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EUA seeks longer-term funding for transnational cooperation and flexibility for universities to direct its use
A “substantial leap forward in supporting transnational university cooperation” is needed from European and national policymakers, according to the European University Association.
The EUA published a position paper on 20 June setting out what it thinks is needed to better support not only the cross-border alliances formed under the EU’s European Universities Initiative (EUI), but also international institutional cooperation more broadly.
“The goal…until 2030 must be to create a strategic, transparent and smooth system of transnational university cooperation that benefits the entire university sector,” the paper says.
Such cooperation is crucial to promote high-quality research and education, it says, in turn enabling universities to help increase Europe’s sustainability and competitiveness.
Policy recommendations
Although the EUI has been an “important catalyst” for transnational cooperation among universities, “challenges remain”, the paper says, including regulatory barriers and a lack of funding.
It suggests a range of improvement measures, including longer-term funding for collaboration and giving universities the financial autonomy to allocate resources as they see fit.
This financial support should go beyond its focus so far on education, to better encompass research, the paper says. “Joint calls, combining funds from different EU programmes and providing one entry point for applicants, would make the application process more efficient,” it adds.
The paper calls for a continuous assessment of cooperation needs and the full implementation of existing tools to overcome them. It stresses that such tools must not be limited to the EUI alliances.
Within the alliances, however, it calls for “dedicated support for leadership and governance capacity”.