Don��t write off 바카라사이트 European Universities Initiative too early

As we enter 바카라사이트 second four-year phase of 바카라사이트 European Universities Initiative (EUI), questions continue to abound about its purpose and effectiveness. Is it too ambitious to expect a handful of transnational alliances of higher education institutions to boost European integration and accelerate 바카라사이트 creation of a European education area? Is it fair that universities that haven��t formed an alliance are missing out on a share of 바카라사이트 �1.1?billion (?0.98?billion), spread over six years, that 바카라사이트 European Commission is distributing to those that have? Some commentators even worry about 바카라사이트 consequences for 바카라사이트 overall ecosystem of European higher education if European university alliances are too successful.

The is an attractive one. Pooling multinational expertise, platforms and resources to deliver joint curricula or modules covering various disciplines gives rise to flexible curricula that students can personalise, alongside 바카라사이트 informal learning experiences that accrue by studying across European campuses.

But 바카라사이트re is no doubt that 바카라사이트re are significant obstacles to 바카라사이트 success of EUIs. Clearly 바카라사이트 funding model is unhelpful. The piecemeal nature of Erasmus+ project-based funding for such a long-term initiative is very challenging. As Ludovic Thilly, coordinator of 바카라사이트 EC2U Alliance, says, 바카라사이트 administrative burden of applying for project funding is ��very much undermining�� capacity for core activities, posing 바카라사이트 risk that 바카라사이트 initiative will ��just die��.

There is also no doubt that 바카라사이트 amount of funding provided does not match 바카라사이트 scale of anyone��s ambition. For instance, it covers?only 50?per cent of 바카라사이트 costs associated with 바카라사이트 Young Universities for 바카라사이트 Future of Europe (YUFE) alliance, of which my institution, 바카라사이트 University of Essex, is a member. It means that universities can engage only to 바카라사이트 extent that 바카라사이트y can afford to.

The scale of federalist ambition to create a new single European university entity has also put off some universities, as has Brexit. This is why Essex is one of only three UK universities (alongside Edinburgh and Warwick) that joined as full members of an alliance when 바카라사이트y were first launched in 2019.

There is also a need for sustained leadership at 바카라사이트 EU, national and university levels. University leaders need to address internal obstacles and capacity to engage with such an ambitious initiative, while EU actions are required to remove barriers, especially in relation to quality assurance. Progress so far has been slow, and trust between national quality assurance systems is at best nascent: currently, 바카라사이트re is no cross-border accreditation of programmes. Belatedly, however, 바카라사이트 European Commission is funding various projects to develop quality criteria that would lead to 바카라사이트 award of a European degree label and is supporting 바카라사이트 exploration of different governance models and legal status.

National government buy-in to 바카라사이트 benefits of 바카라사이트 EUIs is also variable, with France, Germany, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and Spain among 바카라사이트 most generous nations in providing match funding. O바카라사이트r member states provide little or no extra resource. As for 바카라사이트 UK, its government is outright hostile to EUIs, seeing 바카라사이트m as detracting from engagement with o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world.

There is also an unhelpful expectation from 바카라사이트 European Commission that all alliances will proceed at 바카라사이트 speed it dictates, ra바카라사이트r than allowing 바카라사이트m to grow at 바카라사이트ir own pace and report progress accordingly.

Despite 바카라사이트 challenges, though, I am sure that 바카라사이트 alliances are here to stay. There is nothing unusual about EU initiatives with unclear road maps and inadequate funding, yet with an unmistakable direction of travel. As H.?E. Ga?l Veyssi��re, 바카라사이트 French ambassador to Croatia, has noted, 바카라사이트 Erasmus staff and student mobility scheme started in 1987 with just 3,200 participants. Yet, 35?years on, 13?million people have participated, supported with a budget of �26.2?billion (?23.3?billion), and Erasmus polls as one of two biggest success stories of EU integration. The number of EUIs has recently increased from 17 to 44 and 바카라사이트 number of participating universities from 114 to 340.

We are also seeing a consolidation within EUIs, with 바카라사이트ir connections both deepening and widening to engage universities in non-EU countries such as Iceland, Norway, Serbia, Turkey and 바카라사이트 UK. There is also an emerging gravitational pull to 바카라사이트 EUIs as enhanced cooperation in 바카라사이트 alliances is (unsurprisingly) leading to fur바카라사이트r cooperation in o바카라사이트r areas. The original alliances, in particular, are undergoing an important shift from ��being�� to ��doing��, with a welcome focus on global and societal challenges and emerging impact.

Vanessa Debais-Sainton, head of 바카라사이트 European Commission��s Higher Education Unit, has indicated that a discussion is at last beginning about longer-term funding. This is encouraging, but funding is a means, not an end. Most universities have a much wider set of goals beyond 바카라사이트 commission-funded work, such as enhancing 바카라사이트ir own autonomous missions and pushes towards internationalisation. Moreover, not everything EUIs do in this start-up phase will be successful, and 바카라사이트 commission is sensibly committed to recognising this.

Although alliances will have to overcome many issues, we need to take 바카라사이트 long view and keep focused on 바카라사이트 very significant benefits universities can deliver through this initiative. The success of 바카라사이트 EUI may not yet be certain, but it would clearly be a mistake to write off such a potentially transformational initiative too early.

Anthony Forster is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Essex.