Higher Education and Research: Mission and Interaction David Crosier CONFERENCE TO LAUNCH WORK ON A MASTER PLAN FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN ALBANIA Tirana, March , 2006

…2… European University Association (EUA): Mission and Interaction EUA: main representative organisation of universities (c750) and their national Rectors’ Conferences (34) in 45 countries across Europe Mission: to promote coherence in European higher education and research Interaction: through Policy development Support to members (projects & services)

…3… Increasing demands on higher education institutions -Increase participation & widen access but cut costs -be more competitive / be more socially inclusive -be more local, more regional, more European, more global -increase mobility within Europe / attract morestudents and scholars from outside Europe -improve academic quality / be more responsive to labour market providing graduates with more employable skills -provide compatible curricula across Europe / maintain cultural diversity & be more learner-centred -be more autonomous / conform to set framework -concentrate research / respond to regional needs -do it all with decreasing public funding...

…4… Bologna and Lisbon  The Bologna Process: Governmental push for convergence in 1999  legislative reform and implementation in universities across Europe. EHEA by countries  The Lisbon strategy: -> to make Europe the most competitive knowledge based society also by 2010: shared expertise, knowledge and resources with priority on research training, through FP7 - including ERC & now EIT. EU 25 countries  HEIs increasingly recognised as central actors if the Lisbon & EHEA goals are to be reached

…5… A changing higher education landscape Every institution cannot do everything Need for re-thinking and refocusing HEI missions around societal needs and institutional strengths Maintain commitment to research-based higher education, but... Recognise and value excellence in all aspects of institutional missions – teaching, services to society, as well as research How to do it?

…6… Reforming higher education and research at the same time Step 1: Societal / stakeholder debate about higher education system:recognise the need for multiple institutional missions Step 2: Encourage institutions to differentiate their profile and missions: Some competitive output-based funding incentives can help Step 3: Rethink governance: To whom are higher education institutions accountable? How? What kind of governance structures best support institutions? Role of leadership & effective management…

…7… Doctoral studies – at the crossroads of higher education and research Berlin Communiqué: Doctoral Programmes as the third cycle EUA Doctoral Programmes Project : aim to link its activities to policy debate and to feed into the preparation of recommendations for Bergen Maastricht conference on research training - Salzburg Bologna Seminar and the Salzburg priniciples - Final project report Bergen Communiqué: BFUG asked to invite EUA and its partners to prepare a report on the further development of the Salzburg principles, to be presented to Ministers in London 2007.

…8… EUA Project on doctoral studies (2004/5) MAIN CONCLUSION: Need for stronger institutional involvement in organisation of doctoral programmes built on closer collaboration with partners (education and research, industry/ employers, students, governments)

…9… Other cross-cutting issues Mobility as a part of doctoral programmes and a recognised added value (important for career development) European dimension in doctoral programmes – more joint programmes needed built on high quality standards and mutual trust Funding – diversity of financial sources, new ways of collaboration with other partners (e.g. industry), employment contracts etc.

…10… Some open questions How to make doctoral education a part of institutional policies and strategies? How to support new structures of doctoral programmes offering wider generic skills training or cross-disciplinary training linked to further career prospects in all sectors? What should graduate (postgraduate) education cover? What is the role and link with Masters in this context? Supervision: how to persuade universities (and supervisors) about the importance of further training of supervisors or new models of supervision?

…11… New EUA-BFUG Doctoral Programmes Project Objective: to prepare the report and recommendations on doctoral programmes for the ministerial meeting in London 2007 Activities: 2 workshops focused on specific aspects of doctoral programmes (23-24 March and October 2006) WG on doctoral programmes at the conference « A Researchers’ Labour Market – a Pole of Attarction », Vienna, 1-2 June 2006 Final Bologna Seminar, December 2006, France Final report – beginning of 2007

…12… Some issues to consider in addressing reform Reform doesn’t begin at point zero: need to take account of current environment, socio-economic situation, culture etc Much to learn from the experience of others: all countries/institutions are in a process of (permanent) reform and innovation, and there is no need for everyone to make the same mistakes... Body of European experience to draw upon – through CoE/EUA/ESIB/EURASHE/ENQA etc Some clear evidence in Europe: quality and effectiveness of reforms enhanced when institutions are empowered (effective autonomy), and when all who should be involved are properly consulted (cf Trends IV)