This presentation on the European Universities Initiative took place at the joint conference of FRSE (Polish Erasmus+ National Agency) and KRASP (PL NRC) on recent higher education developments in Europe.

1. 6 December 2018
FRSE-KRASP Conference, Warsaw
European Universities Initiative:
Quo vadis?
AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik
Policy Coordinator
European University Association

2. Outline • Political context
• Common challenges
• How collaboration can help
• The European Universities Initiative
• The pilot call
• The future Erasmus+ programme
• Remaining questions
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
European Universities Initiative: quo vadis?

3. Political
context
• Speech of the French
President Emmanuel Macron
at Sorbonne University,
September 2017
• EC Communication 2017
outlining the vision for a
European Education Area by
2025
• Social Summit in Gothenburg
December 2017
• European Council
Conclusions December 2017
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
European Universities Initiative: quo vadis?

4. Common
challenges
• Rapidly changing labour markets
• Increasing demand for highly skilled people
• Globalisation & digitalisation
• Internationalisation of research
• Financial constraints
• Increases the need for:
 Innovation in L&T
 Strengthening capacity in research & innovation
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
European Universities Initiative: quo vadis?

5. How
collaboration
can help
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
European Universities Initiative: quo vadis?
• Crossborder collaboration is important for innovation in
L&T: out of 303 respondents to TRENDS 2018
 96% say that international student & staff exchanges are
important for developing L&T
 53% say that they participate in international initiatives for
teaching enhancement
• Pooling resources & sharing services can help increase
quality of research & L&T, efficiency & competitiveness
• Various examples already exist:
 Border region cooperation (EUCOR; University of the
Greater Region; Franco-German University)
 Cooperation of institutions with similar profiles
(EuroTech; YERUN; ECIU; CELSA)
 ... and many others

6. The European
Universities’
Initiative
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
European Universities Initiative: quo vadis?
• Puts universities & education high on the EU’s agenda
• Gives new momentum to European integration & higher
education & research policy at European level
• New ambition to strengthen links between education,
research and innovation
• Builds on strength of European university system
• Could help deepending university collaboration &
strengthen strategic approach
• Cannot be funded by Erasmus+ alone!
Picture: © Science Business

7. EUA key points • Bottom-up approach
• Provide a framework, put do not prescribe a model
• Take advantage of Europe’s diversity: openess to all
Bologna countries
• Funding of operational costs, not only mobility
• Selection at European level
• Need to remove administrative and legal obstacles at
national/sub-national levels
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
European Universities Initiative: quo vadis?

8. The pilot call
• Published in October 2018
• Current Erasmus+ programme: KA 2
• Overall funding available: 30 Mio. € for about 6 networks; 5
Mio. € per network over 3 years
• Eligible countries: all E+ programme countries
• Eligible consortia: minimum 3 HEIs from 3 different
programme countries; possibility to associate other
public/private bodies
• Deadline for applications: 28 February 2019
• Expected starting date: between 01/09/2019-01/12/2019
• EC info session: 18/12/2018; 10.30-13.30 livestreamed:
bit.ly/2zWthDJ 8
AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
European Universities Initiative: quo vadis?

9. Requirements • Bottom-up networks of European universities, pursuing a
common, long-term strategy for cooperation;
• the support should allow existing networks to scale up their
cooperation on a new/higher level;
• Integrated student and staff mobility;
• Innovative study concepts & approaches to L&T
• Contribute to regional development;
• Mirror Europe's diversity (geographically & profile);
• Socially inclusive, promoting European values and
strengthen European cohesion;
• in the long run, European Universities can contribute to the
development of policies, such as a European diploma and a
European status.
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
European Universities Initiative: quo vadis?

10. The future
Erasmus
programme
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
European Universities Initiative: quo vadis?
• EC proposal published in May 2018 for E+
2021-2027
• 30 bio €: double funding welcome, but new
policy goals need even more money!
• Collaboration is as important as mobility!
• Need to strike the right balance between
new & traditional collaboration actions
• Anchor programme for European
Universities initiative (partnerships for
excellence), but need for synergies with
others (Horizon Europe, ESIF, ESF,
national funding etc...)
• Negotiations between EP; Council and EC
are ongoing
Picture: University of Siena

11. Remaining
questions
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
European Universities Initiative: quo vadis?
• Political level: link btw. European Education Area &
Bologna Process
• Future geographical scope: EU only; programme
countries; CH; UK after Brexit; EHEA ?
• EU programmes: synergies versus simplification?
• Excellence versus inclusiveness
• Top-down versus bottom-up
• Legal: legal status; cross-border accreditation
• Financial: co-funding
• Sustainability
• Impact at system level

12. Thank you for your attention
© EUA 2018
Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik, EUA Policy Coordinator
anna.lena.kulik@eua.eu
@AnnaLenaKulik
ANY QUESTIONS?