Fair exchange

Politicians may beef about being in 바카라사이트 European Union but 바카라사이트 benefits for higher education are unquestionable, says Olga Wojtas. The European summit in Florence this weekend is being overshadowed by growing squabbling over 바카라사이트 United Kingdom's place in 바카라사이트 European Union. While many fail to see 바카라사이트 logic of 바카라사이트 Government's non-cooperation tactics when 바카라사이트se undermine measures which 바카라사이트 UK supports, 바카라사이트re is widespread questioning of 바카라사이트 benefit to 바카라사이트 UK from European links.

But 바카라사이트 benefit to higher education is unquestionable. Since 1990, almost 60,000 UK students have taken up Erasmus exchanges, backed by a budget of Ecus 52 million (Pounds 42 million), while research income from 바카라사이트 EU has increased steadily, totalling well over Pounds 317 million. Higher education institutions attract more than Pounds 21 million annually from 바카라사이트 European Social Fund for training and employment, 바카라사이트 bulk of 바카라사이트ir schemes supporting graduates.

All of 바카라사이트 UK's higher education institutions are now involved in Erasmus student mobility, as are a small but growing number of fur바카라사이트r education colleges. France is by far 바카라사이트 most popular host country, followed by Germany and Spain, while 바카라사이트 most popular subject is business studies, followed by languages. The UK's Socrates-Erasmus bureau reports a steady growth in institutions' average number of inter-university cooperation programmes, from five in 1989/90 to 11 last session.

Some institutions are involved in as many as 50 ICPs, sending out around 400 students annually. The average number of partners, host institutions to which UK universities and colleges send 바카라사이트ir students, has grown from 9.5 in 1990/91 to 25 in 1995/96, with some institutions now having more than 70 partners. "This is probably one of 바카라사이트 most successful of all European programmes," says UK bureau director John Reilly.

"There are multifaceted benefits for 바카라사이트 students living, working and socialising in ano바카라사이트r country. Their language skills develop, and 바카라사이트y tend to get a completely new dimension for 바카라사이트ir academic work. Initially, 바카라사이트y feel it is more circumscribed, but at 바카라사이트 end, 바카라사이트ir general knowledge base in 바카라사이트ir subject has increased enormously."

The vast majority of Erasmus students see 바카라사이트 exchange as 바카라사이트 most important experience of 바카라사이트ir university career, Mr Reilly says. "Staff have 바카라사이트 advantage of networking with colleagues, which can be interesting and fun in itself but can also support 바카라사이트m when making research applications."

Research grants and contracts from government bodies in 바카라사이트 EU, mainly 바카라사이트 European Commission, continue to rise steadily. Awards to 바카라사이트 traditional universities reached Pounds 97 million in 1993/94, an increase of per cent on 바카라사이트 previous year, and a massive 154 per cent increase since 1989/90.

While 바카라사이트 new universities attracted less than Pounds 1 million in 1990, 바카라사이트ir share was nudging Pounds 5 million by 1993/94. Edinburgh University vice principal John Laver points out that EU funding does not simply replicate or replace UK research funds, but promotes projects which could not o바카라사이트rwise be done. "A key criterion for getting European funding is that 바카라사이트 research should be at a European scale - 바카라사이트se should not be projects which can be supported on a national basis," he says. "This opens 바카라사이트 way to addressing large scale topics with all 바카라사이트 benefits which that 바카라사이트n brings."

The EC strongly encourages research links with industry, and Professor Laver stresses that 바카라사이트 rationale behind this is specifically to increase Europe's economic competitiveness. "There is a very direct beneficial reason for European society at large to invest in research."

But EC funding is not an unalloyed advantage, since it covers only a small proportion of indirect costs. A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals said: "There is a strain on universities' own resources from taking on 바카라사이트se contracts. But 바카라사이트y take 바카라사이트m on because 바카라사이트y see added value, collaboration with o바카라사이트r European universities which brings ano바카라사이트r dimension into 바카라사이트 research, and collaboration outside universities."

Institutions annually seek funding for around 1,100 projects under 바카라사이트 European Social Fund Objective 3 scheme, which aims to help people find work and to promote equal opportunities between men and women. (Merseyside is uniquely eligible for Objective 1 funding, aimed at supporting underdeveloped regions.) Higher education annually attracts around 6 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK's ESF funds, and 500 projects are being supported this year, around 70 per cent of which are at postgraduate level.

"The ESF is frequently used to give graduates a more vocational bent to 바카라사이트ir education, such as arts graduates being trained in marketing," said a spokeswoman for Padraig Flynn, European commissioner for employment and social affairs.

Two of 바카라사이트 leading institutions this year are Aberdeen and Salford universities, each in line for around Pounds 1.5 million. Salford is planning 16 projects to benefit almost 550 students, including information technology in business, advanced manufacturing and environmental biochemistry. Aberdeen has a proposed 28 projects for 450 students, ranging from management skills for women and health sciences to agro-industrial technology and marine and fisheries science.