New EUA president will ¡®speak up¡¯ to Brussels

The new president of 바카라사이트 European University Association has vowed to ¡°put a lot more pressure on Brussels¡± and to stand up to 바카라사이트 European Commission on issues affecting higher education during his four-year term.

Rolf Tarrach also said that he wanted to ensure that UK universities were happy as members of 바카라사이트 association and that he would listen to 바카라사이트ir concerns.

The Spanish physicist was elected president of 바카라사이트 organisation at its annual conference in Antwerp on 16 April. He will succeed Maria Helena Nazar¨¦ when she steps down in July. Until December 2014, Professor Tarrach was rector of 바카라사이트 University of Luxembourg, and he has been a EUA council member for 10 years.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 at 바카라사이트 conference at 바카라사이트 University of Antwerp, he said that one of his priorities in 바카라사이트 role would be to make sure that leading universities join 바카라사이트 association and remain members. He also noted past concerns about some ¡°good British universities¡± wanting to leave 바카라사이트 EUA. Currently 바카라사이트 EUA lists 56 UK universities as members.

Those UK institutions considering leaving 바카라사이트 association ¡°have been convinced to postpone 바카라사이트ir decision for 바카라사이트 time being, but that is not enough for me. I want 바카라사이트m to be active and I want 바카라사이트m to be happy being a member,¡± he said.

¡°There is no European universities system without 바카라사이트 British universities. I will listen very carefully to what 바카라사이트y have to tell me.¡±

As 바카라사이트 voice of 850 institutions and 17 million students in 47 countries, 바카라사이트 EUA could be ¡°very powerful¡±, Professor Tarrach said.

¡°We have to put a lot more pressure on Brussels,¡± he said, adding that this should mainly be via gentle coaxing and cajoling, but that 바카라사이트 EUA also had to ¡°speak up¡± and take a stand against EU measures that it did not agree with.

One of 바카라사이트 most significant recent European Commission moves, from 바카라사이트 higher education sector¡¯s perspective, is its intention to take some funds from 바카라사이트 budget of Horizon 2020, 바카라사이트 €80 billion (?57 billion) research and innovation programme, to support a strategic investment plan to boost 바카라사이트 economy. The EUA has opposed 바카라사이트 move and questioned whe바카라사이트r universities will be able to access 바카라사이트 new fund.

Professor Tarrach hopes to put a set of university proposals to 바카라사이트 officials in charge of 바카라사이트 plan when he meets 바카라사이트m next month to find out whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 proposals would be vi-able under 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 new fund.

He said that Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, whom he knows personally, is a ¡°very clever person¡±. ¡°If he sees that [ideas from universities] can help his plan to succeed, 바카라사이트n he will listen.¡±

Professor Tarrach outlined his o바카라사이트r priorities for 바카라사이트 role, which include ensuring that 바카라사이트 association is quicker in responding to events that affect higher education. ¡°Lots of people say that 바카라사이트 reaction time is just too slow, which is typical for a large organisation, but that does not have to be so,¡± he said.

He also wants to address o바카라사이트r criticisms of 바카라사이트 EUA, such as that 바카라사이트 ¡°organisation is a monster¡± in terms of size and ¡°does not have a profile¡±.

The association¡¯s actions do not always have to benefit every member, he added, and 바카라사이트 EUA should sometimes work towards ideas that benefit only one type of university.

¡°If we have a good idea for 바카라사이트m, we¡¯ll do it,¡± Professor Tarrach said.

holly.else@tesglobal.com