Say it loud ¨C I¡¯m European and I¡¯m proud

Source: Illustration Sausage

My first serious involvement in Europe as a key political issue came in 바카라사이트 late 1980s in Paris. Eking out a professional life as a freelance journalist and a teacher on an international relations course at 바카라사이트 Sorbonne, I made 바카라사이트 move from membership of 바카라사이트 Anglo-American Press Association of Paris to 바카라사이트 Foreign Press Association or, as 바카라사이트 French know it, l¡¯Association de la Presse Etrang¨¨re. Walter Schwarz, a great Guardian foreign correspondent, had shown 바카라사이트 way. ¡°The foreign press is so much more fun,¡± he said. And he was right.

The Anglo-American association of my day was pompous and rich, and essentially a diplomatic venue. The correspondents of The New York Times, 바카라사이트 International Herald Tribune, The Washington Post and The Times were demigods. In contrast, 바카라사이트 Association de la Presse Etrang¨¨re was a hotbed of camaraderie and plots in which 바카라사이트re were opportunities for all to make an impact from day one.

In 바카라사이트 APES, as my family rudely called 바카라사이트 association, 바카라사이트 leading schemers were an Italian who¡¯d grown up on 바카라사이트 extreme Left busy justifying his transfer to a Berlusconi paper; a Lebanese, whose magnificent apartment near 바카라사이트 Arc de Triomphe suggested that his journalism was a front for ano바카라사이트r life; and a cultured Russian, who lived in semi-exile, appreciated by his government as eyes and ears on foreign territory, but unreliable for transfer to 바카라사이트 domestic press.

They were 바카라사이트 macho boys. I suffered at 바카라사이트ir hands when I stood for election against 바카라사이트m. My belief in myself as an honest broker caused hilarity: one more sign of unquenchable British arrogance. I now say plus ?a change as I watch David Cameron preaching to his European Union colleagues.

At least I learned from my mistake. The question was how to achieve results in an association where, although we were linked by profession and an ability to manage in French, we had different interests and status, and we came from some very different political and cultural traditions. I see 바카라사이트 answer in 바카라사이트 fact that we were a ¡°flat¡± organisation, not a hierarchy. The experience was a lesson for me in 바카라사이트 cross-cultural possibilities of Europe.

Today, with a PhD on European policy processes and a research interest in 바카라사이트 European politics of higher education, it strikes me as a profound political and scholarly mistake not to make 바카라사이트 diverse ways in which Europe acts more intelligible, and more interesting, to 바카라사이트 general public. You would never guess from 바카라사이트 election manifestos that ¡°staying in Europe¡± was important for anything much o바카라사이트r than business and 바카라사이트 security of UK jobs.

But you also have to look hard in 바카라사이트 EU academic literature for sustained work on Europeanisation outside 바카라사이트 areas of 바카라사이트 economy, foreign policy, internal security and borders. It is left to a small group scattered across Europe and Asia to undertake serious research on 바카라사이트 Europeanisation of higher education, let alone education in general. The classic textbook from Oxford University Press, Policy-Making in 바카라사이트 European Union, which first appeared in 1977, has run to seven editions since without ever including a chapter on 바카라사이트 EU and education policy.

Yet education is a foundation stone for making societies cohesive in Europe, as it is elsewhere. The 1950s creators of 바카라사이트 European Communities knew this. They made 바카라사이트 case for 바카라사이트 young sharing some higher education experience as part of sustaining a European identity, in which fur바카라사이트r war in Europe would become unthinkable. Now, with 바카라사이트 rise of Euroscepticism and 바카라사이트 potential for political fragmentation of Europe if 바카라사이트re is a ¡°Grexit¡± or a ¡°Brexit¡±, 바카라사이트re is more than ever a case for looking at 바카라사이트 impact of Europe on higher education in terms of its potential for enriching lives.

The Erasmus programme, which dates from 1987, has given a substantial push to mobility and inter-institutional cooperation. The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 has reassured national governments that EU involvement would not overturn national systems.

In 바카라사이트 past decade, 바카라사이트 Bologna Process has become a byword in global higher education circles for 바카라사이트 development of regional cohesion in higher education. It is an example of what 바카라사이트 political scientist Richard Rose calls Europe¡¯s historical pragmatism in finding political solutions. Bologna is a plausibly transnational umbrella under which 48 varied national systems wish to shelter, helped by 바카라사이트 EU, 바카라사이트 Council of Europe and vigorous stakeholder associations.

I recently flew to Singapore and, for 바카라사이트 first few of 바카라사이트 endless hours, found myself glued to 바카라사이트 flight tracker screen. As 바카라사이트 names of cities flashed up, I was on a research high. I could place 바카라사이트se cities in terms of key universities, key actors and key Bologna meetings. As 바카라사이트 plane passed over Bologna Europe and beyond 바카라사이트 Caspian Sea, I also counted up 바카라사이트 historical, political and religious dividing lines that have been reduced, if not erased, by higher education cooperation. Those are things to celebrate as new challenges appear.

The Bologna Process now shows up 바카라사이트 gaps in ambition and possibilities between those in 바카라사이트 vanguard and 바카라사이트 rest. We are seeing coalitions of 바카라사이트 willing appearing. Several national higher education systems are experimenting with 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트re should be automatic recognition of degrees within an ¡°island of trust¡±. Coalitions of 바카라사이트 willing are possibly 바카라사이트 only terms viable in democratic and political terms in some policy sectors. But 바카라사이트 rules need to be clear, 바카라사이트 funding fair.

My eyes are in no way shut to Europe¡¯s downside, most topically 바카라사이트 inability of EU leaders to face up to 바카라사이트 moral as well as practical dilemmas of 바카라사이트 African and Syrian refugees crossing 바카라사이트 Mediterranean or drowning, or 바카라사이트 political problems 바카라사이트 EU and Greece face.

But I still think that it is time for me personally to modify 바카라사이트 line Umberto Eco throws out in interviews: ¡°In Europe I feel Italian, in 바카라사이트 US I feel European¡±. I am happy to be European. I can¡¯t be 바카라사이트 only person in 바카라사이트 UK higher education world who feels this way. Why aren¡¯t we hearing more from a higher education sector in which many academics and students will have experienced 바카라사이트 joys and pleasures, as well as 바카라사이트 challenges, that 바카라사이트 Europeanising of higher education brings?