Consultation launched amid geopolitical, environmental and technological changes
The European University Association, which represents over 800 universities, has launched a consultation to consider the future of collaboration among higher education institutions.
University collaboration is being affected by ongoing crises and uncertainty from geopolitical, economic, social, environmental and technological change, the EUA said as it announced the consultation project on 16 February.
Through workshops, interviews with academic experts and discussions with national rectors’ conferences, the consultation—under the Universities and the future of Europe (Unife) project—aims to develop “concrete ideas” about what universities want from future collaboration and what they need in terms of framework conditions and political structures.
EUA president Michael Murphy will chair an advisory board overseeing the project, which he said “is not about trying to look into a crystal ball to predict the future. It is about using strategic foresight to gain insight and inspire action in the present for a better future for our societies and universities.”
EUA has announced two events for university leaders as part of the project: an online workshop on 28 March and in-person workshops at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy on 22-23 May.