European University Association (EUA)’s 5th convention, hosted by Charles University Prague (the Czech Republic now heads the EU's rotating presidency), will take place 18-21 March 2009; just before the formal launch of the European Higher Education Area in 2010.
This is when the reflection on the shape of the European Research Area in the next decade is high on the agenda. The convention therefore presents a major opportunity for European universities to contribute to the debate by outlining their common vision of how best to promote a coherent, transparent and attractive university sector in Europe.
Armenia is currently member of the European Higher Education Area but not the European Research Area. Nevertheless, the conference will be of interest to institutional leaders - rectors/presidents, vice-rectors/vice-presidents, deans, heads of administration, student associations and councils - as well as other organizations involved in educational policy, social partners, and government officials.
The Prague Convention
Building on the 2007 Lisbon Declaration that underlines universities’ central task of “equipping Europe’s populations to play their part within the knowledge society, in which economic, social and cultural development depend primarily on the creation and dissemination of knowledge and skills” the Convention will offer university leaders the opportunity to identify common European policies and strategies that will support them in carrying out their threefold mission of teaching, research and service to society.
For universities to realize their potential they will increasingly have to link their core missions in higher education, research and innovation, not least in order to be able to respond to public demand for universities to contribute substantially to finding answers to global problems such as demography and aging of populations, sustainable development, renewable energies and climate change.
This requires open, modern and flexible universities, with a strong European dimension, characterized by true European mobility and European careers, as well as engagement at global level. As a sector, European universities need to be attractive to both European and international students that can contribute to, and benefit from, the rich and diversified European scientific and scholarly tradition.
Objectives & Output
The 2009 Convention comes at a particularly crucial moment for European higher education and research as the first phase of the Bologna Process comes to a close and Europe has little time to reach the ambitious goals set by the EU’s Lisbon agenda for the 2010 deadline. Specifically, the Convention is timed to take place:
> Just before the 2009 Bologna ministerial meeting that will map out the contours of the European Higher Education Area and define priorities for the Bologna Process in the decade to 2020
> When governments and stakeholders are being asked to comment on 5 Communications and/or Recommendations launched by the European Commission as a follow-up to the European Research Area Green paper consultation in 2007 that aims to shape the future development of the European Research Area beyond 2010.
The Prague Declaration
The objective is to influence the priorities set for the Bologna Process post 2010 and to ensure that the specific concerns of universities are properly taken into account in the conditions set for the further construction of the European Research Area. To do this, university leaders present at the Convention will be asked to contribute to identifying ‘10 theses’ for the future of European higher education and research as we look forward to 2020.
For each issue identified, consideration will need to be given to the questions: Where are we now? Where do we want to get to? How do we get there? Reflection will also be needed to identify appropriate institutional, national and European level policies and strategies as responses in each case. This exercise should enable universities to define the characteristics, and shape the future, of the European Higher Education and Research Areas.
Structure
Discussions during the Convention will be organized in the framework of 4 separate thematic clusters: in order to be able to meet the ambitious goals set out above and to take account of the increasingly diversified missions and profiles of European universities. The intention is to allow participants to focus on those issues of most relevance to them, given their own particular institutional mission and profile. The clusters will focus on following broad topics:
Promoting responsive and flexible universities as institutions with a mission to educate increasing numbers of Europe’s citizens, addressing the needs of an ever more diverse student population, thus ensuring that all those who can benefit from a university education are able to do so
Enhancing the role of universities as research institutions that need to be competitive in enhancing their research missions through bidding for external research funds; able to attract and retain talented researchers at all stages in their careers; and also to be able to cooperate and function cooperatively through exchange and cluster building, especially at regional level
Addressing the growing complexities of governing and managing universities: The spotlight will specifically be on ensuring financial sustainability, changing governance structures, and dealing with mergers and other forms of concentration.
Promoting the global outreach of European universities and enhancing their interaction with the rest of the world: Investigating the most appropriate strategies and policies and building a coherent international portfolio of activities from a European perspective.
___________________________________
For further information on the 4 themes, please click here. For further general information and registration, please click here.
>
This is when the reflection on the shape of the European Research Area in the next decade is high on the agenda. The convention therefore presents a major opportunity for European universities to contribute to the debate by outlining their common vision of how best to promote a coherent, transparent and attractive university sector in Europe.
Armenia is currently member of the European Higher Education Area but not the European Research Area. Nevertheless, the conference will be of interest to institutional leaders - rectors/presidents, vice-rectors/vice-presidents, deans, heads of administration, student associations and councils - as well as other organizations involved in educational policy, social partners, and government officials.
The Prague Convention
Building on the 2007 Lisbon Declaration that underlines universities’ central task of “equipping Europe’s populations to play their part within the knowledge society, in which economic, social and cultural development depend primarily on the creation and dissemination of knowledge and skills” the Convention will offer university leaders the opportunity to identify common European policies and strategies that will support them in carrying out their threefold mission of teaching, research and service to society.
For universities to realize their potential they will increasingly have to link their core missions in higher education, research and innovation, not least in order to be able to respond to public demand for universities to contribute substantially to finding answers to global problems such as demography and aging of populations, sustainable development, renewable energies and climate change.
This requires open, modern and flexible universities, with a strong European dimension, characterized by true European mobility and European careers, as well as engagement at global level. As a sector, European universities need to be attractive to both European and international students that can contribute to, and benefit from, the rich and diversified European scientific and scholarly tradition.
Objectives & Output
The 2009 Convention comes at a particularly crucial moment for European higher education and research as the first phase of the Bologna Process comes to a close and Europe has little time to reach the ambitious goals set by the EU’s Lisbon agenda for the 2010 deadline. Specifically, the Convention is timed to take place:
> Just before the 2009 Bologna ministerial meeting that will map out the contours of the European Higher Education Area and define priorities for the Bologna Process in the decade to 2020
> When governments and stakeholders are being asked to comment on 5 Communications and/or Recommendations launched by the European Commission as a follow-up to the European Research Area Green paper consultation in 2007 that aims to shape the future development of the European Research Area beyond 2010.
The Prague Declaration
The objective is to influence the priorities set for the Bologna Process post 2010 and to ensure that the specific concerns of universities are properly taken into account in the conditions set for the further construction of the European Research Area. To do this, university leaders present at the Convention will be asked to contribute to identifying ‘10 theses’ for the future of European higher education and research as we look forward to 2020.
For each issue identified, consideration will need to be given to the questions: Where are we now? Where do we want to get to? How do we get there? Reflection will also be needed to identify appropriate institutional, national and European level policies and strategies as responses in each case. This exercise should enable universities to define the characteristics, and shape the future, of the European Higher Education and Research Areas.
Structure
Discussions during the Convention will be organized in the framework of 4 separate thematic clusters: in order to be able to meet the ambitious goals set out above and to take account of the increasingly diversified missions and profiles of European universities. The intention is to allow participants to focus on those issues of most relevance to them, given their own particular institutional mission and profile. The clusters will focus on following broad topics:
Promoting responsive and flexible universities as institutions with a mission to educate increasing numbers of Europe’s citizens, addressing the needs of an ever more diverse student population, thus ensuring that all those who can benefit from a university education are able to do so
Enhancing the role of universities as research institutions that need to be competitive in enhancing their research missions through bidding for external research funds; able to attract and retain talented researchers at all stages in their careers; and also to be able to cooperate and function cooperatively through exchange and cluster building, especially at regional level
Addressing the growing complexities of governing and managing universities: The spotlight will specifically be on ensuring financial sustainability, changing governance structures, and dealing with mergers and other forms of concentration.
Promoting the global outreach of European universities and enhancing their interaction with the rest of the world: Investigating the most appropriate strategies and policies and building a coherent international portfolio of activities from a European perspective.
___________________________________
For further information on the 4 themes, please click here. For further general information and registration, please click here.
>
