Europe, Bologna and Erasmus: Update on Developments

UK HE International Unit

Overview

• Context: Higher education and research in the EU context • Erasmus for All • Horizon 2020 • The Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Agenda

Context: EU 2020 strategy

• The ‘Europe 2020’ strategy follows on from the Lisbon Strategy (2000 2010) that set out to create “'the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy' in the world • 3% of the EU's GDP should be invested in R&D by 2020 • The share of early school leavers should be under 10% and at least 40% of the population aged 30-34 should have completed tertiary or equivalent education

Priorities

The EU agenda for the modernisation of Europe’s higher education institutions

September 2011

• putting higher education at the centre of innovation, job creation and employability, • increasing student mobility and • improving links between HEIs, research and business.

The next generation of EU HE and Research programmes

• • • • New budgetary cycle: 2014-2020 Rationalising, simplifying, connecting Focus on added value of European level Europe in international context

Erasmus for All: More money, less paperwork

• New European Commission programme proposal to run from 2014-2020 • Unites the seven existing programmes for education, youth, training and sport • Proposed budget of €19 billion: an increase of 70%

Erasmus for All: Proposed changes

• Streamlined architecture supports three key actions: - Learning mobility - Cooperation for innovation and good practices - Support for policy reform • Focus on EU added value

Learning Mobility

• Staff mobility • Mobility for HE students and vocational education and training students • Youth mobility including volunteering and youth exchanges • Opportunities beyond Europe’s borders • Erasmus Master Student Loan Guarantee Facility

Increased cooperation

• Strategic partnerships • Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances • International cooperation and capacity building

Policy reform

• Policy tools • Policy objectives • Policy dialogue

UK HE Positions

Welcomes: - Proposals to reduce administrative burdens - Budget increase - Emphasis on University-Business collaboration - International dimension - The UK HE sector is also interested to hear more about the European Masters Student Loan Guarantee Facility, provided it does not impinge on Member State autonomy

Concerns

• Very vague – need more details • Too good to be true?

• EU tools for valorisation: U-Multirank • Also keen to ensure that the international element of Erasmus for All

includes all regions

Horizon 2020: renewing the EU research landscape

• 15% of the EU budget allocated for the current Framework Programme has gone to UK researchers.

• Total contribution of FP7 to UK research expected to reach €7 billion.

• Annually, FP7 contributes 5% of the UK’s national science budget, which is equivalent to the spending power of a medium-sized UK research council.

Value of EU research policy to UK universities Research Income at UK higher education institutions, 2008/09

UK industry, commerce & public corporations 5% UK central government/local authorities, health & hospital authorities 12% European Commission / EU Government bodies 5% EU other 1% Other overseas 4% Other sources 1% BBSRC, 4% MRC, 4% NERC, 2% UK-based charities 15% Research Councils 25% EPSRC, 9% ESRC, 2% AHRC, 1% STFC, 2% Other, 1% UK HE Funding councils 31%

Total (2008/09): £5,978 million

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) (2010): Finance Plus 2008/09

Horizon 2020: renewing the EU research landscape

• ‘Horizon 2020’ is the proposed new EU programme for research and innovation.

• 2014 – 2020, total budget of €80 billion – a substantial increase on the budget for FP7 • H2020 brings together all existing EU programmes for research and innovation under single umbrella: FP7, Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).

• Innovation focus

Horizon 2020: Three key strands

• Excellent Science (€24.6 billion) • 77% increase for ERC; • Special attention to Future and Emerging Technologies (FETs); • Researcher Careers; • International co-operation encouraged • Societal Concerns (€31. 7 billion) : • Health, demographic change and wellbeing; • Food security, sustainable agriculture and bio-economy; • Secure, clean and efficient energy; • Smart, green and integrated transport; • Climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials; • Inclusive, innovative and secure societies.

• Industrial Leadership (€17.9 billion).

Horizon 2020: Broadly aligned with UK HE sector interests

• Substantial budget increase for European Research Council • Continuation of excellence as underlying principle for allocation of EU research funding • Single set of administrative rules for all components of Horizon 2020.

• Extension of administrative model of the European Research Council across Horizon 2020, allowing a 100% reimbursement rate.

• Move towards a more trust based control strategy eg. acceptance of the accounting practices of all participants

Remaining issues for the UK HE sector

•

I

ncreased role for the European Structural Funds in capacity building and widening participation across Europe.

• Cost declaration through full costing will not be possible.

• Specific Grand Challenges identified by the Commission under the ‘Societal Concern’ strand of Horizon 2020 • Balance of funding between innovation and research

Key Bologna Process Reforms

• Bachelor – Master – Doctoral cycles (UK already uses this structure) • Overarching Framework for Qualifications of the EHEA (UK HE qualifications frameworks self-certified) • European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (Quality Assurance Agency – QAA) • European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) (Experience of using credit – NUCCATS, SCQF) • Diploma Supplement (New challenge – development of HEAR)

Bologna Process 2009-2012: Leuven Communiqué



Student mobility:

in 2020, 20% of students graduating in the European Higher Education Area should have had a study or training period abroad 

Lifelong Learning

: Ministers formally acknowledged learning outcomes as the basis for recognition of formal and informal learning.



‘Multidimensional transparency tools’:

BFUG to monitor development of classifications/typologies and rankings of HEIs 

Expanding Bologna’s remit:

to include additional policy areas 

International dimension enhanced in 2009

Bucharest Ministerial Summit: April 2012

Draft communiqué: • In-depth implementation of Bologna Process tools • Increased data collection and more transparency across the EHEA • Monitor progress towards 2020 mobility targets • Promote further convergence of programmes and recognition • Discuss and endorse a revised framework for European Standards and Guidelines • Stakeholders meeting: 13 March 2012 • Chair of the International Unit, Professor Colin Riordan, to attend Ministerial summit