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19th EUNIS Congress - ICT Role for Next Generation Universities. 11 June 2013 - 14 June 2013.
The 19th edition of the EUNIS Congress is an ICT conference centered on the theme of higher education in Europe, which will be held in Riga (Latvia) from the 11-14 of June 2013. EUNIS 2013 is the 19th congress in a series of conferences aimed at audiences from higher educational institutes. The following keynote speeches will be the centerpiece of this year's event:

VIII Conferência Internacional de TIC na educação – Challenges 2013 - 15 July 2013 - 16 July 2013. Braga, Portugal. VIII Conferência Internacional de TIC na educação – Challenges 2013.
Aprender a qualquer hora e em qualquer lugar é um desiderato essencial de qualquer sociedade moderna e assume-se como tema integrador da VIII Conferência Internacional de TIC na educação – Challenges 2013, prosseguindo a linha de promoção, reflexão e divulgação das práticas de inovação e aprendizagem com as TIC que tem orientando as edições das “Challenges”. Numa sociedade em que a aprendizagem e o conhecimento se configuram cada vez mais como realidades em permanente desenvolvimento e mutação Learning anytime, anywhere / Aprender a qualquer hora e em qualquer lugar configura-se como um novo paradigma educacional fortemente ancorado nas tecnologias digitais e em rede que progressivamente integram os ecossistemas de aprendizagem. É neste contexto que vos convidamos a estar connosco nesta oitava edição das conferências “Challenges” a ter lugar em 15 e 16 de julho de 2013 na Universidade do Minho, refletindo, partilhando e discutindo os resultados da investigação em TIC na educação, na procura de novas agendas de investigação, de intervenção e de consolidação do conhecimento.
Numa organização do Centro de Competência em TIC na Educação do Instituto de Educação da Universidade do Minho, a conferência desenvolver-se-á abarcando uma pluralidade de temáticas, organizadas em torno de três eixos principais:

• Ambientes emergentes
• O digital e o currículo
• Avaliação digital

No eixo “Ambientes emergentes” incluem-se os contributos que visam discutir as mais recentes inovações tecnológicas procurando linhas de desenvolvimento futuro nas suas dimensões relacionadas com a educação e a formação.

Contemporary media (digital, social and mobile) is transforming the landscape of identity, education and employment. The centralised, top-down, mass media model on which most of our institutions are based is facing assaults from the emerging decentralised, bottom-up, networked, agile social  knowledge media. While old  power centres are being challenged, new ones are emerging: they are based on the systematic collection, analyse and exploitation of the mass of data produced in our daily life. And we are busily coding our actions and thoughts for Google and Facebook to monetise them. In this context, how can we create the conditions for the emancipation of individuals towards a truly open society?
To reflect the need to address those issues, the  tittle of ePIC 2013 is Open Me!
Open ePortfolios, Open Badges and Open Identities will be among the key discussions.
Join us at ePIC 2013, the 11th ePortfolio and Identity Conference, 8-9-10 July 2013, at the IET, Savoy Place, London.

DIVERSE 2013 - 26 June 2013 - 28 June 2013. Universität Osnabrück. http://www.diverse2013.uni-osnabrueck.de.
DIVERSE is the leading conference regarding all aspects of video and videoconferencing in education: teaching, research, management, etc. This includes the convergence of these technologies; the emergence of new possibilities such as “presence production” for learning, interactive television, virtual reality and computer games techniques, and handheld access to moving images.”
Since the beginning of this conference in Derby England 2001 DIVERSE has been intended for anyone interested in embedding video and video communication (conferencing) technologies within educational practice: teachers, technical support staff, researchers, staff and educational developers and project managers.

RUOA survey on the setting up of territorial cooperation structures in HE and research.
The Network of Universities of the Western Atlantic (RUOA), a French non-profit organisation, has been running a project entitled “EU benchmark of interuniversity cooperation structures”.
As part of this initiative, 25 subnational and crossborder cooperation structures from Western Europe have taken part in a survey between July and November 2012.
More information on the findings of the survey is available here.
More information on the Network of Universities of the Western Atlantic (RUOA) is available on the RUOA website.

PromoDoc event in South Korea (27 September-2 October 2013)
Within the scope of the EC-funded PromoDoc project, a series of targeted appointments will be organised between European higher education institutions and research institutes and potential doctoral candidates in South Korea, in both Seoul and Busan.
The event runs over four days (two days in Seoul and two in Busan) and will include information sessions in the morning and scheduled appointments between potential doctoral candidates and representatives from European higher education institutions and research institutes in the afternoon. A briefing session and networking reception will be held for institutional participants on 27 September 2013.
European higher education institutions are invited to apply for participation before 14 June 2013.
For further information, the draft programme, application forms and the eligibility criteria, please visit the event website.
For more information on the project, please visit the PromoDoc website.

On 16 May, the Council of the European Union adopted “Conclusions on the Social Dimension of higher education”, which include specific recommendations for different education sectors and for lifelong learning. The Council conclusions on the social dimension of higher education echo many of the commitments laid down in EUA’s Lifelong Learning Charter in 2008. As a contribution towards reaching one of Europe 2020’s targets for education – 40% of 30-34 year olds should have completed tertiary or equivalent education by 2020 –, the conclusions set out lines for future work to develop high quality education and training systems which allow equitable participation for all (“excellence and equity”).
The proposed recommendations include adopting national and institutional measures, such as strategies, for enhanced access, participation and completion, promoting cooperation between different education providers, developing permeability and better progression routes into higher education, diversifying learning opportunities, and exploring supporting funding mechanisms. EUA continues to encourage and support its members in developing and implementing their lifelong learning strategies through its diverse project activities. Given the increasingly diverse studentship, it will be of crucial importance to enhance the outreach of higher education towards graduates from both the school and vocational sector, and to develop multiple entry paths to higher education, enabling the participation of lifelong learners.
In its recent study, Tracking Learners’ and Graduates’ Progression Paths, EUA has documented and analysed how higher education institutions all over Europe are committed to improving the learning provision and the success prospects of learners during studies, and also after graduation, as they move into employment. The full Council of the EU conclusions can be downloaded here.

EUA Secretary General, Lesley Wilson, participated earlier this month in the French Rectors’ Conference (CPU) annual colloquium in Rennes, which had as its central theme human resources management in universities. In 2007, a French higher education law gave universities expanded responsibilities and competences in this particular area — and therefore has been, and continues to be, an important topic for French universities. The CPU conference was an opportunity for university presidents from across France to discuss a wide range of issues and challenges in relation to this topic, such as engaging staff, gender balance, the development of young researchers, staff mobility and training, social responsibilities, and the impact of new technologies.
Lesley Wilson was invited to provide a European perspective on the changing status of academic staff across Europe which also involved discussions on the importance of including human resource management issues in strategic discussions on mobility. The event concluded with twelve CPU proposals on this topic which can be viewed (in French) on the CPU website. These proposals included placing the training of staff at the heart of HR strategies; balancing centralised strategic vision with professional local management; and developing male-female equality and parity in institutions.

The first country workshop in the framework of the ATHENA project on fostering sustainable and autonomous higher education systems in the Eastern Neighbouring Area took place in Chisinau/Moldova this week. The ATHENA Workshop Moldova brought together around 60 representatives of Moldovan universities and public authorities as well as international experts to discuss reforms of university autonomy and funding in Moldova. The event was co-organised by EUA and the Moldovan project partners, the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, the Free International University of Moldova, Cahul State University B.P. Hasdeu, the Rectors’ Council of Moldova and the Moldovan Ministry of Education.
The discussions focused on the state of play of university autonomy and funding in Moldova and the ongoing reform process, notably the draft new Code of Education that is supposed to redefine the framework conditions for higher education in Moldova as well as the government decision that entered into force this year and changes the public funding allocation mechanism. The Moldovan Minister for Education, Maia Sandu emphasised that besides the legal changes to be made, universities needed to develop their own strategies to implement reforms, modernise management and diversify income streams and that the Ministry was willing to support them in these activities. Thomas Estermann presented EUA’s analysis of the current state of autonomy and funding in Moldova and highlighted which challenges need to be addressed to further develop and implement a more autonomous and financially sustainable system. Read more...

By Nohad Topalian. Arab countries are working with UNESCO to develop a strategy to advance higher education in the region.To this end, Beirut recently hosted a three-day workshop to explore the countries' individual needs and enhance co-operation with higher education agencies and networks in the region and comparative approaches to higher education.
The "Regional Workshop on Establishing and Enhancing a Culture of Quality in Higher Education Systems for the Arab States", held May 12th-14th, was organised by UNESCO's Regional Bureau for Education in the Arab States, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Directorate General of Higher Education in Lebanon.
More than 35 quality assurance officials from higher education institutions and ministries in Arab countries attended, along with representatives from UNESCO, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, the World Bank, the Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, and international consultants.
Discussions focused on problems facing higher education in Arab countries, largely due to a lack of quality assurance and enhancement standards and an absence of legally binding legislation. Read more...