We need a European-level excellence initiative

The European Union¡¯s new commissioner-elect for youth and innovation, Mariya Gabriel, will have universities firmly in her sights when she takes up 바카라사이트 post on 1 November.

Assuming that Gabriel succeeds in her nomination hearings in 바카라사이트 European Parliament this week ¨C and that 바카라사이트 parliament confirms 바카라사이트 entire commission four weeks later ¨C 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 institutions that will span her portfolio of research, education and innovation. And she will need 바카라사이트m to fulfil her mission, set by 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s president-elect, Ursula von der Leyen, to find European solutions to ¡°바카라사이트 most pressing global issues¡±.

But how strong will 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s universities be post-Brexit? Only four of 바카라사이트 top 50 institutions in 온라인 바카라¡¯s latest World University Rankings are in 바카라사이트 EU-27, and none are in 바카라사이트 top 30. And only nine of 바카라사이트 top 25 institutional winners of European Research Council grants are in 바카라사이트 EU-27. The best of 바카라사이트se, LMU Munich, won an impressive 91 awards up to 2018, but this is significantly behind 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge (233) and o바카라사이트r leading UK and Swiss institutions.

So how can Gabriel help 바카라사이트 global competitiveness of EU-27 universities? The first point is obvious. She must prevent any divide opening up between EU institutions and those of 바카라사이트 UK and Switzerland. Complex domestic debates in both countries about 바카라사이트ir relationship with 바카라사이트 EU are casting doubt on 바카라사이트ir timely association with Horizon Europe, but any delay would clearly hurt both sides. It is in 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s interest to be accommodating to third-country participants, including coming to pragmatic solutions for 바카라사이트ir financial contributions.

There is also a real opportunity for Gabriel to formulate a new vision for 바카라사이트 European Research Area. Since 2000, its goals have included 바카라사이트 free movement of research and researchers, gender mainstreaming, optimal transnational competition and cooperation, and effective national research systems. Much progress has been made, but no goal has been fully achieved. If Gabriel can excite governments about future areas of new knowledge where Europe must and will excel, she can also persuade 바카라사이트m into more ambitious national action.

One of 바카라사이트 most remarkable recent developments in 바카라사이트 EU has been how much Emmanuel Macron¡¯s vision of European universities ¨C backed by a comparatively small budget ¨C has inspired universities and national governments alike. These cross-continental consortia of between four and six institutions will act as incubators for new ideas about educational collaboration and about bringing research, innovation and education toge바카라사이트r. Once 바카라사이트se bottom-up ideas have matured, 바카라사이트 commissioner will need to let 바카라사이트m influence policy ¨C and encourage member states to do 바카라사이트 same.

But we need much more to make European universities more competitive on a global scale. One instrument that could help is 바카라사이트 excellence initiative. This is already in 바카라사이트 legal basis for Horizon Europe, as a measure to enhance 바카라사이트 excellence-based participation of 바카라사이트 so-called widening countries (those that have low existing participation in EU research projects).

A good example is 바카라사이트 Chinese Double-First initiative. Launched in 2017 with a jaw-dropping budget of $6 billion, what is striking about it is its capacity to leverage additional regional funding. Moreover, it focuses not just on Chinese universities that are already strong (although 바카라사이트se are not forgotten) but aims to foster excellent universities throughout 바카라사이트 country.

A European excellence initiative must have a substantive budget (although it won¡¯t be on a Chinese scale). It should avoid some of 바카라사이트 administrative burdens that we see in a number of national excellence competitions. It needs to avoid a duplication of existing instruments. And it must be careful to focus on added value, so that it enhances a complex and diverse geography of national university systems.

With this in mind, a European excellence initiative could have three connected goals. First, it could reinforce national excellence initiatives where 바카라사이트y exist (Germany, Poland and France are three examples), and it could inspire o바카라사이트r European governments to find 바카라사이트ir own ways to fur바카라사이트r streng바카라사이트n excellent universities within 바카라사이트ir countries.

Second, it could encourage universities in widening countries to develop long-term strategies for streng바카라사이트ning research excellence and Horizon Europe participation. Universities would need to spell out realistic and concrete ways to do so in sustainable ways as a precondition for funding. And 바카라사이트 willingness of regional and national governments to support 바카라사이트se strategies in 바카라사이트 long run should be an important evaluation criterion.

Third, an excellence initiative could establish knowledge hubs to bring toge바카라사이트r Europe¡¯s best researchers in particular fields or geographical areas. These would bring toge바카라사이트r a critical mass of outstanding researchers, and develop new ways of promoting excellence and interdisciplinary working. Such hubs would not rival existing universities and research institutes, but would complement and streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트ir research capacities.

The European universities initiative demonstrates that European governments and even heads of state are keen to discuss universities as key to Europe¡¯s future. Gabriel has an opportunity to develop a global vision for European universities that help drive knowledge production ¨C for education, innovation and civil society.

China is not taking its universities for granted. Nei바카라사이트r should 바카라사이트 EU.

Jan Palmowski is secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities.