EN Official Journal of the European Union C 177/71

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘European higher education in the world’

COM(2013) 499 final

(2014/C 177/13)

Rapporteur: Mr SOARES

On 11 July 2013 the European Commission decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under Article 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, on

European higher education in the world

COM(2013) 499 final.

The Section for External Relations, which was responsible for the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 17 December 2013.

At its 495th plenary session, held on 21 and 22 January 2014 (meeting of 21 January), the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 158 votes in favour with 3 abstentions.

1. Conclusions and recommendations

1.1 The EESC attaches importance to, and agrees with, the strategic priorities put forward by the Commission in its Communication on internationalising European higher education, including the mobility of students, teachers and researchers, ‘internal’ internationalisation by building subjects of relevance to the world scene into study programmes, and on the importance of strengthening international partnerships and alliances between higher education institutions, at a time when the large-scale introduction of free online courses is transforming access to knowledge.

1.2 The EESC welcomes the Commission's recognition of the importance of putting in place a comprehensive internationalisation strategy for European higher education, but regrets that the strategy is limited to reiterating actions that the European Union already has under way, not bringing anything substantially new, and is unsuited to current competition conditions in the sector.

1.3 Likewise, the EESC appreciates the acknowledgement that this is not a purely scientific or technical matter, but is closely related to the political, economic and social environment, whether at national, EU or global.

1.4 The EESC hopes that the Commission will bring forward proposals and measures more effectively promoting the presence of European universities on the world stage and removing all the obstacles that hinder knowledge exchange and student and teacher mobility with third-country higher education institutions, particularly with regard to obtaining visas and immigration policy in general.

1.5 Mobility for students, teachers and researchers represents added value for both the countries of origin and the host countries and so it is important to foster return mobility in order to prevent loss of the qualified human resources that are essential to societies' development.

1.6 The EESC would suggest the possibility of creating a fully-fledged European school, building on the cooperation already undertaken by a number of European universities and providing a forum for academic and research excellence.

1.7 The EESC would repeat the recommendation it has made in previous opinions that when internationalising higher education, the values that have marked European higher education should be maintained and promoted, that the contributions, asymmetries and diversity of all involved be recognised, and that it be remembered that not only academic, but also political, economic and cultural interests are at stake.

1.8 The EESC therefore holds that since this is a strategic objective, it must be accompanied by financial and human resources that can contribute to the social and economic development and well-being of all concerned.

1.9 As a result, the EESC is greatly concerned at the harmful impact that austerity policies are likely to have on the education sector, as repeatedly pointed out by many higher education institutions. The EESC feels duty-bound to emphasise that cuts in the education sector are jeopardising the very objectives set out in the Commission's communication.

1.10 The EESC believes that as part of this internationalisation process, cooperation between higher education institutions and businesses should be promoted, generating synergies to boost the business and creative skills of students and teachers and fostering a climate of innovation, so necessary to society today.

1.11 Widespread, free use of the new technologies within international programmes has transformed access to knowledge and can give ‘mobility’ to millions of students who would not otherwise effectively have this opportunity. The EESC would, however, warn that this use can give rise to technical, education and ethical challenges concerning, for example, respect for the intellectual property of teachers and researchers compiling courses, or the crystallisation of two different, and discriminatory, types of recognition between those who travel internationally in person and those who do so online.

1.12 The EESC would restate its conviction that the internationalisation of European higher education should serve to affirm the core values of European culture, such as upholding human rights, recognising societies' cultural heritage and promoting greater social cohesion.

1.13 The EESC urges the Commission to provide regular, detailed information on how the commitments made in the communication are fulfilled, and believes that this question should be included among the country-specific recommendations under the European Semester.

1.14 Lastly, the EESC recommends that the resources allocated to this area be substantially increased in forthcoming EU budgets, focusing especially on research needs.

2. Introduction

2.1 In a globalised, competitive society such as today's, knowledge is a vital tool for human development in all its dimensions — social, economic and in terms of well-being. Higher education naturally continues to be recognised as an essential element in creating and disseminating new knowledge and as a factor for innovation that can contribute to the development of individuals and of society as a whole. Innovation and knowledge are crucial for economic growth, and also for social development and social cohesion.

2.2 Ways of acquiring knowledge and know-how have of course always been highly diverse, but have today taken on a completely new dimension, partly because of the extension of education to an ever-larger number of people, but mostly through the growing use of the new technologies, posing a major challenge to European higher education institutions.

2.3 Higher education lies (or should lie) at the heart not only of scientific research and technological innovation policies, but also of research that can help generate innovative social policies, social cohesion and more effective, competitive and sustainable business strategies.

2.4 Europe has some 4 000 higher education institutions with over 19 million students and 1,5 million employees (teachers and others), cooperating and competing with universities in other parts of the world in the drive to generate and share knowledge, but also with a view to innovating and creating value for the societies of which they are part.

2.5 There are currently 99 million higher education students around the world, a number set to grow to 414 million by 2030. Increasing numbers of students seek to begin or to complete their studies in a country other than their own, with Europe attracting some 45% of the migrant student population, a population that according to the Commission's forecasts will grow from 4 to 7 million by the end of the decade. In spite of these sizeable figures, it is both possible and desirable to do more and better (1).

2.6 Education, and higher education in particular, lie at the heart of the 2020 strategy and of Europe's ambition to develop a sustainable, smart and inclusive economy. One of the preconditions for achieving such an economy is to relaunch a genuine industrial policy that acknowledges training of human capital as absolutely vital. This is another reason why the importance of universities is set to increase.

2.7 Consequently, international cooperation is of outstanding importance in training and harnessing the new skills that are essential in a radically changing world.

2.8 The Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on European higher education in the world comes against this backdrop.

3. Summary of the Commission communication

3.1 In its communication, the Commission argues that three strategic priorities need to be defined in moving towards a comprehensive internationalisation strategy (2): — on mobility: systematically focusing internationalisation strategies to include a strong student, researcher and staff mobility component, supported by a quality guidance and counselling framework; setting up two-way mobility schemes with non-EU countries; ensuring fair and formal recognition for knowledge gained abroad for internationally mobile students, researchers and staff; — on internationalisation ‘at home’ (integrating global elements into curriculum design and content and the teaching/learning process) and digital learning: capitalising on the international experience of HEI (higher education institution) staff in order to prepare international curricula that benefit both non-mobile and mobile students; offering students, researchers and staff the opportunity to develop their language skills, in particular by providing local language tuition to maximise the benefits of European linguistic diversity; promoting international collaboration through the use of ICTs and Open Education Resources; — on partnerships: strengthening the capacity of higher education and research to identify global challenges and engaging in innovation-oriented international partnerships and alliances; overcoming remaining obstacles to recognition of joint and double degree programmes; providing innovative courses that stimulate entrepreneurship, including the option of international training with employers from inside and outside the EU; ensuring strong coherence between internationalisation strategies and EU development cooperation policies.

3.2 The Commission rightly points out that globalisation and technological development have brought new actors to higher education, such as the emerging countries including China, India and Brazil.

3.3 Similarly, the Commission draws attention to the results of various initiatives already under way (the Bologna Process, programmes such as Erasmus, Tempus, Erasmus Mundus and Marie Curie, and transparency tools such as the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and the European Qualifications Framework (EQF)) in achieving a significant degree of intra-European internationalisation.

3.4 It echoes the message previously conveyed by the communication on Enhancing and focusing EU international cooperation in research and innovation (3) that international mobility offers higher education institutions new opportunities to enter into strategic partnerships.

3.5 In order to contribute financially to internationalisation strategies, the Commission will provide increased funding, through the new Erasmus+ programme and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, allowing 135 000 students and staff to exercise mobility and 15 000 researchers to pursue their careers, as well as providing 60 000 high-level scholarships, and support to 1 000 capacity-building partnerships between EU and non-EU HEIs.

4. General comments

4.1 The EESC regrets that the communication does not in fact bring anything substantially new to the internationalisation strategy, which many EU HEIs have been pursuing for several years. The EESC does however welcome the fact that the Commission's communication succinctly recognises the importance of a comprehensive internationalisation strategy for European higher education, and urges HEIs and the Member States to press ahead with and step up this strategy.

4.2 In a previous opinion, the EESC voiced its interest in this area, explaining that ‘in [its] view, the aim of making European universities centres of excellence attracting students from all over the world is of the utmost importance and should help to demonstrate the high quality of higher education and research in Europe’ (4).

4.3 Attracting new talent is essential nowadays to inject dynamism into the economy and look towards sustainable social growth. To achieve this, Europe's universities must cooperate more closely with each other in order to ensure that European higher education continues to be internationalised in a highly competitive way and is of benefit to the European Union as a whole and to all the relevant stakeholders (5).

4.4 Cooperation can also be increased by closer and better coordination between the higher education institutions of the various European countries that have a presence around the world. Creating a fully-fledged European school as a result of such cooperation could serve as a powerful signal of the Union's role as a forum for excellence.

4.5 This internationalisation strategy must recognise the geographical diversity and range of possible approaches, and of the interests at stake, whether political, economic or academic. The internationalisation of higher education must also take account of the interests of individual faculties or even departments since this can help their research and innovation strategy.

4.6 Moreover, in the light of recent attempts to introduce supposed hierarchies in the sciences, it is important to avoid marginalising the social sciences and humanities in favour of other areas of knowledge.

4.7 The interests of students and teaching staff must also be taken into consideration if the aim is to achieve a holistic view of internationalisation. In this regard, it is crucial to overcome the various obstacles to effective mobility for all of them. This means special attention must be focused on recognising and acknowledging the value of the skills people acquire in research, teaching and training.

4.8 It is consequently essential to step up the implementation of bilateral agreements on recognition of qualifications, and to examine and include clauses covering these issues in any cultural and education exchange agreements reached with third countries and their universities. These agreements should be appraised periodically, and the education community should be involved in this.

4.9 At the same time, the asymmetries between education systems in the host countries and countries of origin must be recognised with a view to identifying the best solutions. The scientific contributions and socio-cultural values instilled by teacher and researcher exchanges must also be acknowledged: these should be seen as enriching — in the widest meaning of the word — all the societies involved.

4.10 The EESC therefore warmly welcomes the mention of the shared responsibilities of the Commission, the Council, the Member States, the education sector and the participating non-EU countries and universities.

4.11 Consistency of strategies between the EU, countries, higher education institutions, businesses and other sectors of society when internationalising their own interests is crucial to overall success in internationalising higher education. Shifting from sector-based international action to an internationalisation strategy on an institutional footing is thus a necessary step that should be encouraged.

4.12 Internationalisation of higher education must be tied to high-quality research promoting the common good and social and economic development. It also requires the involvement of teachers and researchers, via democratically elected structures, in all European and non-European higher education institutions and research centres, alongside other stakeholders (student associations, businesses and business associations, local and/or regional public authorities, etc.).

4.13 Lastly, the EESC would restate its conviction that the internationalisation of European higher education should serve to affirm the core values of European culture, such as upholding human rights, highlighting societies' cultural heritage and promoting greater social cohesion.

5. Specific comments

5.1 The EESC notes that the Commission recognises the principle of subsidiarity (national responsibility), without overlooking the importance of the EU's contribution, particularly at a time when the internationalisation of European higher education is being called into question.

5.2 When defining priorities for project funding, one instrument available to the EU would be to envisage specific additional support for national agencies in the various European countries working to internationalise higher education and to encourage the establishment of such agencies in countries where they do not exist. The EESC believes that boosting cooperation between these agencies would stimulate cooperation between European universities.

5.3 One of the major issues facing the internationalisation of European higher education and efforts to attract young talent from third countries is that of immigration policy and visa procedures for students and teachers from outside the EU. The EESC calls for the removal of these obstacles, which have long since been identified and which deter many students, teachers and researchers from choosing Europe as their preferred destination.

5.4 The EESC has always upheld the idea that mobility for students, teachers and researchers represents added value for both the countries of origin and the host countries. It is important in this regard to foster return mobility in order to prevent loss of the qualified human resources that is essential to societies' development.

5.5 Rather than keeping account of mobility on the part of students, teachers and researchers, however, it would be more useful to analyse the outcomes. The bulk of the investment should therefore be earmarked for cooperation programmes, incorporating the scholarships that produce mobility and enabling the establishment of networks with a strong multiplier effect.

5.6 The EESC also draws attention to the particular need to boost the involvement of women in research mobility, since the number of women researchers in senior academic leadership positions in scientific and university institutions remains very low, in spite of some growth in recent years.

5.7 Mobility should also represent an opportunity to its beneficiaries for the cultural and indeed linguistic enrichment that only Europe, as a multicultural and multilingual area, can offer. Including local language courses in the study programmes of migrant students, teachers and researchers and framing a strategy to integrate them into local host communities would unquestionably open up broader cultural horizons and enable them to live to the full the environment in which they spend their period of study or research (6).

5.8 Another important question for the successful internationalisation of higher education concerns the recognition, certification and validation of qualifications and skills. In a recent opinion, the EESC argued that ‘Recognition of professional qualifications from other Member States is a key instrument for promoting the mobility of EU citizens and thereby implementing the Single Market. It will strengthen the competitiveness of Member States, support sustainable growth and reduce unemployment. National economies will benefit from the varied professional experiences acquired by their citizens while working in different Member States’ (7).

5.9 The Commission communication indicates the importance of the emerging countries in the globalisation and internationalisation of higher education. Although the EESC agrees that these new players on the international scene must be taken into due account, it would point to the need to keep a permanent focus on new ‘competitors’ who may be about to emerge or other countries and geographical regions with which certain European countries have long-standing special relations for a wide range of reasons.

5.10 The EESC notes that the Commission communication makes little mention of the necessary cooperation between universities and business: such cooperation must respect the independence and working methods of both sectors. Linking them can however make a substantial contribution to economic and social development.

5.11 Cooperation between higher education institutions and companies should indeed also be encouraged at international level. In their international activities, it is important that universities make use of the results of research, foster innovation in their teaching and promote the creative and innovative capacities of their students and teachers. The EESC however warns of the danger of subordinating basic research to immediate applications of science.

5.12 The EESC appreciates the acknowledgement that this is not a purely scientific or technical matter, but is closely related to the political environment, at both national and EU level.

5.13 For this reason it voices its serious concern at the budgetary situation in a number of European countries, particularly those subject to EU and IMF intervention, where the budgets of higher education institutions have been slashed, possibly compromising the intentions set out in the communication. The main attraction of European universities in fact lies in their quality and the excellence of their academic qualifications.

5.14 The EESC underlines the need to have reliable and comparable European statistics so that a dialogue can be established on a sound basis with non-EU partners with a view to forging real knowledge alliances.

5.15 The EESC believes that the question of following up on the situation of higher education and its internationalisation should be included among the country-specific recommendations under the European Semester.

5.16 As the communication points out, using the new technologies within international programmes could give ‘mobility’ to millions of students who do not effectively have this opportunity. The large-scale introduction of free online courses is effectively transforming access to knowledge, creating new opportunities and at the same time giving rise to new educational and methodological challenges.

5.17 The EESC would however warn that this use can give rise to technical and ethical questions concerning, for example, respect for the intellectual property of teachers and researchers compiling courses, or the crystallisation of two different, and discriminatory, types of recognition between those who travel internationally in person and those who do so online.

5.18 The Commission plans to introduce U-MultiranK, a new model for ranking HEIs, in 2014 in order to reflect the diversity of profiles in a more transparent way. Although it shares these aims, the EESC wonders how effective it will be compared to other systems that are already recognised, and whether it is advisable to allocate such substantial resources at a time of economic and financial difficulty.

5.19 The EESC welcomes the recognition given by the High Level Group on the modernisation of higher education when it argues that the greater cultural, economic and social diversity of students demonstrates the need for specific training for teachers. Just as Europe has decided that by 2020, 40% of European young people should hold a higher qualification, so by the same year all teachers in higher education institutions should be professionals who can guarantee the quality of the subjects taught and the qualifications awarded.

5.20 The United Nations' International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights requires countries to assume full responsibility for funding education, stipulating that ‘higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education’.

5.21 Within the 2014-2020 budget framework, the Commission plans a EUR 3 000 million package to finance the internationalisation of higher education (from a total of EUR 16 000 million earmarked for Erasmus+ programmes). With this funding, the Commission is committed to ensuring the mobility of 135 000 learners and staff, 15 000 researchers and 60 000 high-level masters and doctorate students. The EESC expects to receive regular, detailed information on how this commitment is fulfilled, and recommends that the amounts allocated for this purpose be increased in the future.

Brussels, 21 January 2014. The President of the European Economic and Social Committee Henri MALOSSE

(1) According to data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

(2) The Lithuanian Presidency held a conference together with the European Commission on this question, the conclusions of which can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/30082013-european-higher-education-confrence_en.htm.

(3) COM(2012) 497 final.

(4) OJ C 191, 29.6.2012, p. 103.

(5) According to the Commission, 63% of all third-country students entering the EU go to three countries — the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

(6) ‘All persons have (...) the right to express themselves and to create and disseminate their work in the language of their choice, and particularly in their mother tongue; all persons are entitled to quality education and training that fully respect their cultural identity’.

(7) OJ C 204, 9.8.2008, p. 85.