EUA is pleased to announce the launch of a new publication: "Building Bridges – Making sense of quality assurance in European, national and institutional contexts”. The publication assembles a selection of keynote presentations and the excellent papers that contributed to lively discussions at the 5th European Quality Assurance Forum (EQAF) which was held at the University Claude Bernard Lyon I, France on 18-20 November 2010 and gathered together around 500 academics and experts in quality assurance.
The keynotes and papers discuss how quality assurance tools and processes implemented at institutional and agency level relate to European and national level policy discussions, and interact with and support institutional QA frameworks and the development of a quality culture in European higher education institutions. In addition, this publication marks the 5th anniversary of EQAF by including a short historical account and further reflection on the discussions that have taken place over the years and in particular during the 2010 Forum.
Please click here to download the publication.

By Nigel Thrift. The annual conference of the European Universities Association (EUA) will take place at Warwick on March 22-23. The conference will be attended by over 300 university heads from all over Europe. It will cover many issues including, no doubt, the vagaries of E.U. financing, the different degrees of university autonomy, and the idiosyncrasies of university rankings (it is worth mentioning that the EUA report on university rankings is by far the best available to date).
But, inevitably, hanging over the proceedings like a cloud, will be the parlous state of higher-education finances in many of the countries of Europe in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The university heads present will, of course, report a diverse experience of cuts and general restructuring. But, all that said, very few national systems have escaped some degree of austerity while some have had to face real and sustained hardship. Few countries are in the position of Latvia, which since 2008 has lost nearly 50 percent of its higher-education budget from government sources, or Bulgaria, where even winter heating bills have been under pressure. Many are in the position of Ireland and have lost 2 percent or 3 percent of their budgets each year. Other countries, like Greece, Italy, and Spain, are waiting to hear the worst with cuts in the order of 20 percent to 30 percent sometimes mooted.
Not all European higher-education systems have been affected. A few countries–most notably Germany, Norway, and Finland–still seem to be investing, although others, like France, which announced grand investment plans, may now be facing difficulties. In a number of countries, cuts in government support have been followed by increases in student tuition fees, which have been followed in turn by student protests, so adding in to the brew. Such a situation produces questions precisely because of its diversity.
I am a keen supporter of Europe and, by extension, the European Union. For all its undoubted faults, it is better to have the EU there than not. It was originally intended as a mechanism of solidarity and it still remains that way, at least in part. But recent pressures have certainly tested the proposition of solidarity. What is clear is that more needs to be done Europe-wide to aid some of the universities that are now affected by cuts, but there are precious few ways of achieving it.
In the meantime, it is not all gloom. There are some bright sparks on the European university horizon, mainly arising out of proposed increases to E.U. science and innovation budgets. There is the undoubted and much to be welcomed success of the European Research Council. There is the succession of KICs (Knowledge and Innovation Communities) arising from the founding of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. There is Horizon 2020 (formerly Framework 8) which proposes a budget of 80 billion euros from 2014 to 2020, and the associated budget for large infrastructure facilities. There is the prospect of the European Research Area finally coming together, with its raft of measures to promote greater scientific integration.
In turn, the changes arising out of Europe-wide expenditure on science and innovation are already becoming apparent. For example, in an increasingly eurosceptic U.K., most British research universities now get at least 10 percent of their research support from E.U. sources. For some the figure is as high as 16 percent. It’s a delicious irony.

Collecte des données: enquête européenne sur la formation professionnelle continue des entreprises
Vous avez été contacté ?
Vous faites alors partie de l’échantillon d’entreprises tiré au hasard dans le répertoire de l’Insee. L’échantillon a été constitué pour représenter l’ensemble des entreprises selon leur taille et leur secteur d’activité. Dans ce cadre, vous avez dû recevoir une lettre-avis vous informant de cette enquête. Votre participation est essentielle pour que les résultats de cette enquête soit représentatifs.
Les Etats de l’Union Européenne ont obligation de réaliser cette enquête tous les 5 ans dans le cadre du développement des statistiques sur l’éducation et la formation tout au long de la vie en Europe (règlements CE n° 822/2010 et CE n°452/2008).
Cette enquête est coordonnée au niveau européen par Eurostat. Elle a reçu un avis d’opportunité favorable du Conseil national de l’information statistique (n°92/D130). En France, le Céreq, est chargé de mener cette enquête. Vous pouvez consulter sur notre site les résultats de la précédente édition (Enquête européenne sur la formation continue en entreprise en 2006).
Comment cette enquête va-t-elle se dérouler ?
Tout d’abord un de nos collaborateurs va vous joindre par téléphone afin que vous puissiez nous indiquer la personne la plus apte à répondre au questionnaire sur la politique de formation dans votre entreprise. Un courrier technique lui sera alors personnellement envoyé afin qu’il puisse préparer au mieux l’entretien téléphonique durant lequel un de nos collaborateurs remplira le questionnaire (qui se reporte à un certain nombre de définitions). Cette préparation est très importante pour la précision des différentes informations qui nous seront communiquées et également  pour permettre un entretien qui soit le plus bref possible. Contact à votre disposition pour toute information complémentaire.

May 18 - 19, 2011, ParisTech, France
ParisTech is to host the fourth Symposium for European Rectors/Presidents: Fundraising for Excellence.
This fourth Symposium for European Rectors/Presidents will contribute to:
* Reinforcing the understanding of the role of the rector and other senior managers in development
* Clarifying mutual expectations of the rector, development staff and campaign leaders
* Ensuring development activities are embedded in the strategic plan.
The event is being built for rectors to attend on their own, with members of their senior academic team and/or with their development director. Contact: Laure-Anne Garnier, European Projects Manager CASE Europe, garnier@case.org.
Program
Fundraising in a non-Anglo-Saxon context:
a) case study, speaker TBC
b) different institutional strategies, different fundraising models, Corinne Degoutte, Executive Director, Fondation ParisTech; Xavier Michel, President, École Polytechnique; Bernard Ramanantosa, President, HEC; interviewed by John Lippincott, President, CASE
Expert discussions
* Breakout group A: The key partnership between Development Director and the Rector: selection, mutual roles and expectations in the context of organisation-wide changes, Philip Eijlander, Rector Magnificus, Tilburg University
* Breakout group B: Setting up a Development office: timeline and expected return on investment, Donald Tillman, CEO, ETH Zurich Foundation
Funding and philanthropy for autonomous universities: the role of university leadership, Thomas Estermann, Head of Unit Governance, Autonomy and Funding, European University Association
Aligning a donor's motivations and university priorities, Panel of donors including Daniel Bernard, Chairman Kingfisher plc and President, Fondation HEC and Sandra Craig, Trustee, The American University of Paris; moderated by Joanna Motion, Vice President for International Operations, CASE
Capital Campaigns: do you need one? And when do you know you're ready? Eric Thomas, Vice-Chancellor, University of Bristol; Chair of the Board of Trustees, CASE Europe and President and Chair elect, Universities UK
*Breakout Session A: Chairing a campaign and enhancing a culture of philanthropy amongst stakeholders, Regis Bello, President, Fondation Université de Strasbourg
*Breakout Session B: Fundraising from different constituencies: Alumni v Corporate - what works and how do you decide? Caroline Mattingly-Scott, Director of Fundraising, Goethe University, Frankfurt

The European University Association (EUA) represents and supports higher education institutions in 46 countries, providing them with a unique forum to cooperate and keep abreast of the latest trends in higher education and research policies.
Members of the Association are European universities involved in teaching and research, national associations of rectors and other organisations active in higher education and research.
EUA plays an essential role in shaping tomorrow’s European higher education and research landscape thanks to its unique knowledge of the sector and the diversity of its members. The Association’s mandate in the Bologna process, contribution to EU research policy-making and relations with intergovernmental organisations, European institutions and international associations, ensure its capacity to debate issues which are crucial for universities in relation to higher education, research and innovation.
EUA is the result of a merger between the Association of European Universities (CRE) and the Confederation of European Union Rectors' Conferences, which took place in Salamanca, Spain on 31 March 2001.

Salzburg II Recommendations:
European universities' achievements since 2005 in implementing the Salzburg Principles in English 

Prague Declaration - European Universities: Looking forward with confidence in English

Lisbon Declaration - Europe's Universities beyond 2010: Diversity with a Common Purpose
Published version in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian. Additional translations in Greek, Polish, Russian

Glasgow Declaration - Strong Universities for a Strong Europe
Published version in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian
Additional translations in Catalan, Polish, Russian, Turkish

Graz Declaration - Forward from Berlin: the role of universities Published version in English, French, German, Spanish

Salamanca Convention 2001 - The Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area Published version in English, French, German, Spanish

European Universities’ Charter on Lifelong learning Published version in English and French 

Compare and learn more about the European national vocational education and training systems
VET in Europe - Country reports are a product of the VET in Europe project and provide an overview of the vocational education and training systems existing in the Member States, plus Iceland and Norway. They are prepared and updated by ReferNet, according to a common structure provided by Cedefop.
Why VET in Europe - Country reports is value of interest?
Understanding national VET systems, their characteristics, developments and priorities is a key element in the different levels of the VET coordination and development process. It might also bring in additional ideas and examples of good practice.
Hence, visiting the database and downloading the country reports is highly recommended for policy makers, researchers and practitioners participating in VET related activities, including conferences, seminars or projects.
Latest VET in Europe - Country reports
Latest updated information can be downloaded by country in pdf format (for 2009 or 2010) or viewed by theme in html format (for 2010). Previous overviews are also available and can be accessed by country in PDF format.
Download by country

Austria	Belgium	Cyprus	Czech Republic	Denmark
Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece
Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Latvia
Lithuania	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Portugal
Romania	Slovakia	Slovenia	Spain	United Kingdom

EUA Brussels reception to launch new study on ‘European universities diversifying income streams’ (22 February 18h-20h30)
On the evening of 22 February 2011, EUA will organise a reception in Brussels to present its major new study on ‘European universities diversifying income streams’. As part of EUA’s series 'Towards financially sustainable universities', this report will provide an overview of the status of income diversification in European universities. It also identifies the conditions and success factors needed to implement income diversification strategies that help sustain the academic mission of higher education institutions.
The event will feature keynote speeches by Professor Maria da Graça Carvalho, Member of the European Parliament, and Mr Jordi Curell, Director at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Education and Culture, who will share their institutions’ views on university funding. The conclusions of the study (the outcome of the EC-supported EUDIS project) will then be presented by EUA's Thomas Estermann, author of the report. The event will be hosted by the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the European Union. See also Towards Financially Sustainable Universities II: Diversifying Income Streams.

The DNA-LLLU project
Global rankings, excellence contests, Ivy-league University initiatives- the portfolio of instruments pressuring Higher Education institutions in Europe to be among the "Best" in order to attract highly skilled staff, motivated students and sufficient levels of funding seems to grow annually, despite recession and economic crisis phenomenon's.
But what are the indicators and benchmarks to measure "excellence and outstanding performance" and how does this effect and intermingle with regional and national funding policies?
The DNA-LLLU project emphasizes a different understanding of excellence, helping higher education institutions developing coherent strategies in the field, prioritizing the systematic development of collaboration models on all levels (local-international), reaching out to other sectors and encompassing the dispersed Universities activities and services. Taking into account the diversity of learning cultures, the evolutionary history and environmental conditions for both the University and key stakeholders on the one hand and drawing attention to one of the recommendations from the BeFlex Plus Project on the importance of developing coherent strategies in 'networked universities' on the other hand, the project’s process is two folded:
* In the first year, the project will explore scenarios and gravity centers of the "Networked University" depending on the institutional strategies and profiles as well as on the specific surrounding conditions of the environment. In a methodological frame, the project’s partners will
1) set up a working group, identify and involve several representative external stakeholders and
2) organize strategy workshops addressing key questions for the analysis of the specific profile of the institution and its partnerships and relationships with its environment in the field of ULLL and
3) analyse and adapt to own national/regional reality cases of good practice.
* In the second year of the project the Universities will develop the distinctive profile and coherent strategy of their 'Networked-LLLU', including a precise roadmap and implementation plan for the future realization of the "Networked LLLU".
Thus, the DNA-LLL project will illustrate how concepts and implementation scenarios of a Networked University can contribute to reinforcing the core vision throughout the EC: Making LLL a reality.

Explore & find out what diversity on validation practices on non-formal and informal learning throughout the European member states exists.  The European Observatory on validation practices of non formal and informal learning in European countries is the key product of the OBSERVAL project which is funded by the Leonardo da Vinci programme and coordinated through EUCEN (European University Continuing Education Network).
Together with partner experts from 24 countries of the European Union representing the different educational sectors (higher education, vocational education and training, adult education) the project has produced and collected different materials and documents which are now available and accessible via the Observatory.
The Observatory addresses its resources to a large range of actors (decision makers at national and institutional level, social partners, human resources managers, people in charge of validation,…) facilitating materials which are usually confidential or limited in use and dissemination outside of the context where they have been produced. The presented diversity on the state of play, good practices and procedures concerning the validation of non-formal and informal learning throughout the European member states helps to deepen the understanding and allows comparison to an extent which wasn’t as easily possible before.
Doing so, the Observatory offers a platform for exchange, contributes to the ongoing and future debate in Europe on validation of non-formal and informal learning and shows new pathways for the realisation of an European Lifelong learning Area. For more information, please contact Oliver Janoschka at EUCEN: oliver.janoschka@eucen.org.