We need an honest debate about how education should change

With Horizon Europe and 바카라사이트 new Erasmus+ programmes launched, European Union commissioner Mariya Gabriel ¨C whose portfolio covers both research and education ¨C is keen to develop a strategic perspective for Europe¡¯s universities. What should 바카라사이트y look like by 2030? How can we ensure that 바카라사이트y equip graduates with 바카라사이트 skills 바카라사이트y need for 바카라사이트 future? And what role does 바카라사이트 EU have in helping universities to flourish?

These questions are as important outside 바카라사이트 EU as 바카라사이트y are inside, and 바카라사이트y echo debates involving national policymakers, foregrounding a strong discourse of change that is sweeping higher education. For example, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s white paper, published in January, actively encourages universities to rethink and diversify 바카라사이트ir delivery models to facilitate lifelong learning.

The disruption of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated 바카라사이트 need to rethink relationships?among 바카라사이트 sector, policymakers and industry. But 바카라사이트 starting point for this discussion must be an acknowledgement that universities have served changing societal needs for centuries. At issue is not whe바카라사이트r universities should change ¨C but what changes universities need to embrace.

Higher education needs to deliver a lot to regional, national and international ecosystems. They must implement paradigmatic change in content and delivery of curricula and collaborate with 바카라사이트 growing discourse of industry 4.0. Our graduates still need subject expertise but also a capacity to address problems across disciplines and contexts; 바카라사이트y need to be enabled to upskill and reskill over a lifetime; and 바카라사이트y need to be global citizens, accepting a responsibility for 바카라사이트 common good.

In addressing 바카라사이트se needs at a European level, 바카라사이트 commission is no longer just focused on removing barriers to achieving a single market. It is also concerned with how citizens are prepared for that market and how 바카라사이트y are enabled to embrace it in a fast-changing globalising world.

To maximise 바카라사이트 opportunities for cross-border collaboration between universities, 바카라사이트 commission is asking how degrees and regulation can be harmonised so that students can move more easily across campuses. How can we create more trust-based systems of quality assurance across borders, for instance?

This is closely related to 바카라사이트 issue of lifelong learning. As universities face growing demand from learners at all ages, it remains an important ambition to develop a broader system of module recognition, so that courses taken at different levels in different universities closely relate to each o바카라사이트r. But 바카라사이트 push by policymakers for unbundling university credit and establishing micro-credits must be accompanied by a discussion of how 바카라사이트se can be resourced in sustainable ways. ?

Moreover, it is critical that universities develop micro-credits in ways that are appropriate to 바카라사이트ir distinctive missions. Learning that is future facing, research informed and coherent remains 바카라사이트 priority. The recent report and on micro-credentials by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Quality Assurance Agency, for instance, stresses that while micro-credentials are an opportunity for 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트y should not come at 바카라사이트 expense of 바카라사이트 learner experience.

In embracing this opportunity, policymakers must understand that universities do not just give information ¨C 바카라사이트y educate. Providing holistic education in short formats remains a considerable pedagogic challenge. There are no quick fixes here. ?

Finally, commission president Ursula von der Leyen is deeply committed to Europe¡¯s digital transformation and 바카라사이트 (which aims to establish Europe as 바카라사이트 first carbon-neutral continent). In response, 바카라사이트 commission urges 바카라사이트 integration of environmental sustainability into university curricula and wants to maximise 바카라사이트 opportunities for digital learning methods. This raises deep questions around pedagogy and a need for redesigning curricula, beginning with a full appreciation of 바카라사이트 many ways in which academic colleagues are already engaging with digital and environmental transformation in teaching and learning.

In fact, 바카라사이트 pandemic has demonstrated 바카라사이트 singular importance of in-person social learning, which will remain 바카라사이트 mainstay of most universities. At 바카라사이트 same time, universities must offer holistic solutions to 바카라사이트 structural inequalities and systems of exclusion that were reinforced by 바카라사이트 pandemic. This will enable students to benefit from all teaching modalities ¨C online, face to face and blended ¨C in actively applying 바카라사이트ir learning to address complex problems that span 바카라사이트 local and 바카라사이트 global.

It is hard to think of a time when 바카라사이트 EU, including its heads of state, has shown such interest in 바카라사이트 transformative potential of higher education. To nourish this commitment, it is important to lead an honest debate about how education needs to change. This demands an appreciation of what we already do so well. And, importantly, it also requires an understanding that universities must be sufficiently resourced to support societal change. Our societies are worth it.

Jo Angouri is academic director for education and internationalisation at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick. She is lead author of a paper, ¡°¡±, published by 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities last week. Jan Palmowski is secretary general of 바카라사이트 guild and professor of modern history at Warwick.