1. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Meeting of the
Education and Training Statistics
Working Group
Luxembourg, September 2007 Room Quetelet
Euro-University Task Force
Conclusions and further work
Tomas MERI

2. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Note
The term “Euro-university” is used, but it refers to all higher education institutes in the EU

3. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Introduction 1
New figures show that in the US 3 times more is spent per ISCED5 student than in Europe
Only around 3% of European enterprises use universities as a source of innovation
More information could be produced if data on higher education institutes (HEI) as units would exist

4. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Introduction 2
Eurostat set up the Task Force to mainly answer three questions;
Is collecting microdata on universities (HEI) the way to go forward?
Is Eurostat the right body to run the project?
If so, what are the next steps?

5. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Summary of the TF
DG RTD and DG EAC presented their view (strong and growing need for harmonised data on HEI)
Eurostat presented preparatory work done in 2005/2006 on school registers (that can be used)
Eurostat presented the new Business Registers (BR) regulation (now all NACE sections compulsory)
Various researchers presented their work done in the area
Eurostat presented a project proposal on how a pilot action for collecting microdata on HEI could be done

6. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Conclusions 1
Relevance of Euro-university statistics:
Very useful but not essential
Should not increase burden on countries or HEI
Scope: to focus on easily accessible and deliverable data

7. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Conclusions 2
Eurostat’s role:
The project passes the subsidiarity principle so it can not be done at national level
Could be limited and let others add
Main problem is confidentiality issue

8. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Conclusions 3
Next steps:
An in-depth feasibility study should be done
It could also look at reporting mechanisms
How should stakeholders be involved? (HEI, etc)
Could probably be launched 2008

9. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Next steps
From discussions held it was concluded that the next step would be drafting a feasibility study which should be presented at this WG and the STI WG in November 2007
Funds will have to be assured after which a call for tender can be announced
A call for tender will probably be launched
The terms for the feasibility study are not yet ready but the main issues to be addressed in the feasibility study are:

10. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Feasibility study 1
What is needed to build a backbone?
What exists at Eurostat/NSI/research projects etc?
What would be feasible in all MS/some MS?
What are the legal constrains? (EU/MS level.)
How can the confidentiality issue be solved?
What projects are already ongoing and what could they add?

11. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Feasibility study 2
And also e.g.:
What variables are needed for policy makers?
Which exist and can be delivered? Which does not exist but can easily be derived and which can neither be derived nor delivered?
Clear definitions need to be set
Harmonisation and comparability needs to be assured

12. Eurostat Unit F4: Education sector
Discussion points:
The ETS delegates are invited to comment
on the work envisaged regarding the ‘Euro-university’ statistics;
and
their experience regarding such data.