quality, innovation, and internationalization.

1. Update of European Commission
initiatives in transparency
Endika Bengoetxea
Unit C.1 - Higher Education; «Erasmus»
DG Education and Culture
European Commission

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Outline
A. EU Context: the Modernisation agenda for
Higher Education
B. Overview of EU-supported transparency
initiatives: rankings being one of them
C. Towards a Multi-dimensional Global Ranking

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A. EU-context:
EU Modernisation agenda
EU 2020
EU political agenda for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
through an economy based on knowledge and innovation
„Youth on the Move[1];
„An agenda for new skills and jobs[2];
„Innovation Union[3].
[1] http://europa.eu/youthonthemove/
[2] http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=822&langId=en
[3] http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/index_en.cfm
Higher education and research are high on the EU agenda.
Reforms are needed to allow universities to play
their full part in reaching policy objectives

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Policy messages and transparency:
• Worldwide competition and tightening budgets will
challenge universities increasingly to modernise further
and to diversify on the basis of their strenghts.
• Institutions can excell in different areas, not just on
research.
• The diverse missions and performances of our
universities should be made transparent to all
stakeholders.

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Policy messages and transparency:
• More transparency will make it easier for students,
teachers and researchers to make an informed
choice on where and what to study and where to work.
• More transparency would also serve university
management to better position themselves and
improve their developments strategies, quality and
performances!

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An EU agenda for the
modernisation of higher education
ƒ Europe needs more graduates
ƒ Quality, relevance and employability
ƒ Higher education’s contribution to
economic recovery and long-term
growth

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Modernisation Communication:
Diversification and need for transparency
y Key policy messages (diversification):
1. Need more opportunities for study abroad and
international co-operation
2. Strengthen education, research and business links
3. Governance that enhances transparency and
empowers institutions to play to their strengths
y EU-level action:
Improving the evidence base to support policy
making and increase transparency

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B. Several EU supported
transparency initiatives
„ European Data Collection project
(www.eumida.org)
„ Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO)
„ Mapping diversity of university profiles
(www.u-map.eu)
„ Quality Assurance (ENQA, EQAR, ESG’s)
„ Feasibility study on a multi-dimensional global ranking
(www.u--multirank.eu)

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Rankings, one of the EU-supported
transparency initiatives
„ Rankings do not tell the whole story on quality.
They provide a simplistic picture of performance, based on some
indicators
„ However, so far rankings are the only instruments able to give a clear
comparative picture of institutions performances.
„ Rankings provide a useful «first picture» on how institutions perform and
where they stand, compared to other institutions in- and outside their
country
„ Based on this first picture, the different users (institutions, students,
employers, governments) need to gather more underlying
(qualitative) information which meets their specific demands

10. C. Towards a Global
Multi-dimensional University Ranking
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„ Various rankings have their own purpose and target groups.
There is no such a thing as an objective ranking!
„ Shortcomings existing rankings:
- tendency to focus on research in hard sciences…
„ performance in other areas like humanities and social sciences?
„ other missions such as teaching quality, innovation, internationalisation and
community outreach?
- focus on entire institutions, not on programmes/disciplines
- Delivered as a «league table»
„ Use of rankings for strategic decision making?

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Another ranking concept
„ Multi-dimensional and user-driven
„ Covering othermissions of higher education institutions
„ Different users and target groups can choose an own
« smart ranking » (no league tables)
„ Ranking both at institutional and disciplinary-level
„ Independent (not run by governments or universities)
„ Global (covering institutions in Europe and other
continents)

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Commitment #2 –– Innovation
Union
“In 2011 the Commission will, on the basis of the current
preparatory work, support an independent multi-dimensional
international ranking system to
benchmark university performance.
In 2011 further steps will be proposed in a Communication
on the reform and modernisation of higher education.”

13. • ‘U-Multirank’ information and ranking tool
• Quality framework for traineeships
• ‘Erasmus Masters Degree Mobility’ student loan
guarantee
• ‘Knowledge Alliances’ for stronger interaction between
universities and business
• ‘European Industrial Doctorates’
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Modernisation Communication:
New initiatives