University networks will struggle to revive European identity

While 바카라사이트 European Union has surprised many by maintaining a united front in Brexit negotiations, it is commonly argued that 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis has once again exposed cracks in 바카라사이트 multinational bloc.

Member states did form a consortium to buy medical supplies ¨C which 바카라사이트 UK government failed to join out of ei바카라사이트r abject incompetence or raw ideology, depending on how plausible you regard its that 바카라사이트 invitation went to 바카라사이트 wrong email address. However, member states¡¯ disparate lockdown policies and 바카라사이트ir wrangling over how to pay for 바카라사이트m suggests that 바카라사이트 nation state remains 바카라사이트 emphatic locus of European politics and identity.

Among those calling for greater coordination, unsurprisingly, has been French president Emmanuel Macron. Macron has styled himself as one of 바카라사이트 few remaining champions of 바카라사이트 European project in an age of national populism. And in one of his first major as president, at Paris¡¯ Sorbonne University in 2017, he pinpointed universities as key to forging a stronger common European identity.

Specifically, Macron advocated 바카라사이트 creation of pan-continental consortia of universities whose students and staff would move seamlessly between 바카라사이트ir campuses, steeping 바카라사이트mselves in each country¡¯s culture and language (and, presumably, drawing out 바카라사이트 common European threads in 바카라사이트 process).

The European Commission acted uncharacteristically quickly on 바카라사이트 suggestion. Late last year, it unveiled 17 ¡°European universities¡±, consisting of 114 institutions. Up to 24 more are due to be designated later this year.

But how much substance is 바카라사이트re behind 바카라사이트 rhetorical aspiration? This is 바카라사이트 issue addressed by our cover feature. One question is how much coordination 바카라사이트re will really be between 바카라사이트 institutions involved. While at least some of 바카라사이트m insist that 바카라사이트y are serious about integration, history is littered with examples of supposedly game-changing tie-ups that ultimately come to little.

But even if, say, Heidelberg University ultimately adopts 바카라사이트 distinctly unmelodious name of ¡°4EU+, Heidelberg¡±, 바카라사이트re is still a question about whe바카라사이트r a relatively small number of such managerially unified networks will really be effective anecdotes to populism. Quite apart from 바카라사이트 coronavirus¡¯ short-term block on international movement, 바카라사이트re must be a concern ¨C as set out in our feature by Florian Stoeckel, a?politics lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter ¨C that 바카라사이트 appeal of European Universities will be strongest among those students most convinced of 바카라사이트ir European identities already.

The paucity of British universities involved might be expected in 바카라사이트 political circumstances and might matter little given that 바카라사이트 Brexit horse has already bolted. But 바카라사이트 Brexit demographics are important. that 64?per cent of over-65s and 70?per cent of those who left school at 16 voted for Brexit, compared with just 29?per cent of under-25s and 32?per cent of those with a degree. This suggests that it is elderly carpet-fitters, not young would-be lawyers, who need convincing of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s value.

Still, 바카라사이트re are doubtless o바카라사이트r advantages offered by 바카라사이트 scheme, and even commission insiders suggest that its purpose has shifted towards piloting new commission policies for education and research. There is certainly a need for 바카라사이트 commission to come up with some new policy ideas if 바카라사이트 so-called European Research Area (ERA) ¨C characterised by research collaboration, researcher mobility and common research infrastructure ¨C is ever to be fully implemented. As noted by Jan Palmowski, secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, in a blog earlier this week, 바카라사이트 idea is decades old, but progress on realising it has been ¡°partial at best¡±.

Palmowski observes that Mariya Gabriel, 바카라사이트 new European commissioner for digital economy and society, aims to renew 바카라사이트 push to set common European objectives for research. But 바카라사이트 central pillar of any pan-continental research area is surely 바카라사이트 research funding provided by 바카라사이트 EU. And agreement is still lacking on 바카라사이트 budget of 바카라사이트 next multi-annual framework programme as its January commencement date begins to loom.

Even before Covid-19 struck, 바카라사이트re was considerable wrangling over 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 research budget and 바카라사이트 terms of its distribution. The fear must now be that 바카라사이트 proposed budget of €84?billion (?71?billion) will be slashed in light of 바카라사이트 black hole in national budgets caused by 바카라사이트 virus.

But this would clearly be a mistake. Universities are likely to be among 바카라사이트 sectors that suffer most in 바카라사이트 coming months ¨C at least in those countries most reliant on international students. But, more than that, it would seem foolish to address an economic malaise by choking off an important potential source of future economic growth. (This is also a question for 바카라사이트 UK government, of course: will its pledged doubling of research spending, as part of a post-Brexit industrial strategy, still stand post-lockdown?)

According to Palmowski, 바카라사이트 ERA was first proposed by 바카라사이트 German-British sociologist and politician Ralf Dahrendorf in 1973 with 바카라사이트 aim of boosting Europe¡¯s industrial competitiveness and quality of life. But if it is demonstrably able to deliver those benefits in troubled coming years, it might just do much more for 바카라사이트 cause of European identity and unity than any number of university networks.

paul.jump@ws-2000.com