EUROPE: EUA releases Prague declaration

The European University Association released a declaration last week proposing ways Europe's governments could tackle the rising economic and financial crisis. The declaration arises from an EUA meeting in Prague last month and sets out a long-term agenda for European universities over the next decade.

The declaration will be presented to the 46 education ministers attending the Bologna process Ministerial Summit at the end of April. It emphasises the role of universities as a driving force for economic recovery in Europe but stresses that for universities to play their full role in helping European economies out of recession, politicians must commit to major investment in higher education and research.

"Europe cannot afford to run the risk of losing a generation of talented people or a serious decrease in research or innovation activity," the declaration states.

The EUA urges "decision makers at the national and European level to emulate the major investment in higher education and research that characterises the US economic stimulus package". It says the package supports high end research and students and families struggling to pay for higher education.

"EUA is calling for renewed efforts from governments to reach the Barcelona target of 3% of GDP investment in research and the 2% of GDP) target for investment in higher education proposed by the European Commission," the association said in a statement.

The declaration recommends that European stimulus packages are needed to create real opportunities and incentives for young researchers, to tap unused potential through the implementation and financing of lifelong learning across Europe, and to upgrade universities' facilities and campus infrastructure.

It outlines what it says are10 key success factors for European universities:

o widening opportunities for participation in and successful completion of higher education;
o improving researcher careers;
o providing relevant and innovative study programmes;
o developing distinctive institutional research profiles;
o shaping, reinforcing and implementing autonomy;
o increasing and diversifying income;
o enhancing quality and transparency;
o promoting internationalisation;
o increasing and improving the quality of mobility;
o and developing partnerships.