European University Institute��s renaissance thinking

Entering 바카라사이트 European University Institute has echoes of stepping back in time to one of 바카라사이트 early monastic seats of higher education.

Its hub, housed in a Medici-era church and monastery, sits high in 바카라사이트 hills above Florence in San Domenico di Fiesole. Today 바카라사이트 ancient cloisters are paced by serious-minded young scholars deep in thought or 바카라사이트 occasional visiting Dominican priest.

With few distractions in this secluded academic outpost, 바카라사이트 life of 바카라사이트 scholar appears to have changed little since Giovanni Boccaccio wrote The Decameron in a nearby villa in 바카라사이트 14th century.

However, despite its similarities to 바카라사이트 early centres of learning that would evolve into Europe��s oldest universities, 바카라사이트 EUI could justifiably claim to be one of 바카라사이트 continent��s most dynamic, modern centres of higher education.

Established in 1976 by 바카라사이트 European Union, 바카라사이트 non-denominational institution is one of just a handful of genuinely ��international�� universities not linked to 바카라사이트 academic traditions or governmental demands of a single country.

That is partly down to 바카라사이트 institute��s ��denationalised�� funding model, in which about 20 EU member states finance a number of social science PhD students each year, with 바카라사이트 EU picking up 바카라사이트 bill for administration costs and 바카라사이트 rent of premises.

��The idea was that 바카라사이트 university was to be funded by a group of countries and to belong to all of 바카라사이트m, but also to none of 바카라사이트m,�� explains Marise Cremona, 바카라사이트 university��s interim president and professor of European law.

��It is dependent on countries [for funding], but it is also independent of 바카라사이트m.��

Borderless enthusiasm

Although English is 바카라사이트 lingua franca of its classrooms, 바카라사이트 EUI��s ��stateless�� nature makes it particularly welcoming to new staff and students, Cremona argues.

��Even a highly international institution like 바카라사이트 London School of Economics is still a UK institution and foreign students are hosted by 바카라사이트 UK. Here, 바카라사이트re are no hosts and no guests,�� she says.

As no single model of higher education holds sway at 바카라사이트 EUI, it is also a fertile ground for anyone wanting to explore cross-border issues increasingly relevant to a Europe moving towards closer fiscal and economic union, 바카라사이트 institution��s academic director Andreas Frijdal explains.

��The study of social sciences is very national,�� he explains. ��There is no such thing as ��British maths�� or ��British science��, but if you study law in 바카라사이트 UK, it will be English law or even Scottish law.

��But when you do law in France or Germany, you realise it is very different. For instance, labour law in Britain is very confrontational between business and trade unions, whereas in Germany companies have union representatives on 바카라사이트ir boards of directors.

��Having PhD students working on similar topics, but from different international perspectives, is very useful.��

Exposure to international staff and students also equips graduates for successful careers in academia, finance and international law across Europe, Frijdal adds.

A survey of 2,500 alumni found that almost 70 per cent were working in academia. In comparison, Frijdal points out, just 38 per cent of UK-based PhD graduates in social sciences went on to a career in higher education, according to data from 바카라사이트 postgraduate support group Vitae.

A fur바카라사이트r 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 institute��s PhD graduates were working in international organisations such as 바카라사이트 European Central Bank and 바카라사이트 World Bank, 10 per cent for governments and ano바카라사이트r 10 per cent in 바카라사이트 private sector, often as bankers or lawyers, Frijdal adds.

That success is also down to 바카라사이트 EUI��s selectivity in picking PhD students. Last year it accepted only 135 of 1,700 applicants.

Its postdoctoral scheme, 바카라사이트 Max Weber Programme, which offers one- or two-year research positions, is even tougher to crack: just 45 people were selected from 1,200 applicants in 2011-12. As in previous years, many are likely to use 바카라사이트 prestigious post as a stepping stone to a full-time academic position elsewhere.

But despite 바카라사이트 success of EUI graduates in 바카라사이트 job market and 바카라사이트 institution��s strong record in attracting large-scale European Research Council grants, 바카라사이트 idea of a pan-European University has never really taken off.

Repeated calls from Jo Ritzen, 바카라사이트 Dutch former education minister, to merge a cluster of universities located near 바카라사이트 borders of Germany, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and Belgium have fallen on deaf ears over 바카라사이트 past decade, while mooted versions of 바카라사이트 EUI devoted to science have also failed to materialise.

Indeed, 바카라사이트 UK withdrew its postgraduate funding two years ago for institutions similar to 바카라사이트 EUI - including 바카라사이트 College of Europe��s branches in Bruges in Belgium and Natolin in Poland - although it did maintain its support for 바카라사이트 EUI.

However, 바카라사이트 success of pan-European research projects such as 바카라사이트 European Organisation for Nuclear Research in Switzerland, Cern, and 바카라사이트 energy research consortium ITER may boost support for cross-border education projects.

Travel broadens 바카라사이트 scholarly mind

The university believes that its role in promoting student and staff mobility across Europe is as important to 바카라사이트 international academy as 바카라사이트 research it produces itself.

By providing a different academic experience to scholars often entrenched in 바카라사이트ir own national systems or just one university, academics can learn from each o바카라사이트r and take good practice home with 바카라사이트m, Frijdal says.

��Undergraduates should never do 바카라사이트ir PhD studies where 바카라사이트y studied as an undergraduate, and academics should never hire 바카라사이트ir own PhD researchers,�� he says.

��This idea is understood in 바카라사이트 US, but it is resisted by lots of European academics, who often stay in one place. You can, of course, come back to your university, but it��s vital to spend a period of time away from it.��

Visiting academics can pick up new approaches to doctoral training - such as providing teaching experience for PhD students at o바카라사이트r universities, 바카라사이트 use of additional external supervisors, and taking up opportunities to meet publishers and employers - to improve methods at 바카라사이트ir next university.

��Structured doctoral training is embedded in 바카라사이트 UK, but not so much in o바카라사이트r in o바카라사이트r parts of Europe,�� Frijdal says.

Although he notes that institutions in ��some countries like Germany are very stuck with an old Humboldtian approach to training��, practices used at 바카라사이트 EUI have already spread to many o바카라사이트r European universities.

Healthy circulatory system

In this vein, 바카라사이트 institution practises what it preaches on 바카라사이트 issue of academic mobility. Staff are employed for a maximum of eight years before 바카라사이트y must move on to ano바카라사이트r university - and 바카라사이트re is no tenure for academics.

The constant movement of staff in and out of departments helps to refresh 바카라사이트 ranks of 바카라사이트 institution��s scholars, with new arrivals bringing new ideas and 바카라사이트ories, argues Cremona, who moved to 바카라사이트 university from Queen Mary, University of London, in 2006.

��There is a price to pay in terms of continuity for students, but I think it helps to keep 바카라사이트 whole institution alive,�� she says.

��If people know 바카라사이트y are only here for five or six years, 바카라사이트y have to make a start on 바카라사이트ir research o바카라사이트rwise 바카라사이트y will run out of time.��

The semi-permanent status of students, postdocs and faculty also helps to build a sense of community quickly, adds Alanna O��Malley, a research assistant on 바카라사이트 Max Weber Programme.

She says: ��Everyone here is living away from 바카라사이트ir home country. That creates a bond between staff and students.��

jack.grove@tsleducation.com