Par Max Anghilante. Rechercher via les fondations des ressources additionnelles pour l’enseignement supérieur et la recherche paraît nécessaire et judicieux. Face au désengagement de l’Etat, potentiellement, quatre types de ressources en propres (autrement dit non publiques ou encore privées) sont principalement à considérer pour les établissements de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche : la formation continue, la recherche partenariale, le mécénat et les frais de scolarité. Il nous semble que les fondations sont l’une des voies pour contribuer à résoudre la difficile équation du financement de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche. Comment?
Les pistes de réflexion et d’actions
La crise est une période de changement dont il faut profiter pour faire bouger les lignes et pousser le monde de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche d’un côté et les entreprises de l’autre à créer des passerelles pour trouver ensemble les moyens de la surmonter.
Les débats que nous conduisons depuis plusieurs années à l’IFFRES et mon travail sur le terrain comme conseil en stratégie de développement des ressources ont fait émerger quelques lignes fortes. Suite de l'article...

Latest from Foundation Forum 2013 - Social and employment policies for a fair and competitive Europe,14–15 February 2013, Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland
Commissioner László Andor on social investment as a way out of the crisis
Social dimension of the EMU
If the crisis has taught us anything, it is the extent to which Member States' economies are dependent on each other. Increasingly, employment and social policies, and the attendant challenges faced by Member States are a matter of common concern, especially in the Euro zone. All these aspects represent a strong argument for a social dimension of the EMU to be developed without further delay.
In December, the European Council mandated the President of the Commission and of the European Council to develop proposals and a roadmap for ex-­ante coordination of major economic reforms, as well as for solidarity mechanisms to enhance these efforts. At the same time, the European Council has mandated both Presidents to present measures to develop the social dimension of the EMU, including social dialogue. In my view, the social dimension of a genuine EMU must be adequately reflected in the EMU's rules and governance mechanisms, to ensure that economic efficiency and social  equity are pursued simultaneously.
The proper functioning of the EMU requires that Member States work together to restore socio-­economic convergence, address employment and social imbalances that risk affecting the EMU as a whole, and set up solidarity mechanisms to support Member States in addressing those imbalances. The monetary union must be able to collectively address the key employment and social problems facing it. This requires that fiscal objectives are reconciled with employment and social ones. In practice, this also means that fiscal coordination should be supported by fiscal transfers, if these are needed to enable Member States to undertake structural reforms that will help restore growth and jobs.
While the economic crisis has been a stress-­test to the EMU, the way we reform the EMU is now a test for the entire EU integration.
Staffan Nilsson, EESC President highlights need for better functioning labour markets and more robust welfare systems
In regards to youth unemployment, the Committee currently works on the “Youth Employment Package” and welcomed the “Youth Guarantee” and the “Quality Framework on Traineeships”. These initiatives that help young people move from education to the labour market must be supported. The EESC agrees with the Commission’s priorities for tackling youth unemployment and we have just adopted our annual opinion on the Employment Guidelines. In this opinion we highlight a few additional important measures.
We need more social investment
The EESC congratulates the Commission for the launch of the "social investment package". The EESC shares the view that it is essentially impossible to "save one's way out of a crisis", and that countries can only "grow their way out of it". This means making sustainable investments in skills, infrastructure and products and promoting investment in social services. A long-term social investment and a short-term fiscal consolidation should be mutually supportive to help Europe tackle the crisis. These were my thoughts about these two complementing challenges which must be faced by the EU institutions and all EU Member States. I thank you for your attention and look forward to the continuation of the good cooperation between Eurofound and the EESC in the future!
Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore: Socially just response to crisis needed
The European Foundation’s mission
That is why the Foundation’s mission and its capacity to provide a toolkit for the European Institutions, the Member States and civil society is crucial. It ensures that the key actors in European social policy are equipped to make more informed decisions about managing the processes of change. That mission could not be more relevant than now.
This is a time when the European approach to the social market economy, which seeks to combine free markets with social solidarity and sensible regulation, is facing its biggest challenge yet. Reinforcing economic governance is essential to ensure trust in the effectiveness of European and national policies, to fulfil vital public functions, to protect citizens from the effects of unsound economic and fiscal policies, and to ensure a high level of growth and social welfare.
The Foundation’s strength is its capacity to provide timely, quality and relevant information to the EU Institutions, and especially the European Commission as well as to national governments and the social partners at EU and national level.
Eurofound’s activities cover a broad remit, touching on employment developments, quality of life issues, working conditions trends and analysis. These are the areas which impact most directly on the lives of Europe’s citizens today. Never before has the comparative work of Eurofound’s surveys, the European Quality of Life Survey, the European Working Conditions survey and the European Company Survey had more relevance as the European Union grapples with the challenges it faces in the economic and social fields.
The Foundation regularly produces publications or resources that inform decision-making between institutions at EU and national level. The ground-breaking study of the current situation of young people in Europe, focusing specifically on those who are not in employment, education or training is a recent example. Last week the Informal Council of Employment and Social Policy Ministers meeting here in Dublin Castle was given a presentation based on Eurofound’s assessment of the economic and social consequences of their disengagement from the labour market and education.
I would like to express my Government’s appreciation to Commissioner Lazslo Andor who has supported using Eurofound's conference centre facilities in Loughlinstown, County Dublin, for a series of events taking place during the course of the Presidency. Eurofound will also contribute to several EU Presidency conferences in areas related to the social policy debate. I hope that this kind of collaboration building upon the core areas of the Foundations’ expertise in the development of social and work-related policies can provide a model for subsequent Presidencies.
ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, calls for jobs, social inclusion and growth to be at the top of the European agenda
The ILO’s Global Employment Trends 2013 shows that over 200 million people around the world will be unemployed this year, with this level expected to continue rising. In addition, almost 40 million have given up all hope of getting a job and dropped out of the labour market. Young people are particularly hard hit. In the Eurozone as a whole, youth unemployment tops 22 per cent, reaching more than 50 per cent in countries like Greece and Spain.
In Ireland, people are paying a high price for cleaning up the devastating consequences of irresponsible practices in the financial sector. Finding a fair and equitable solution to the sovereign debt issue which lifts the burden from the shoulders of workers, businesses and taxpayers is a priority if Ireland and other countries affected by sovereign debt are to get back to growth and job creation.
The EU must bring real substance to the social dimension, including social dialogue, as announced in the roadmap for completing the European economic and monetary union. It should help member states implement youth guarantee schemes, improve industrial diversification and innovation, boost effectiveness of labour market services, increase job creation and strengthen social investment.
The Irish EU Council Presidency has made it clear it is moving in that direction, announcing that jobs and growth will be high on its agenda. That is good news. At the same time, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, László Andor, has called for a monetary union with a human face, and is set to announce a social investment package later this month. Social dialogue is a major asset for the European Union. Unfortunately the collective bargaining systems that are the foundation for social dialogue have been weakened in several EU countries, which will make it all the more difficult for wages to stay in line with productivity.
The fact that Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU at this critical time presents an important opportunity to reassert the values of the social dialogue that played a key role in the recovery and growth of the Irish economy in the 1980s and 1990s.
The Forum brings together leading decision-makers, opinion-formers and academic experts, in a neutral setting to promote the exchange of new ideas and experiences on important issues. A programme is available. See Foundation Forum 2009, 2006, 2004 and 2002 for information on previous Forum events.

En France, ce sont les mieux formés qui se forment le plus. Ainsi, en 2010, environ 35% des cadres français ont eu accès à la formation professionnelle, contre seulement 17% des ouvriers et 23% des employés (Observatoire des Inégalités). Un chiffre qui évolue peu et qui marque une inégalité en matière d’accès au savoir.
Essayer de réduire cet écart est l’objectif de la toute nouvelle CrossKnowledge Foundation. Spécialiste de l’enseignement à distance, Crossknowledge souhaite offrir un accès à une formation au plus grand nombre, en France et partout dans le monde. Comment? En mettant gratuitement à la disposition d’organisations à but non lucratif et d’intérêt général des solutions d’e-learning ainsi que les services associés, dont l’accompagnement. Contact: Crossknowledge Foundation. Lire l'article entier...

Foundation Forum 2013 - Social and employment policies for a fair and competitive Europe,14–15 February 2013, Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland
The Foundation Forum, which takes place every four years in Dublin, is Eurofound’s ‘flagship’ event. It is designed to provide a high-level forum for debate and discussion of key social policy issues facing Member States. The Forum brings together leading decision-makers and opinion-formers, together with academic experts, in a neutral setting to promote the exchange of new ideas and experiences on subjects of policy relevance and within the Foundation’s competence.
The fifth edition of the Forum will be dedicated to the theme of ‘Social and employment policies for a fair and competitive Europe’.
Through panel sessions, plenary debates and interactive technologies, Forum participants will address the most pressing issues in this area to come up with original, workable solutions that can potentially feed into the policymaking process. A programme is available.
The Forum is organised with the support of the Irish government.
See Foundation Forum 2009, 2006, 2004 and 2002 for information on previous Forum events.

La situation de l’emploi en France connaît un taux de chômage record. La formation, qui figure parmi les leviers pour pérenniser l’emploi et favoriser l’insertion professionnelle, apparaît actuellement mal intégrée par les entreprises au regard du nombre d’actions effectivement réalisées.
Une note de la fondation Jean Jaurès revient sur les mesures à mettre en œuvre pour faciliter le recours à la formation au sein des organisations, tant publiques que privées, et rendre les salariés plus proactifs, afin de les aider à progresser professionnellement ou à rebondir lors des périodes de chômage.
Selon l’étude, moins d’un salarié sur deux a récemment suivi une formation. Les personnes les plus fréquemment exclues sont les professions les moins qualifiées, les salariés de petites structures et les personnes travaillant dans les secteurs de l’industrie, du commerce et de l’agriculture. Il apparaît ainsi paradoxalement que les salariés les moins formés initialement sont aussi le plus souvent les moins pris en compte dans les plans de formation.
Les entreprises ont tendance à favoriser la spécialisation de leurs collaborateurs plutôt que la diversification des compétences et la polyvalence, qui constituent pourtant des leviers forts en termes de performance et d’innovation. Pourtant la formation peut aussi constituer un levier de fidélisation et de motivation important.
Afin d’intensifier et de garantir l’efficacité des politiques de formation, la note exhorte à mieux faire connaître la règlementation et les modes de financement de la formation, de rendre les salariés davantage acteurs de leur formation, et d’aider à la fois les actifs et les employeurs à sélectionner les formations les plus adaptées à leurs besoins, notamment par une politique d’évaluation rigoureuse.
Consulter la note ou sa synthèse.

L’Etat peut-il être un bon gestionnaire? On aimerait pouvoir répondre par l’affirmative pour l’enseignement supérieur, qui représente un enjeu majeur dans le monde d’aujourd’hui en termes d’innovation, de recherche et développement, mais aussi de formation des cadres. Source: Le Cercle Les Echos.
Écrit par Alain Trannoy, Directeur de recherche à l’EHESS. Le doute peut néanmoins naître à la lecture du rapport issu des assises de l’enseignement supérieur et remis au président de la République, le 17 décembre dernier, qui préconise rien de moins qu’un changement de cap radical par rapport à l’évolution des cinq, voire des dix années précédentes et même plus pour certaines dispositions.
La France contemporaine hérite d’une histoire compliquée en matière d’enseignement supérieur. Seul pays européen à avoir dissous ses universités au moment de la tourmente révolutionnaire, pour lui substituer l’université impériale, elle est toujours prisonnière de cet accident historique qui s’est traduit par un pilotage centralisé de la recherche et de l’enseignement supérieur avec des universités faibles, des organismes de recherche nationaux forts et des grandes écoles qui forment l’élite de la nation à l’exception du droit et de la médecine.
Cette exception française constitue-t-elle un modèle que le reste du monde nous envie et cherche à imiter? Les étudiants et les collègues étrangers se précipitent-ils dans nos labos, nos universités, nos grandes écoles? Ou le mouvement va-t-il dans l’autre sens? Nous avons, là comme ailleurs, un déficit d’attractivité. Bien sûr, la France ne manque pas de bons et d’excellents chercheurs et de bons et d’excellents laboratoires. Suite de l'article...

Jean-Louis Lacombe, ancien Vice Président du groupe EADS, est à l’origine de plusieurs fondations scientifiques et de valorisation des sciences. Il est Vice Président de l’IFFRES et anime notre think tank sur les « best practices ».
Les Fondations sont l’une des voies pour créer et améliorer les relations entre l’Enseignement Supérieur et le monde économique.
Le budget 2013 exprime de grandes ambitions en matière de réussite étudiante: financement du 10e mois, logement étudiant, réussite en 1er cycle, projets immobiliers, contrat de projet État-Régions,  dimension internationale de l’enseignement supérieur – mobilité des étudiants et des enseignants.
Il est postulé que la réussite des étudiants passe par un budget préservant les effectifs et le développement des structures qui les accueillent, qu’il faut en priorité, pour la réussite de tous les étudiants, de nouveaux emplois (ils permettront d’améliorer l’encadrement des étudiants dans certaines filières, de mieux orienter de manière individuelle des étudiants dès leur arrivée à l’université, de développer l’accompagnement individuel des étudiants en difficulté, d’engager une rénovation pédagogique profonde des premiers cycles.) Suite de l'article...

By Sean Coughlan. Online courses provided by some of the top universities in the United States are going to be used by students at local community colleges, in a project funded by the Gates Foundation.
The edX project, set up by Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, announced a plan to "bring a new teaching model to the classroom".
It will blend edX's online lectures and materials with classroom learning.
EdX president Anant Agarwal pointed to the value to tight college budgets.
Online courses have become an increasingly important topic in higher education - particularly in the United States, where they have been seen as a way of widening access and tackling spiralling costs. More...