Formation Continue du Supérieur

7th European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education, Bergen 29-31 August 2012. The University of Bergen welcomes researchers, university teachers, administrators, gender equality practitioners and student union representatives to the 7th European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education. The conference will focus on gender equality in a changing academic world against the backdrop of the current financial crisis in Europe and beyond.
Date: Wednesday 29 - Friday 31 August 2012. Location: Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Bergen in Norway.
European conferences on gender equality in higher education
The European conferences on gender equality in higher education have since 1998 brought regularly together hundreds of gender equality practitioners, researchers and administrators from Europe and beyond. The conferences provide an international forum to discuss and exchange information and experiences and share research results on the changes and challenges related to gender in academia, gender equality promotion and interventions in higher education institutions.
The first European conference on gender equality in higher education was organized in Finland by the University of Helsinki in 1998, and since then the conferences have traveled across Europe: to Zürich (2000), Genoa (2003), Oxford (2005), Berlin (2007), Stockholm (2009), and now to Bergen 2012. 
What has kept these European gatherings going is a network created in 1999 as a result of the first conference: the European Network on Gender Equality in Higher Education. This network keeps connected by an email list eq-uni (see separate link on how to join) with 500 members from over 30 countries. Each conference is organized by a local organizing group, consisting of one or several universities and other stakeholders, and advised by previous organizers and the European network.  Where the next conference is going to take place is discussed collectively during the conference on the basis of offers from interested future host universities.
See also: Women’s access to Higher Education, What is wrong with global inequality in higher education, Strategies for Securing Equity in Access and Success in Higher Education, Women in Lifelong Learning Network, Equitable Access and Success in Higher Education, Every woman’s right to learn.

EUPRIO Annual Conference: The social contract between universities and society, Gothenburg, Sweden (6-9 September 2012). The 2012 EUPRIO annual conference is this year situated in Gothenburg, Sweden. The conference is hosted by the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology, and the theme of the conference is ‘The social contract between universities and society’.
We are very proud to present a an exciting programme with a number of excellent speakers  from all over Europe, on how to bridging the gap between universities and the society at large.  As always, the opportunity to network with colleagues from all over Europe is a reason good enough for attending the EUPRIO conference. Do not miss the chance to participate in the EUPRIO award 2012.
‘The social contract between universities and society’
Although the days of universities as ‘ivory towers’ may be gone, this doesn’t automatically mean that universities are very good at proving their value to society, or in creating partnerships with important public stakeholder groups. Universities are challenged to convince the public of what could be called ‘the social contract between universities and society’. In this contract universities commit themselves to constantly improve teaching, to educate young people to become the leaders in future society, to do important research for economic, social and cultural development and to drive public debate about the development of a responsible and prosperous society.
Playing a muted role in promoting ‘the contract’ makes universities an easy prey for governments trying to reduce state deficits. And indeed more than ever universities are in the contemporary global crisis confronted with major cuts. General audiences barely react. They do not feel an urgency to protest against cutbacks or support universities. There is no general notion that investing in universities, in academic education and research, is one of the essential measures to find a way out of the current crisisWhat should universities do or how could universities improve their communication in a way that society recognises the general importance of academic education and research for the welfare of society itself? How can we improve a common understanding of the importance of public funding for universities as a essential investment in society itself? Quite a challenge!
The coming year we want to discuss this issue with all of you. We want to seek solutions, exchange best practise and develop ideas how we as communicators could effectively work on the improvement of the common understanding of the importance of universities for society of ‘the social contract between universities and society’. The European Plaza is the starting point to exchange ideas and experience and gather examples of best practise. We have formulated 4 different themes which allow us to discuss this issue looking at it from different angles. Don’t hesitate to give your opinion or to send in ideas how to handle this situation.
See also University Communicators establish their roles towards 2020.

The Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities (CRUP), together with EUA, recently organised a one-day event for Portuguese higher education stakeholders entitled "University Autonomy in Europe: the autonomy scorecard and the case of Portugal". The meeting, attended by over 100 participants and with strong media presence, followed up on the publication of last year’s EUA Autonomy Scorecard report which compares university autonomy across 26 European countries. The event combined presentations on current international trends and the Portuguese perspective.
In addition to an in-depth analysis of the state of institutional autonomy in Europe, the report includes scorecards which rank and rate higher education systems in four autonomy areas: organisational, financial, staffing and academic autonomy. Last week's event at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon was an opportunity for different stakeholders in Portugal (including universities and policy makers) to discuss the report’s findings with European experts in the context of the Portuguese higher education system.
Introductions by EUA President, Professor Helena Nazaré and the President of the CRUP, Professor António Rendas, were followed by a detailed presentation of the Scorecard project by report author Thomas Estermann. Individual sessions then looked in more detail at each of the four elements of university autonomy outlined in the report and in which European experts (including former EUA President Professor Jean-Marc Rapp, and Sir Howard Newby, Vice-Chancellor, University of Liverpool and Chair of the Autonomy Scorecard Steering Committee) presented alongside Portuguese experts. The event showed how the Scorecard findings can be useful in informing national debates and reforms on university autonomy. EUA intends to continue to monitor progress in this area with its members.
Find out more about the event here. To find out more about the Scorecard project visit the online autonomy tool developed by EUA.

Selon la 3e édition du baromètre "Défis RH", réalisé pour l'ANDRH et Inergie sur la base des réponses d'un échantillon de 213 DRH interrogés du 13 au 30 mars 2012, plus de la moitié des DRH compte augmenter la part de contrats en alternance dans ses effectifs en 2012.
Alors qu'ils n'étaient que 34% en 2011, la proportion de DRH souhaitant avoir davantage recours aux contrats en alternance est passée à 54% dans l'édition 2012 du baromètre. Ceci concerne notamment les grandes entreprises, qui ont déjà beaucoup recours à l'apprentissage. Alors que 42% de l'ensemble des DRH ont répondu ne pas compter augmenter la part de contrats en alternance dans leurs effectifs en 2012, ils ne sont en effet que 25% parmi les DRH d'entreprises de plus de 2 000 salariés.
Trois quart des entreprises ont moins de 3% d'alternants
Alors que le quota d'alternants est récemment passé de 3 à 4%, bien peu d'entreprises atteignent aujourd'hui cet objectif selon le baromètre. Dans 72 % des entreprises, les alternants représentent moins de 3% des effectifs. Dans 33% de l'ensemble des entreprises (37% en 2011) les alternants sont même en dessous des 1%. Dans les entreprises de moins de 500 salariés, la part des entreprises n'atteignant pas 1% d'alternants dans leurs effectifs passe à 51%.

By Justin Norrie. Postgraduate students in humanities, arts and social sciences are older, feel less supported and have fewer spaces to work than their counterparts in sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics, according to a survey of more than 1,000 students completing research degrees.
Students in all disciplines said the quality of the supervision they received was the most important factor when considering whether to stay on or drop out. Some complained they did not have enough funding to attend conferences or perform field work, while others said they did not have their own desk or lab space, according to the survey, developed by the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) with the Department of Education.
The President of CAPA, Chamonix Terblanche, will present the findings at the Higher Education Summit in Melbourne today. She said supervision was “easily the biggest concern for students, and the most important factor when it comes to those who drop out.
“Collegiality too. As soon as research candidates feel they’re being treated with respect, and their opinion counts, and they’re being included in all these collegiate activities, then it’s a far better experience for them. Their supervisor is crucial to that.”
The survey found that humanities, arts and social science (HASS) students made up just 25% of postgraduate students aged 24 or younger, but 85% of students over 65. While most participants said they had a positive experience of “academic inclusivity and collegiality”, 134 HASS students rated their experience as poor or below average compared with 100 students in science-based subjects. Almost twice as many HASS students did not have access to their own desk and chair: 153 to 79.
Ms Terblanche said that although the survey did not map attrition rates, “we do know anecdotally that for students in the humanities, arts and social sciences, attrition rates are higher than for people in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The latter tend to work together on industry-based projects or in labs, so they have more support around them naturally. But with the humanities and others, they tend to work more on their own, so they’re isolated and don’t always have someone to reach out to.”
The average age of a PhD student was 35, she said. Many had worked for several years and expected to be treated as equals rather than “rookies” when they returned to their studies.
“Resources are a big issue. So are the tools that students are furnished with. Do they have their own desk and computer? How much money are they allowed to spend on doing field work? Do they have support for attending conferences?”
The report said that “so-called ‘imposter syndrome’, that is, the feeling that one does not deserve what one has accomplished, such as a place in a higher degree by research, seems to be fairly common amongst [higher degree by research] (HDR) candidates, and may be why many believe that they are simply not ‘smart enough’ when supervision proves difficult.
“The stakes can be a lot higher when there is limited expertise in the department, such as when disciplinary knowledge is restricted to an HDR candidate’s supervisor. When things go wrong in such environments, there can be nowhere to turn.”

Par Olivier Rollot. « Je m’étonne qu’un candidat socialiste recrute ses conseillers parmi ceux qui ont aidé à mettre en place la LRU, ceux qui « dialoguent » aimablement avec Mme Pécresse sur l’avenir de la recherche en France et ont eu la naïveté de croire au marketing de « l’excellence » et de « l’autonomie ». » Présidente de l’université Montpellier 3 et parmi les adversaires les plus farouches de la LRU – l’autonomie des universités voulue par le précédent gouvernement – Anne Fraïsse ne mâchait pas ses mots en parlant de Lionel Collet dans une lettre écrite à François Hollande début 2012. Et encore à l’époque, l’ancien président de la Conférence des présidents d’université (CPU) n’était encore qu’un des conseillers de Vincent Peillon, le chargé des questions d’éducation dans l’équipe de François Hollande.
Histoire de faire oublier cette présence « pro LRU », l’équipe de Vincent Peillon s’était alors enrichie de la présence d’Isabelle This Saint Jean, figure de l’association Sauvons l’université, élue PS et vice-présidente chargée de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche au conseil régional d'Ile-de-France. Mais voilà, il n’y a qu’un directeur de cabinet et il s’appelle Lionel Collet et, dès le jour de sa nomination, il est contesté par cette même association Sauvons la recherche sur son blog. Didier Chatenay, l’un de ses membres, y écrit ainsi: « On ne peut qu’exprimer une circonspection certaine lorsque nous apprenons que son Directeur de Cabinet sera Lionel COLLET! Lionel Collet dites vous? Le Collet de la CPU des années 2009-2010 ? Et oui c’est bien de lui qu’il s’agit et nul doute que nombreux seront celles et ceux qui ont gardé de ce personnage un souvenir disons pour le moins partagé! »
UN ENTRETIEN DE 2009 A RELIRE POUR MIEUX COMPRENDRE
J’avais rencontré Lionel Collet dans le cadre d’un hors-série du « Monde » sur l’orientation en 2010 alors qu’il achevait son mandat à la tête de la CPU. Je vous propose de relire ce qu’il disait alors et éclaire bien ses positions sur la LRU et l’avenir de l’université. Suite de l'article...

When Erasmus began it was little-known, and promised nothing more than mobility and educational enrichment. Today it has become the infamous international social party network that allows European students to live a lavish lifestyle abroad under the pretext of studying. Whilst I’ve been studying in Oviedo, Spain, I’ve had enough contact with the students living the Erasmus lifestyle to be able to pass on a few of the things I’ve learnt.
It’s no secret that the colloquial name for the programme is ‘Orgasmus’, a pretty self-explanatory term. An athletic, fun-loving American student gives the candid summation “the average weekend night involves partying until 7 in the morning while ordering  1 euro tequila shots (in Spanish), getting rejected by hot Spanish women, ordering a kebab at 5am (in Spanish) and dancing all night (to obnoxious yet catchy Spanish songs).” However, he readily admits that scoring with the other Americans and Erasmus students has been far easier: “Honestly, I was never this smooth at home…”
A young, womanizing Spanish friend of mine commented that he always goes for Erasmus girls on nights out as they’re so easy. That’s why the Erasmus bar is the busiest in Oviedo. It’s safe to say that these apparently looser foreign students are not a reflection of the prudish nature of the Spaniards, but more of a lifestyle which allows Erasmus students to go out and meet new people every night of the week, be themselves, or even re-invent themselves for a semester or two.
Students far away from home are always hugely supportive of each other, and it is hardly surprising that as well as drunken encounters in dodgy back-street bars, many make friends for life. One student who has come to Oviedo all the way from New Zealand says “they say an exchange is not a year in your life but a life in a year and I don’t think I could explain my time here in any other way.” Returning home after forming such close bonds with people from all over the world is a bitter-sweet experience. Even those that are excited to return to their family and friends feel huge sadness knowing how many of these people they will never get to see again. For others, there is a worry that their return to life at home can never live up to their experiences over the past year. One relatively wild English student from Aberystwyth knows that drinking will never be the same: “the drinking culture is very different in Spain and England. In Spain they just drink casually and pleasantly all day and know their limits, whereas in England we have to get absolutely wasted before we even set foot outside the house.”
However, living abroad for a year doesn’t just give you a licence to stay up partying all night. Almost every student who embarks on an Erasmus exchange returns fluent in both English and the language of the country in which they were studying. Even those intrepid students who brave countries such as Finland, whose language is said to be like no other, and thus almost impossible to master, still return with an excellent grasp of the language. Although the things students learn in the classroom are fundamental in terms of grasping the basics, it’s the everyday interactions that make you into a real ‘citizen of the world’. One girl making the most of her exchange here says: “your professors will lecture about formalities, but it’s only with experience that you can ask the DJ to play your favourite song on a Saturday night, or flirt with a Spaniard across the bar.”
One would be surprised how much I have learnt about my own language as well. Namely I have discovered just how different variants of English can be. When I left, I thought my only communication troubles would be in foreign tongues; in fact, the majority have been thanks to my ‘quaint’ and ‘ridiculous’ British English. In America, it would be frowned upon to “get off” in a club, or to “rub out” in class, you wouldn’t have a “tactical chunder”, you would “pull the trigger”, and if you “do it live” you’re not on TV, but planning to have a spontaneous night out.
Another important lesson I have learnt is the value of some English institutions, which I had previously considered useless: banks, for example. I have never been as taken aback as the day that a branch of Santander, when I asked why they were never open after lunch as they claimed to be, told me that after midday they work with the lights out to try and dissuade as many customers as possible!
Anyone who tries to claim that the ‘Erasmus-Orgasmus’ experience has been undermined and ruined in recent years should first embark on a year abroad themselves. I don’t know anyone who has lived the experience who wouldn’t claim it to have been one of the best of their lives, and who wouldn’t wish to do it all over again, given the opportunity. For me, the best part has been meeting so many fantastic people, and now the hardest part, fast approaching, will be having to say goodbye.