Brussels, 18/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - On the initiative of Viviane Reding and Chris Patten, the European Commission approved a communication on Wednesday aimed at stepping-up cooperation with third countries in the field of higher education (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.14). "This European cooperation strategy with third countries will be put in place in detail over the next two years. Meanwhile, we are announcing the first concrete measures", Viviane Reding told the press.
Despite programmes such as Erasmus, that have allowed for major enhancement of the capacity for international cooperation on the part of EU universities, the Commission considers that additional efforts are needed for these universities and other learning centres to take more advantage of the globalisation of education. This strategy complements the ones that certain Member States already undertake bilaterally (the British Council, of the United Kingdom, Edufrance, for France and DAAD, for Germany), Viviane Reding commented. Observing, moreover, that "half a million foreigners go to study in the United States, against only 400,000 in Europe, 300,000 of whom head to the United Kingdom, France and Germany", Ms. Reding drew attention to the fact that "the excellence of Italian universities, for example, is totally underestimated. This leads to a problem in terms of political and cultural influence in Europe". Our students, our researchers and our teachers do not benefit from an international education either, and, therefore, it is in our interest to make them more mobile at world level and open up our universities to the world".
Regarding the strengthening of exchanges with third countries, Viviane Reding recalled that the EU was already linked to several third countries in the field of higher education (agreements with the United States and Canada; Tempus programme with the former USSR, the Western Balkans, Mongolia; Alfa cooperation programme with Latin America), whereas many third countries were seeking multilateral cooperation with universities and training centres in the Union. The Commissioner said that Australia and Mexico had already put in their candidacies for such a type of partnership, and that Israel, India, Japan and China had shown great interest. "With this strategy, European experience will be put to good use outside the EU in a multilateral manner. We shall begin with a pilot programme of 3rd cycle fellowships (post-graduate) with Latin America. We shall seek to strengthen studies of the EU in third countries, for example by extending the network of study centres on the EU and Jean Monnet Chairs, we shall advertise for European universities that are ill-known outside Europe", Ms. Reding announced.
This strategy will be financed within existing budgetary programmes and envelopes. It will be followed by a larger communication on the subject in 2003. The education dimension of aid in development will, moreover, be the subject of a Commission communication scheduled for the end of the year.