The European University Association (EUA) has this week published a political declaration underlining the outcomes of its recent Annual Conference held at Aarhus University (Denmark) which focused on the role of universities in developing talent in Europe. Aarhus Declaration 2011.
As political leaders in Europe begin important negotiations to determine the next EU budget (after 2013) the Aarhus Declaration begins by underlining the importance of investing in education, research and innovation to enable universities to play their full role in nurturing talented individuals and in contributing to the EU 2020 strategy for ‘smart sustainable and inclusive growth’. The Declaration is, however, not only addressed at political leaders as it also contains an action agenda for universities to develop talent.
The Declaration stresses that Europe cannot afford to run the risk of losing a generation of talented people, or of a serious decrease in research and innovation activity while its competitors are investing heavily in universities and the innovators of tomorrow: “Europe’s universities collectively add value to European society and the European economy. Looking forward to the discussion on the EU budget post 2013, the considerable achievements of the last decade should not be wasted. They need to be consolidated in future by prioritising higher education, research and innovation as every Euro spent at European level on universities will add value by bringing people together, pooling knowledge and creating synergies that could not be achieved at national level alone.”
Nurturing talented individuals has always been central to the mission of Europe’s universities and becomes increasingly vital as knowledge becomes central to social and economic development and as global competition for talent increases. The Aarhus Declaration calls on universities to strengthen this role and outlines an agenda for action.
It encourages universities to:
- Widen access and increase capacity to respond to the needs of more diverse student populations
- Develop distinctive research portfolios
- Ensure that university staff and students identify with the university and its specific mission as a basis for generating and maintaining a vibrant university environment.
The statement then calls for clear university “strategies that promote talent from an early stage”, in particular:
- Strengthening the links between teaching and research from an early stage and building research capacity from the undergraduate level
- Building attractive and transparent career structures, tracks and opportunities for all staff
- Placing a special focus on doctoral education and training and prioritising the development of career opportunities for early stage researchers
- And developing and promoting the circulation of talent in order to enhance research capacity and bring new knowledge.
Finally, the statement underlines the need for:
- Strong university leadership to promote talent development in all its dimensions
- Ensuring a clear internationalisation strategy within universities
- Ensuring an overall commitment to a quality culture and to transparency within universities
- Understanding the importance of partnerships. Promoting dialogue with, and engaging a variety of stakeholders at different levels, ensures impact on society, and the development and dissemination of local knowledge in an international context.
Download the
Aarhus Declaration.
I. Combatting the global economic and financial crisis through investment in higher education and research
1. Universities - crucial for the future of Europe: through knowledge creation and by fostering innovation, critical thinking, tolerance and open minds we prepare citizens for their role in society and the economy and respond to their expectations by providing opportunities for individual development and personal growth. Through research-based education at all levels we provide the high-level skills and innovative thinking our modern societies need and on which future economic, social and cultural development depends. We strive for the long term in addition to assuming new tasks and providing solutions to current problems.
2. Universities - motors for economic recovery: by striving for excellence in teaching, research and innovation, by offering opportunities to diverse groups of learners, and by providing the optimal creative environment for the talented young researchers that Europe needs universities are increasingly central to future growth and to the consolidation of Europe‟s knowledge society. With our reservoir of highly-trained and flexible citizens able to respond to changing labour markets and with the research skills needed to make Europe more creative and innovative, and thus ultimately more competitive, we are well placed to find answers to the global challenges of the 21st century.
The changed context 2011: Meeting the challenges of the EU 2020 agenda
3. Universities – central to the success of the EU2020 agenda: Europe cannot afford to run the risk of losing a generation of talented people, or of a serious decrease in research and innovation activity while our competitors are investing heavily in universities and the next generation of young people who will be the innovators of tomorrow. Europe‟s universities collectively add value to European society and the European economy. Looking forward to the discussion on the EU budget post 2013, the considerable achievements of the last decade should not be wasted. They need to be consolidated in future by prioritising higher education, research and innovation as every Euro spent at European level on universities will add value by bringing people together, pooling knowledge and creating synergies that could not be achieved at national level alone.
4. Universities – addressing complex problems that need innovative solutions: Higher education and research hold the key to the future. The world is facing unprecedented global challenges. These grand societal challenges, be it climate change, energy consumption, sustainability or combatting poverty, affect all aspects of our lives and are not contained by geographical borders or specfic scientific disciplines. They require urgent attention, and European universities, working within a global research community, have a crucial role to play in addressing these challenges through their contribution to new knowledge, and to educating talented individuals to be creative and search for innovative solutions.
5. Universities - smart people for smart growth requires long-term commitment: universities need to be able to continue to invest in their future academic and research activities. Financial sustainability is conditional on reliable and sufficient public funding. This means redoubling overall efforts to reach the target of 3% investment in research and development and to invest at least 2% of GDP in higher education, as proposed by the European Commission. Such support will not only underpin the continued dynamic development of the European Higher Education Area and European Research Area that drive the activities of European universities, it will support European solidarity and will work against the present increased risk of nationalism and protectionism in Europe, ensuring that Europe emerges strong, resilient and forward looking from the present crisis.
6. Universities – need financial sustainability to be able to keep investing in their future academic and research activities, and thus to continue fulfilling their role in society. Financial sustainability is crucial and conditional on reliable, sufficient public funding, and the required autonomy to be able to explore additional funding options. Because public funding provides ¾ of the income structure of universities on average across Europe, complementary funding sources, even combined, do not have the potential to fully replace it. Therefore, public funding should be viewed as more than a basis on which universities may develop additional income streams but rather as a condition for sustainability.
7. Universities - European commitment and added value: not only do universities in Europe cooperate among themselves, they are also united in the context of a common European project, and the ongoing construction of the European Higher Education Area and European Research Area. This means a common commitment, in an increasingly global context, to creating new knowledge and training people to be creative in terms of their personal development, their contribution to the economy and as global citizens. This is a common European endeavour and Europe‟s future will depend largely upon its capacity to increase substantially the number of highly-trained people across the continent and to attract others from abroad. The impact of demographic change in Europe in the years to come make this all the more urgent.
Download the Aarhus Declaration.