Students worried about university networks plan

The European Students’ Union has expressed “significant concerns” about EU plans to create European university networks, warning they could worsen educational inequalities.

EU recognition of and funding for networks of existing European universities is meant to increase higher education and research standards and mobility. But while the ESU welcomed plans to strengthen cooperation among universities, it called for those plans to be revised in a statement on 8 May.

“As the proposal currently stands, ESU believes that the European universities networks risks creating a two-tiered, elitist system due to the ability of well-funded and affluent institutions to more easily access project or research funding,” the union said.