Brussels, 12/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission and South Korea have concluded a new higher education agreement. On 11 November, Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, and Seo Nam-soo, Minister of Education of the Republic of Korea, signed an agreement to strengthen higher education partnerships between the European Union and Korea. The agreement envisages more exchanges among university students and staff, new efforts to promote mutual recognition of qualifications and study periods, and a policy dialogue on issues of common interest. “Europe has some of the best universities in the world but none can afford to rest on their laurels. They need to adapt and think international to ensure they deliver high-quality education and the skills our young people need for the future. Korean universities are in a similar situation and we can learn a lot from each other”, said Commissioner Vassiliou.
The agreement will promote exchanges between the EU and Korea on policies and best practice, as well as increased support for partnerships between universities and other education organisations. It will help both to prioritise action to support the reform, modernisation and internationalisation of higher education, including practical measures, and to remove barriers to student and staff mobility. Erasmus+, the new EU programme for education, training and youth will be launched on 1 January 2014. In addition to around 2 million student exchanges within Europe, Erasmus+ will enable 135,000 students and staff to move between Europe and the rest of the world. The Commission underlines that Korea has an excellent reputation for higher education and innovation, and has the third highest number of internationally mobile students in the world - around 240,000 are currently studying abroad. Only China and have students that are more mobile. (IL/transl.fl)