12 Jul, 2013
European Commission launches strategy to globalise universities, attract students
Brussels, 11 July 2013, European Commission Press release – The international higher education landscape is changing dramatically in shape and size, with greater competition from countries such as China and India. This calls for an overhaul in the way Europe’s 4,000 universities operate – not only internationally, but also in how they deliver education to European students in their home countries.
Today, the European Commission launches a new strategy, ‘European higher education in the world’, aiming to ensure European graduates gain the international skills they need to work anywhere in the world and that Europe remains the most attractive destination for international students. Erasmus+, the new EU programme for education, training, youth and sport, will allocate more than €400 million a year to support international student exchanges and increased cooperation between European universities and their partners worldwide.
Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, said: “European universities need to think global. They must act strategically to capitalise on Europe’s reputation for top quality higher education. They need to promote international mobility of students and staff, provide world-class innovative curricula, as well as excellence in teaching and research. While many European universities have good links inside the EU, many lack a clear strategy for strengthening ties with non-European partners. This urgently needs to change. The Commission will support Member States so that they can develop their international higher education networks. There is no one-size-fits-all model for this: countries need to play to their strengths.”
There are more than 19 million students in European Union universities and other higher education institutions. The Commission underlines that universities must also promote an international outlook among the 85% of students who are not mobile, so that they too acquire the international skills required in a globalised world. This means universities need to develop international curricula, promote language skills and expand digital learning.
Overall, the number of higher education students in the world is expected to quadruple, from around 100 million in 2000 to 400 million in 2030, with particularly strong growth in Asia and Latin America. Europe currently attracts around 45% of all international students, but its competitors are rapidly increasing their investment in higher education. The largest providers of internationally mobile students are China, India and South Korea.
The new Erasmus+ programme, to be launched in January 2014, will for the first time mainstream opportunities for students from beyond Europe’s borders to spend part of their degree studies at a European university, or vice versa. 135 000 student and staff exchanges between the EU and the rest of the world will be funded – 100 000 more than under the existing Erasmus Mundus programme, in addition to 3 million student and staff exchanges within the EU.
Background
European higher education in the world builds on work started in 2011 with the EU’s higher education modernisation agenda (IP/11/1043), which aims to improve the quality and relevance of higher education to ensure young people are equipped with the right mix of skills for the labour market.
The Commission is committed to strengthening academic partnerships on a global scale. Through the new generation of EU programmes, notably Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020 for research, the Commission will build on the success of Erasmus Mundus and the Marie Curie Actions to ensure that the internationalisation and modernisation of European higher education is a top priority.
The main goals of the Commission’s internationalisation strategy are to:
- Enhance the overall quality of European education by facilitating peer learning, cooperation and comparison with other education providers worldwide;
- Boost innovation and job creation in Europe by attracting internationally mobile students and skilled migrants;
- Broaden horizons, increase employability and prepare students to become global citizens, and
- Influence and engage new audiences in a way that advances the EU’s position in the world.
For more information: Facts & Figures: European higher education in the world
Why European universities must become more international
Remarks by Androulla VASSILIOU, Member of the European Commission responsible for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, at the Press conference on European higher education in the world, Brussels 11 July 2013
Good afternoon.
I am pleased to announce that the Commission has just adopted a communication on European higher education in the world. It proposes measures aimed at ensuring that European graduates gain the international skills they need to work anywhere in the world and that Europe remains the most attractive destination for international students.
Even if Europe continues to attract around 45% of all international students, there is no room for complacency. The international higher education landscape is changing rapidly; the number of students in the world is expected to quadruple, from 100 million in 2000 to 400 million in 2030, with particularly strong growth in Asia and Latin America.
By 2020 we estimate that there will be 7 million internationally mobile students compared with 4 million today. Most come from China, India and South Korea. China alone hosts 7% of the world’s internationally mobile students.
This changing landscape means that European universities will have to compete to attract more talent from around the world, and that further internationalisation of European universities will require stronger cooperation with new higher education hubs on all continents.
Universities and Member States need to have comprehensive strategies that go beyond mobility and encompass many other types of academic cooperation, such as joint degrees. They will have to step up their support for strategic partnerships, capacity building, joint research projects and distance learning programmes.
The Communication underlines that we also need to promote internationalisation among the 85% of students who are not internationally mobile. We need to do this so that they can also acquire the international skills required in a globalised world. This means universities need to develop international curricula, promote language skills and expand digital learning opportunities.
The EU will continue to support efforts in this direction:
As you know, the Erasmus programme has been a driving force for international cooperation between higher education institutions in Europe for over 25 years. It has promoted student and staff mobility and has been a catalyst for higher education reforms.
Its impact has been complemented by other successful programmes such as the Marie Curie Actions, Tempus and Erasmus Mundus. Each of these programmes has a global focus, helping universities to internationalise and offering more opportunities for students, researchers and staff to gain experience abroad, as well as helping non-EU countries to develop their capacities.
With Erasmus+, our new programme for education, training and youth, which will enter into force on 1 January, we are gathering all our existing international programmes into one to increase synergies, simplification and visibility. We will open up Erasmus mobility to and from non-EU countries.
More than €400 million per year will be made available under the new programme to support mobility and cooperation between European universities and their partners worldwide.
We will also step up our efforts to promote the EU as a high-quality study and research destination. More focus on quality and modernisation, and making the most of the rich cultural and linguistic diversity which European higher education offers, will help us to compete with Asia and Latin America.
International competition and cooperation is an opportunity; it can bring significant benefits for Europe, for the Member States and for individual higher education institutions.
I must stress that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to internationalisation. It will mean different things for different institutions, according to the national context and their own priorities, whether these are teaching, research and innovation, outreach in the local community or a mix of all three.
But I am convinced that we all have a part to play in ensuring that young Europeans are educated and equipped with the skills they need to excel in an increasingly global, open and competitive labour market.
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