Organised by the European Commission on Thursday 27 February, the event ‘Shaping the Future: European Universities for a Competitive Europe’ celebrated five years of European University alliances. 400 university leaders and European decision-makers came together for a high-level conference devoted to the future of these transnational partnerships, with the aim of strengthening the competitiveness of the European Union.
The university alliances have improved the higher education landscape by simplifying student mobility and creating joint study programmes, which could be supplemented by a European diploma, which has been the subject of much debate.
And for good reason: this project, which stems from the ‘Action Plan for a European Diploma’ proposal announced by the Commission in March 2024 (see EUROPE 13380/3), aims to facilitate the automatic recognition of academic qualifications between Member States, enabling students to follow smooth transnational pathways and boosting the attractiveness of European education on the world stage.
“Imagine a student starting their course in Tallinn, specialising in Bologna and finishing their dissertation in Heidelberg”, said Roxana Mînzatu, the European Commissioner for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, in defence of this perspective, which is also part of a wider strategy of competitiveness and academic sovereignty for Europe.
Marcos Ros Sempere MEP (S&D, Spanish) - who recalled that he had supported the European University alliances initiative since the last legislature and was currently working on a European Parliament own-initiative report on a new vision for these alliances - called for harmonisation of academic standards and an appropriate legal framework to guarantee the credibility of this diploma.
“We are witnessing the third revolution in higher education. After Erasmus and the Bologna process, the European diploma is the next step”, he added.
However, the diversity of education systems, national resistance and the issue of funding are all problems to be overcome.
“The university alliances must be a laboratory for testing this diploma and identifying the obstacles”, said the President of the European University Association, Joseph M. Garrell.
This European diploma could, in time, strengthen the international recognition of European establishments in the face of competition from America and Asia. But its success will depend on the commitment of the Member States and funding to match the ambition.
During the conference, the stakeholders agreed on the central role of university alliances as a driver of competitiveness and innovation in Europe.
These ambitions now need to be translated into concrete actions and long-term financial commitments as the Commission prepares to present the ‘Union of Skills’ package, an initiative it describes as “crucial to address skills shortages, digital and green transitions, and Europe’s ability to develop, retain and attract talent”. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)