Formation Continue du Supérieur

ECA has been founded in 2003 with the primary aim of mutual recognition of accreditation decisions. Twelve mutual recognition agreements between ECA members were signed in 2007. ECA was renewed in 2008. The ENIC/ NARICs of ECA member countries have been involved in the project in order to strengthen the link between accreditation decisions and recognition of qualifications. The members of ECA have agreed on their aims, project organisation and main activities in the Agreement of Cooperation 2008.
Projects
CA is a project in itself. But in order to facilitate its cooperation and to contribute to achieving its aims ECA is continuosly carrying out projects within the fields of QA and recognition of qualifications. ECA is currently carrying out the projects; JOQAR and E-TRAIN. Other recent projects of ECA are the TEAM projects.
Joint programmes: Quality Assurance and Recognition of degrees awarded (JOQAR)
ECA is currently carrying out the EU funded project JOQAR. The overall purpose of the project is to ensure that Erasmus Mundus programmes (and joint programmes in general) are facilitated in two specific areas: accreditation and recognition. The project partnership consequently includes quality assurance/accreditation agencies (QA/A agencies) and recognition bodies (ENIC-NARICs.  * Read more.
European Training of QA Experts (E-TRAIN)
E-TRAIN is another ECA project which is funded by the EC. The main aims of E-TRAIN are to develop a European training programme for QA experts and to develop a database with QA experts. * Read more
Transparent European Accreditation decisions and Mutual recognition agreements II (TEAM II)
Autumn 2010 ECA finalised the TEAM II project. The main aims of TEAM II were to explore recognition of qualifications from joint programmes and facilitate single accreditation procedures of these programmes. In order to achieve the aims of the project a variety of activities were carried out. E.g. a focus group consisiting of ENIC/NARICs analysed practices related to the recognition of qualifications from joint programmes. Additionally a proposal for a methodology for single accreditation procedures of joint programmes was put forward. The outcomes of TEAM II were presented at a dissemination conference in Graz on 10 and 11 June, 2010. * Read more
Qrossroads
Qrossroads is actually the result of the TEAM projects but deserves some special attention here. The main aim of Qrossroads is to present the qualifications awarded by programmes and institutions that were quality assured and accredited. The members of ECA have implemented a system in which their databases can communicate all the relevenant information to a central database. In return they can gather information from that central database to be used in their own database. * Visit Qrossroads
Transparent European Accreditation decisions and Mutual recognition agreements (TEAM)
TEAM was a project conducted by ECA partners in the period from  September 2006 till July 2008. The project was funded with support from the European Commission. The main objectives of the TEAM-project were the development of Qrossroads, the introduction of accreditation statements in English and the dissemination of information about mutual recognition of accreditation decisions. * Read more.
Joint Declaration concerning the Automatic Recognition of Qualifications
Click here to consult the Joint Declaration concerning the Automatic Recognition of Qualifications signed by ECA members and the corresponding ENIC-NARICs.
Joiman Project
Joiman is not a project of ECA, but is a European Commission funded  LLP project focusing on Erasmus Mundus programmes. Joiman aims at providing a platform in which an experienced group of partners could share knowledge and know how on the solutions found for the problems faced during the first stage of the Erasmus Mundus Programme. Joiman website.
Cooperation agreements
ECA has entered into cooperation agreements with other QA networks.

From 30 November until 2 December 2011, INQAAHE and ENQA organise a joint seminar “Internationalisation and QA: Connecting European and Global Experiences”. The seminar takes place in Brussels, Belgium at the Metropole Hotel.
The first day (30 November 2011) is organised by INQAAHE and is entitled “Quality of International Education in the Professions”. During this day INQAAHE will pay a tribute to Dr Marjorie Peace Lenn, one of the founders of INQAAHE in 1991, who sadly died last year. Marjorie’s main interests, the various forms of international higher education and its relation with the professional accreditors will be explored through presentations and workshops.
The second day (1 December 2011)  'Connecting European and Global experiences' is jointly organised by ENQA and INQAAHE. The ENQA seminar, entitled “European Quality Labels and QA”, will take place on 2 December 2011 and will focus on European Quality Labels and Quality Assurance.The objectives of the seminar are to analyse the nature of so-called quality labels in terms of their aims and objectives, methodological approaches and criteria used in their reviews, to discuss their specific contribution to quality assurance in Europe and to analyse the relation between quality labels and quality assurance solely based on the European Standards and Guidelines.
Programme
The seminar Internationalisation and QA: Connecting European and Global Experiences is divided in three parts. On the first day  INQAAHE will offer a programme on the Quality of Internationalisation in the Professions. On the second day INQAAHE and ENQA will jointly explore their experiences with disciplinary accreditation initiatives and mutual recognition. The third day is organised by ENQA and focusses at European Quality Labels and Quality Assurance. Please find below more information about the different parts. Preliminary programme Internationalisation and QA.
Quality of International Education in the Professions
On Wednesday 30 November INQAAHE will organise a seminar on the Quality of International Education in the Professions. During this day INQAAHE will pay tribute to Dr Marjorie Peace Lenn, one of the founders of INQAAHE in 1991, who sadly died last year. Marjorie’s main interests, the various forms of international higher education and its relation with the professional accreditors will be explored through presentations and workshops. There will also be presentations about linking internationalisation trends to QA developments. Contributions will come from many parts of the world. One of the plenary keynote speakers is Bethany Jones, President of the Center for QA in International Education (confirmed). She will talk about Quality Assurance in Teacher Education.
Connecting European and Global Experiences
On Thursday 1 December INQAAHE and ENQA will organise a joint seminar: Connecting European and Global Experiences.  Attention will be paid to (recently) established European and International disciplinary accreditation initiatives and their relation to (national) QA systems. Also during this day mutual recognition in Europe, Latin-America and the Asia-Pacific region will be addressed. One of the plenary keynote speakers is Eva Egron-Polak, Secretary General of the International Association of Universities (IAU). She will talk about IAU’s 3rd Global Survey on Internationalization of Higher Education and the role for Quality Assurance Agencies in relation to internationalisation of higher education.
European Quality Labels and Quality Assurance
On Friday 2 December ENQA will organise a seminar on European Quality Labels and Quality Assurance. The objectives of the seminar are to analyse the nature of so-called quality labels in terms of their aims and objectives, methodological approaches and criteria used in their reviews, to discuss their specific contribution to quality assurance in Europe and to analyse the relation between quality labels and quality assurance solely based on the European Standards and Guidelines.

An open space for knowledge
The European Research Area is composed of all research and development activities, programmes and policies in Europe which involve a transnational perspective. Together, they enable researchers, research institutions and businesses to increasingly circulate, compete and co-operate across borders. The aim is to give them access to a Europe-wide open space for knowledge and technologies in which transnational synergies and complementarities are fully exploited.
ERA consists of activities, programmes and policies which are designed and operated at all levels: regional, national and European.
There are a number of fully integrated European-level structures and programmes: the EU RTD Framework Programmes, including the current Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013), related European agencies and undertakings, as well as a number of intergovernmental infrastructures and research organisations. Some have existed for more than 50 years, such as the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the research activities of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). Many were created in the 1970s and 1980s, such as the European Space Agency (ESA) and the first Framework Programmes. But there are also important new organisations which are changing the ERA ‘landscape’: notably, the European Research Council, the Joint Technology Initiatives and the European Institute for Innovation and Technology.
Some public policies which have an important impact on research are defined at the European level. This is notably the case for state aid and competition law, as well as for many relevant internal market rules. The EU also develops and promotes voluntary guidelines and recommendations which serve as common European references. Examples can be found in areas such as researchers' careers and mobility, knowledge transfer and co-operation between public research and industry. The EU also fosters a broad-based approach to innovation. With the launch of the Europe 2020 strategy  and the Innovation Union Flagship Initiative a strategic approach to innovation is now on the European agenda.
While most research activities, programmes and policies take place at regional and national levels, no single country offers sufficient resources to be competitive on the world scale. To strenghten ERA , such activities and policies should be increasingly designed and operated from a transnational perspective, including, where relevant, cross-border co-operation. But this does not mean that they should be centralised in Brussels.Transnational co-operation helps make the most efficient and effective use of national and regional resources.

Around the turn of millennium the rectors of Finnish universities insisted in more autonomy, even though Finnish universities already were pretty autonomous in comparison to many countries. Simultaneously, it was noticed that the demographic development of Finland challenges higher education institutions. Namely the younger age groups were decreasing and the population is drawn by a few growing regions.

These were the circumstances under which the new higher education and science policy initiative of structural development originated. The dual higher education system is being restructured by the means of organisational, disciplinary and regional prioritisation and profiling of institutions.

The policy demand for the monitoring and evaluation of national education systems is increasing on an international level.  The Centre for Research on Lifelong Learning  (CRELL) based on indicators and benchmarks, located at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra, northern Italy, was established in this context and in response to the need to underpin monitoring instruments with sound scientific research.
The European Commission monitors progress towards the Community goals in the area of education and training using a framework of indicators and benchmarks, reported annually in the report on the Progress towards the Lisbon Objectives in Education and Training- Indicators and Benchmarks (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009).
The set of indicators currently employed is less than fully developed. As stated in the Joint Interim Report "Education & Training 2010":
“The work carried out to date has pinpointed the key areas for which there is a lack of relevant and comparable data for monitoring progress in relation to the objectives set. The quality and comparability of the existing indicators need to be improved, particularly in the field of lifelong learning, and regularly reviewed. Priorities should be established for the development of a restricted number of new indicators, taking due account of the work carried out by other bodies active in this area. […] The following areas should come in for particular attention: key competences, and particularly learning to learn; investment efficiency; ICT; mobility; and adult education and vocational education and training."
The Council Conclusions of May 2009 on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training "ET2020" further emphasize the need for periodic monitoring of progress towards a set objective as an essential contribution towards evidence-based policy making. The strategic objectives defined in the "ET2020" strategy are accompanied during the period 2010-2020 by indicators and by reference levels for European average performance (‘European benchmarks’) and work on proposals for possible benchmarks in the areas of mobility, employability and language learning is requested.
Various strategies are underway to address these needs, among them the establishment of CRELL. The European Council Conclusions of 24 May 2005 on new indicators in education and training recognised that it was necessary to develop a coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks to monitor performance and progress, and stated that "the establishment of the research unit on lifelong learning at the Joint Research Centre at Ispra can significantly increase the Commission’s research capacity in terms of the development of new indicators." CRELL is involved in actively supporting the European Commission by providing scientific expertise and research in order to underpin the policy dossiers of  DG Education and Culture. Clickhere for more information on the Strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training "ET2020." Click here for more information on Indicators and Benchmarks. The Econometrics and Applied Statistics Unit at the Joint Research Centre in Ispra has estabished a world-renown scientific expertise in the field of composite indicators. It has co-authored together with the OECD the widely used  Handbook on Constructing Composite Indicators and supports an information server on composite indicators.

Education databases and catalogues
BEI- British Education Index
Index to the contents of 300 education and training journals published in the British Isles, together with some internationally published periodicals. Includes: Education-line, a freely accessible database of the full text of conference papers, working papers and electronic literature which supports educational research, policy and practice; catalogue of professionally evaluated internet sites; conference programmes and papers.
CERUK - Current Educational Research in the UK
CERUK aims to provide a complete record of current or on-going research in education and related disciplines.
EENEE - European Expert Network on the Economics of Education
Network on economics of education with a directory of experts and researchers by field and country, journal databases and other information.
EPPI-Centre - Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordination Centre
EPPI-Centre supports the writing of systematic reviews of research evidence in the field of education. Seventeen review groups undertake reviews of individual topics, and a series of reviews commissioned by the Teacher Training Agency is also produced. All the reviewed research is included in a database.
ERIC - Education Resources Information Centre
Sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the US Department of Education, hosts a large database of journal and non-journal education literature.
ETV Library - European Training Village
The ETV library maintains a host of databases and catalogues on VET, including: European Research Overview (ERO Base); bibliographical database; VET internet resources; training institutions database; collection of 300 electronic-journals.
Eurostat - Eurostat
The statistical office of the European Communities, with extensive data collections in the area of education and training (Population and Social Conditions).
Eurydice - Eurydice
Information network on education in Europe. Includes several databases on education systems, Key Data publications and thesauri.
INCA - International Review of Curriculum and Assessment Frameworks Internet Archive
INCA provides descriptions of government policy on education in Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland (forthcoming), Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the USA and Wales. It focuses on curriculum, assessment and initial teacher training frameworks for pre-school, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education in schools (3-19 age range).
NCES - National Centre for Education Statistics (US)
Database of US education statistics and analysis. The Education Statistics Quarterly is also available - an overview of all work carried out at NCES, including publications and data products.
PERINE - Pedagogical and Educational Research Information Network for Europe
The 'PERINE Internet Resource Catalogue' is a collection of information about national and cross-national resources supporting educational research in Europe. The catalogue will contain references produced by partners, presented within a multilingual search environment utilising the European Education Thesaurus. Initially the catalogue is experimental, providing information on themes identified by educational researchers connected with the European Educational Research Association (EERA).
VOCED - Vocational Education and Training Research Database
VOCED is the UNESCO/NCVER research database for technical and vocational education and training, an international database of research abstracts, in English.
WIFO - Gateway to Research on Education in Europe
This website has emerged in the context of European research projects carried out by the Research Forum WIFO (Wissenschaftsforum Bildung und Gesellschaft). It is an free information service provided by researchers for researchers. Focus on vocational education, recently also including human resource development. The database also includes a ‘search by method/approach’ facility.

2011 Conference: Assessing Higher Education Performance: Initiatives and Implications. 20-21 October 2011, Crown Promenade Hotel, Melbourne. Register.
Organised by the LH Martin Institute and the European Centre for the Strategic Management of Universities (ESMU) as a culmination of the three-year EU-Step Project funded by the European Union (EU) Erasmus Mundus program.
Performance assessments and their consequences are issues occupying the attention of higher education policy makers and institutional leaders nearly everywhere. Performance assessment has institutional funding implications and impacts directly or otherwise on how academics structure the curriculum and evaluate its quality, access research funding and achieve scientific esteem. It also may help determine at what institution students choose to study – domestically or internationally – and where academics choose to build a career.
The use of performance assessment for international comparisons and benchmarking of higher education institutions is increasing – witness, for example, the proliferation of global university rankings. Many countries are concerned about the standards achieved by university graduates, while at the same time, gaining tertiary qualifications is becoming the norm for the vast majority of citizens.
This symposium examines prominent international initiatives directed at assessing higher education learning and research outcomes. Each initiative examined has global implications for higher education systems, with most specifically concerned with an international dimension of performance measurement. The Symposium will explore four major international initiatives and their relevance for Australian higher education:
Assessing Excellence, the EU2020 Strategy and Promoting Research for Innovation in Realising the Europe of Knowledge
Research and innovation are at the heart of the EU's social and economic development strategies, as is ensuring the excellence of research performance. An example of the latter is the UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), arguably the most well established research outcome assessment initiative in the world, and the precursor of similar initiatives in many other countries, including Australia and New Zealand. The symposium will also examine the Research Excellence Framework (REF) which is the new system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions which will be completed in 2014 and replace the RAE. The symposium will review EU research and innovation strategies, the role of the RAE and similar exercises in assessing achievements, and the lessons that can be drawn for Australia.
Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO)
OECD Education Ministers commenced discussions in 2008 on evaluating the quality of higher education, and following consultation with international experts launched shortly thereafter the AHELO initiative. The project will test students nearing the end of their undergraduate studies, and is designed so that results are internationally comparable regardless of language or cultural background. The tests will provide data on the quality of learning and its relevance to the labour market. Australia is an active participant in the present feasibility study.
Tuning
Tuning Educational Structures in Europe started in 2000 as a project to link the political objectives of the Bologna Process and at a later stage the Lisbon Strategy to the higher educational sector. Over time Tuning has developed into a systematic approach to designing, developing, implementing, evaluating and enhancing the quality of degree programmes. TUNING focuses on educational structures and content at the institutional level and is presently being extended to a number of countries outside Europe, including Latin America, the USA, Russia and Africa.
U-Map and U-Multirank
The European Commission has funded two important projects aimed at producing a more sophisticated classification and ranking system for higher education institutions. U-Map is an ongoing project designed to further develop and implement the European classification of higher education institutions. U-Multirank is a multi-dimensional global university ranking project, the objective of which is to develop a feasible transparency instrument that can contribute to enhancing the transparency of institutional and programmatic diversity of European higher education in a global context and test its feasibility. The general intention is to create a transparency instrument that will have a global outreach, potentially covering higher education institutions of all continents.
Speakers
The Symposium will bring together leading international and Australian experts to address the importance, relevance and policy implications of each of the major initiatives outlined above for Australia.
Confirmed:
* Professor Linda Butler, Conjoint Professor, University of Newcastle.
* Associate Professor Hamish Coates, Foundation Director of Higher Education Research, Australian Council for Educational Research; & Program Director, LH Martin Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Management.
* Mr Jon File, Director: Development and Consultancy, Centre for Higher Education Policy Studies, University of Twente, the Netherlands.
* Professor Jeroen Huisman, Director, International Centre for Higher Education Management, University of Bath, United Kingdom.
* Professor Roger Hadgraft, Faculty of Engineering, University of Melbourne.
* Professor Linda Kristjanson, Vice-Chancellor & President, Swinburne University of Technology.
* Professor Lynn Meek, Director, LH Martin Institute.
* Dr Carol Nicoll, CEO, ALTC.
* Professor Frans van Vught, ESMU Chairman; advisor to President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso; & former Rector & President of the University of Twente.
* Professor Andrew Wells, Deputy CEO, Australian Research Council.
* Professor Robert Wagenaar, Coordinator, EU Project: ‘Tuning Educational Structures in Europe’, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
* Dr Peter West, Former Chief Operating Officer of the University of Strathclyde, Scotland; former President (OECD-IMHE) Programme on Institutional Management in Higher Education.
* Dr Glenn Withers AO, CEO, Universities Australia. More speakers will be announced shortly. Please register by clicking on the Register button. For further enquiries please contact Anna Steer or call +61 3 8344 3157.

EU-DRIVERS Conference. Regional Strategic Positioning. The EU Smart specialization strategies initiative (S3). Universities improving their strategic interactions with regional stakeholders. Brussels, 1 December 2011.
* Join the debate on EU policies for regional innovation
* Learn about good practices of successful regional interaction
* Find out about funding opportunities under the new EU Programmes in 2014 (dowlnoad preliminary programme)
Europe will not remain competitive if it does not transform into a powerful knowledge economy in which all stakeholders join forces to sustain economic growth and address the societal problems of our times. Europe faces serious challenges at a time of constant changes and new needs, with major social dilemmas such as growing unemployment, an ageing society and major challenges linked to increasing immigration.
How can European regions address these problems by increasing their regional performance and regional competitiveness?  What are the current obstacles, opportunities and mechanisms for the effective leadership of regional interactions and how can these be addressed in order to define a strong vision and strategy supported by the adequate means to “make it happen”.   Lessons can be learnt and good practices implemented through mutual learning between European regions.
This is one of the objectives of the new Smart specialization initiative of DG Regio of the European Commission to support regions in focusing their innovation on a clear “niche” and sector where they can be most successful in developing sustainable growth and stability in society, building on their regional assets, human capital and infrastructure. 
“Regions have a central role as they are the primary institutional partners for universities, other research and education institutes and SMEs, which are key to the process of innovation, making them an indispensable part of the Europe 2020 strategy” (COM(2010) 553 final). The Flagship initiative “Innovation Union” also stresses the need for an integrated approach between EU, national and regional policies for strategic and focused innovation.
This one-day EU-Drivers conference will review the policy context. It will debate how European regions can be most effective in leading the necessary changes, building on universities as the driving force in their process to collaborate closely with the private sector and regional government. It will also raise provide information on funding opportunities available under the new EU programming from 2013.
The conference is by invitation only for senior university leaders and CEOs of large companies, SMEs and representatives of regional authorities to engage a high level dialogue on new directions for regional innovation, with senior representatives from the European Commission.  If you would like to receive an invitation please contact the EU-DRIVERS Secretariat (Inês Proença, projects@esmu.be).

EU-DRIVERS - European Drivers for a Regional Innovation Platform
Project Website: www.eu-drivers.eu.
This project, funded by the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme, is designed to improve regional cooperation between universities, private sector companies and local governments in order to enhance the innovation capacities of European universities, working at the level of deans of faculties.
Aims
* To create a regional innovation virtual community for exchanging good practices among all stakeholders,
* Find solutions for improved regional cooperation between universities, private-sector companies and regional governments,
* Enable the communication and dissemination of reports and recommendations through conferences and establishing a dialogue with EU authorities.
Outcomes
* A  web-based European virtual community with relevant literature and examples of good practices.
* Pilot regional innovation partnership projects with selected groups of three decision-makers (one dean, one private company and one local government representative) contributing to the development of a sustainable leadership development programme for all relevant stakeholders especially at the regional level.
* Annual reports on regional innovation issues with case studies and concrete examples of implementation of the knowledge triangle at the discipline level.
* Communication and dissemination activities with annual conferences.

Recueilli par FRANCK BERTEAU. Le ministre annonce qu’il se penchera dès la rentrée sur la question des fausses conventions de stages. Laurent Wauquiez veut aussi encourager les universités à développer des partenariats avec des entreprises pour mettre à la disposition des étudiants des banques de stage.
LA CROIX : Stages sous-payés, stages qui s’éternisent et remplacent même certains emplois : notre enquête montre de nombreux abus. Comment entendez-vous y mettre un terme ? 
Laurent Wauquiez : La loi nous donne aujourd’hui les moyens de lutter contre l’enchaînement des stagiaires sur un poste qui devrait être un CDI. Dès lors, je souhaite que les contrôles exercés par l’inspection du travail se durcissent. J’ai par ailleurs conscience que les lois ne changent que partiellement la réalité du terrain. Il faut inciter les employeurs à bien accueillir les étudiants. Pour cela, des chartes de bonne conduite ont été signées par les entreprises. Car le risque est que ces abus projettent une image négative sur le stage. Or il s’agit d’un outil essentiel qui, encadré et inséré dans une formation universitaire, demeure un atout immense pour trouver un emploi.
Des organismes de formation plus ou moins sérieux « vendent » des conventions de stages. Certaines universités en délivrent à des étudiants « fantômes ». Que faire pour enrayer ces pratiques ? 
Distribuer des conventions de stage à des jeunes qui s’inscrivent à la fac uniquement dans le but d’en obtenir, cela n’a pas de sens. Jusqu’alors, il s’agissait d’un sujet tabou. Pour la première fois, il sera mis sur la table à la rentrée universitaire avec l’objectif clair d’en faire un point de vigilance primordial. Quant à ces organismes de formation professionnelle, j’ai donné des instructions très strictes aux rectorats pour qu’ils les traquent et les mettent en demeure soit de se conformer à la loi, soit de fermer.
Il existe des stages de formation, d’orientation, de fin d’études, etc. Ne faut-il pas clarifier le dispositif ? 
Selon moi, il n’y a qu’un modèle de stage, celui qui s’inscrit dans votre cursus et permet d’acquérir des compétences en appliquant ce que vous avez appris en cours. La vraie bataille consiste à le diffuser dans tous les secteurs, comme dans les IUT ou les écoles d’ingénieurs, où il est automatique. Les universités doivent ainsi développer des partenariats avec des entreprises pour mettre à la disposition des étudiants des banques de stage. Car il faut éviter toute iniquité au détriment des classes moyennes modestes et des familles qui n’ont pas de réseau ou de relations.
Certains collectifs et syndicats demandent un basculement des stages vers l’apprentissage ou encore une gradation de leur rémunération en fonction du niveau d’études. Est-ce envisageable ? 
Aujourd’hui, beaucoup d’éléments encadrent les stages. Il ne faut pas que le recours aux étudiants devienne trop compliqué, sinon les entreprises leur fermeront les portes. D’autant que globalement, les employeurs rémunèrent déjà davantage les étudiants de master que ceux de licence. Quant à l’alternance, c’est une conviction ancienne que j’ai toujours défendue. Elle constitue une voie d’avenir qui demeurera un mode de formation plus abouti que le stage, et qu’il faut favoriser.

Par Isabelle Ficek. Réforme majeure du quinquennat, la loi sur l'autonomie des universités fête aujourd'hui ses quatre ans d'existence. Elle a introduit de profonds changements qui peuvent bénéficier aux entreprises.
C'est la réforme du quinquennat que l'exécutif a coutume de mettre en avant. Et qui, votée le 10 août 2007, fête aujourd'hui ses quatre ans. La loi relative aux libertés et responsabilités des universités (LRU) a d'ores et déjà été adoptée par 90 % d'entre elles. Les dernières devront passer à l'autonomie en 2012. « C'est l'une des plus importantes révolutions qu'ait vécues l'université depuis Pompidou », fait valoir le nouveau ministre de l'Enseignement supérieur, Laurent Wauquiez. Aux universités, désormais, de gérer leur masse salariale, leurs ressources humaines, leur budget global, voire pour certaines, comme Clermont-1 ou Toulouse-1, leur patrimoine.
Et les implications de cette réforme, souligne Jean-Marc Schlenker, président du comité de suivi de la LRU et professeur de mathématiques (université Toulouse-3), touchent aussi le monde économique. Grâce à la gouvernance, tout d'abord, « modifiée et améliorée, les capacités d'action des équipes dirigeantes ont augmenté. Le rôle du conseil d'administration devient important, comme, en leur sein, la place des dirigeants d'entreprise », avance Jean-Marc Schlenker. Et cela même si les personnalités extérieures ne peuvent élire le président, l'un des points sur lesquels le gouvernement avait dû reculer. « Or, poursuit-il , il y a un véritable besoin pour les universités d'un investissement qui vienne des entreprises. »
La LRU a aussi mis l'accent sur la mission d'insertion professionnelle des universités. « Le développement de formations professionnalisantes s'est accéléré, et avec lui un filon de talents très qualifiés dont les entreprises n'ont pas encore pris toute la mesure », selon le président du comité de suivi de la LRU. Ce dernier voit encore dans les changements engagés un rapprochement avec les standards internationaux grâce au développement des formations doctorales, le doctorat étant à l'étranger le diplôme de référence. Il observe aussi la croissance de la recherche réalisée en partenariat avec les entreprises. Nouveauté portée aussi par la LRU : les fondations. Si les montants levés sont encore faibles comparé aux grandes écoles ou aux tickets d'entrée dans les pays anglo-saxons, elles voient se développer de nouveaux projets avec les entreprises. « Pour un rapport coût-bénéfice intéressant pour ces dernières », observe Jean-Marc Schlenker. « L'autonomie incite les universités à se penser dans leur bassin économique », souligne Laurent Wauquiez, qui cite les travaux de recherche de l'université de Savoie sur le photovoltaïque, à Bordeaux sur l'aéronautique ou encore à La Rochelle sur la mer.
« L'autonomie nous a permis d'innover ; l'acquis majeur est la gestion des ressources humaines », estime Bruno Sire, président de Toulouse-1, qui propose onze doubles diplômes avec des partenaires étrangers, développe, « signal pour nos usagers et nos partenaires », une démarche qualité via, notamment, la certification QualiCert et vise, après l'ouverture au Vietnam d'une école offshore, une création à Oman en partenariat avec une filiale du groupe EADS. Seul regret, il voudrait que le gouvernement aille plus loin dans la prise en compte de la performance pour la répartition des moyens.
Les moyens constituent, d'ailleurs, le sujet majeur d'inquiétude pour les présidents d'université, en particulier pour la gestion de leur masse salariale. « L'autonomie a mis plus de démocratie à l'université. La loi est ce que les présidents et les conseils d'administration ont décidé d'en faire. Mais, quoi qu'on en dise, elle n'a pas été accompagnée d'une véritable augmentation des moyens, notamment pour la masse salariale », pointe Jean-Loup Salzmann, président de l'université Paris-13. Ce à quoi Laurent Wauquiez répond que ce budget a été « prioritaire, avec des dotations de fonctionnement aux universités en hausse moyenne de 23 % depuis 2007. Après, il y a un apprentissage de l'autonomie, qui demande un peu de temps. Dans un contexte où l'argent public est rare, l'université est impactée mais dans une mesure qui n'a rien à voir avec les autres secteurs », défend le ministre, qui souhaite aussi renforcer la lisibilité du système. Une amélioration demandée par le comité de suivi de la LRU et les entreprises.

MODERN is a three-year EU-funded project (2009-2011) under the Lifelong Learning Programme (ERASMUS), which aims to respond to the Modernisation Agenda of the European Union and to the need to invest in people, support future leaders and encourage the professionalisation of higher education management (HEM) at all levels.
Under the leadership of ESMU (European Centre for Strategic Management of Universities) MODERN is a consortium of 10 core and 29 associate partners joining forces to provide a common answer to the fragmentation in the supply of management development programmes and of organizational support to HEIs, their leaders and managers.
MODERN is a web-based community project. The European platform is intended as an interactive information and meeting point for HEM providers, experts, target group learners and interested stakeholders. Other activities of the platform will include a survey on needs and demands for HEM programmes, five thematic conferences (governance, funding, quality and internationalization, regional innovation and knowledge transfer) as well as peer learning activities.

Training needs for leadership and management professions in European Higher Education Institutions
Survey info
European higher education is going through a transition period in which a new relationship between society and higher education institutions is being developed. As part of this new relationship the leadership and management structures and functions of higher education institutions are expected to become more professional. For this professionalisation specific investments and actions are needed. This questionnaire is part of an EU-funded project aimed at supporting the professionalisation by creating an open European Platform as an instrument for the dissemination of good practices and joint actions with respect to institutional leadership and management in higher education.
MODERN – European Platform Higher Education Modernisation – is a three-year EU-funded project (2009-2011) under the Lifelong Learning Programme (ERASMUS), which aims to respond to the Modernisation Agenda of the European Union and to the need to invest in people, support future leaders and encourage the professionalisaion of higher education management (HEM) at all levels.
Under the leadership of ESMU (European Centre for Strategic Management of Universities) MODERN is a consortium of 9 core and 30 associate partners joining forces to provide a common answer to the fragmentation in the supply of management development programmes and of organizational support to HEIs, their leaders and managers.
The questionnaire is specifically aimed at indentifying concrete training needs that higher education institutions in Europe have when it comes to their staff involved in leadership, management and administration functions.
Please take part in the MODERN survey and fill in the online questionnaire. Answer the questions by ticking the respective boxes or using the text fields for other answers in writing.  The questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete and is available here. All data will be treated confidentially. Should you have any questions, please contact: Crina Mosneagu (programmes@esmu.beThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it).