Presentation on the European Universities Initiative, delivered by EUA Policy Coordinator Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik at EAIE 2018.

1. 13 September 2018
EAIE Conference, Geneva
Transnational university
collaboration in Europe & the
future of Erasmus
AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik
Policy Coordinator
European University Association

2. Outline • About EUA
• Common challenges
• How collaboration can help
• How Erasmus supports it
• The European Universities’ Initiative
• The future Erasmus programme
• Remaining questions
2
AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
Transnational university collaboration & the future of Erasmus

3. About EUA • Found in 2001
• About 800 members in 48 European countries
• Individual institutions & 34 national university associations
• Independent voice of the university sector in Europe
• Activities: policy monitoring & interest representation,
comparative sector data, peer learning, exchange and
collaboration among members
• Main topics: EHEA/HE policy, ERA/ R&I policy, QA, Funding &
Governance, EU policy with relevance for the sector
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
Transnational university collaboration in Europe & the future of Erasmus

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
Transnational university collaboration in Europe & the future of Erasmus

5. How
collaboration
can help
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
Transnational university collaboration in Europe & the future of Erasmus
• 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. How Erasmus
supports it
6
AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
Transnational university collaboration in Europe & the future of Erasmus
49%
56%
68%
69%
29%
29%
27%
24%
18%
7%
4%
2%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Attractive for international collaboration
Attractive for collaboration with non-
university partners
Attractive for European collaboration
We will continue to apply for these projects
Yes, fully Yes, to some extent No, not at all I do not know
Source: EUA membership consultation on E+
mid-term review 2016
Erasmus+ strategic partnerships are an attractive action
for universities, however, 59% of respondents indicate that
the overall number of grants is insufficient!

7. The European
Universities’
Initiative
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
Transnational university collaboration in Europe & the future of Erasmus
• 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 with
excellence spread across the continent
• Could help depending university collaboration &
strengthen strategic approach
• Cannot be funded by Erasmus alone!

8. EUA key points • Bottom-up approach
• Provide a framework, but 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
Transnational university collaboration in Europe & the future of Erasmus

9. The future
Erasmus
programme
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
Transnational university collaboration in Europe & the future of Erasmus
• 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,
but need for synergies with others (Horizon Europe, ESIF,
ESF, national funding etc...)

10. Remaining
questions
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AN EUA PERSPECTIVE
Transnational university collaboration in Europe & the future of Erasmus
• Political level: link btw. European Education Area &
Bologna Process
• EU programmes: synergies versus simplification?
• Excellence versus inclusiveness
• Top-down versus bottom-up
• Legal: legal status; cross-border accreditation
• Financial: co-funding
• Sustainability
• ...

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