REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL - EVALUATION OF TEMPUS ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE AND VIEWS ON PARTNER COUNTRIES REMAINING NEEDS
Date: 1996-05-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Central and Eastern Europe, EU programme, educational exchange, higher education, international cooperation

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

if 

-k 

Brussels,  08.05.1996 
COM(96)  197final 

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION  TO THE COUNCIL 

EVALUATION 

OF TEMPUS  ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE 

AND  VIEWS ON 

PARTNER  COUNTRIES' REMAINING  NEEDS 

EVALUATION  OF TEMPUS ACHIEVEMENTS  TO DATE 
AND VIEWS ON 
PARTNER COUNTRIES' REMAINING NEEDS 

CONTENT 

INTRODUCTION 

L EVALUATION OF TEMPUS TO DATE 

1. 
2. 
3. 

Evolution  of the  Programme 
TEMPUS  impacts 
TEMPUS policy  settings 

H. A FUTURE ROLE FOR TEMPUS 

1. 

in the Phare associated countries 

A. 

B. 

C. 

TEMPUS  and  pre-accession 
- the Essen  European  Council 
- the relationship  to  Socrates 

Support  for higher  education  policy  initiatives 

The need to  manage  change and  demonstrate  accountability 
optimising  university  resources 

D. 

Maximising  the  utilisation  of  TEMPUS  outputs 

2. 

in the non-associated Phare countries 

3. 

in the Tacis countries 

A. 

Key  challenges  for  the future  of  higher  education 

B. 

C. 

Strategic  considerations 

Future  orientations  for  TEMPUS  Tacis 

IDL  CONCLUDING REMARKS 

©^ 

EVALUATION  OF TEMPUS ACHIEVEMENTS  TO DATE 
AND VIEWS ON PARTNER COUNTRIES' REMAINING NEEDS 

INTRODUCTION 

1. In accordance  with the Council Decision of 29 April  1993(OJ No LI 12/34, 6 May 
1993) a second phase of the Trans-European  cooperation scheme for higher education 
(Tempus H) was adopted  for  a period of  four  years as of  1 July  1994. Article  11 of 
this Decision requires the submission of an interim report, including the results of the 
evaluation, before  30 April  1906, as well as possibly  a proposal  for  the  continuation 
or adaptation  of Tempus II  for the period  beginning  1 July  1998. 

2.  This  interim  report  therefore  aims  to  give  information  as  to  the  achievements  of 
TEMPUS  to  date  and  examines  the  case  for  a  possible  further  phase  of  Tempus 
beyond  the  end  of  Tempus  II  in  the  light  of  the  impact  which  Tempus  has  so  far 
achieved on the reform  of higher  education  in the partner Phare and Tacis countries. 

L EVALUATION  OF TEMPUS TO DATE 

1. 

Evolution of the Programme 

3.  Since its  adoption  by the  Council  on  7 May  1990 and the  start of the initial  pilot 
phase from  1 July  1990, Tempus has proved  to be a dynamic programme which  has 
been continually adapting to the changing environment in which it has been operating. 
This  environment  has been  shaped  in part  by  developments  in  and  links  with  Phare 
and Tacis strategies, the needs and  capacities of the partner  countries  and the policy 
framework  provided  by  Council  and  Tempus  Committee  decisions.  In  addition, 
modalities have been continually improved as experience in programme delivery is fed 
back  to  inform  future  implementation. 

4.  It  is  possible  to  identify  three  broad  phases  in  the  approach  taken  by  the 
programme. The early phase of Tempus is characterised by the need to create, broaden 
and deepen  links between those involved  in higher  education  in the partner  countries 
and  the  European  Union.  Here  mobility  is  of  primary  importance  as  a  means  of 
creating a critical  mass of academics and policy  makers who will be willing and able 
to drive education reform  in the partner countries. The next phase involves mobilising 
and  channelling  this  potential  for  change  into  activities  directed  at  concrete  and 
sustainable  reforms  within  higher  education  systems.  This  more  structural  approach 
encompasses  reform  or  renewal  of  courses,  curriculum  development  and  innovation 
and  the  adoption  of  improved  teaching  methodologies.  This  phase  tends  to  become 
progressively more challenging as the subject areas addressed increasingly reflect those 
skill  needs  of  the  labour  market  where  there  is  little  or  no  experience  within  the 

academic  community  upon  which  to base project  activity.  The third phase  involves 
elevating  these  reforms  to  a  strategic  level  where  they  will  have  an  impact  on 
universities as a whole and on policy-making and implementation within ministries of 
education. This implies changing to a certain extent the targeting and modalities of the 
programme  as  a different  set  of  'clients'  is  addressed  and as vertical  subject-based 
priorities are increasingly  replaced by horizontal  systemic ones. 

5. Against this general background, the phasing of which  will vary  according to the 
situation in the respective countries, it is possible to identify  some key characteristics 
in the evolution of the Tempus programme. These may be summarised as follows : 

a  shift  from  exchange  and  mobility  as  ends  in  themselves  towards 
increasingly  structural  and strategic objectives. 

•  an  increasing  degree  of  ownership  by  the  partner  countries.  This  is 
demonstrated  most  clearly  in  the  dramatic  growth  of  eligible  country 
coordinators and contractors which has had the desirable effect of making 
Tempus project design and management progressively more demand driven 
rather than supply driven by the Western partners. Also relevant to mention 
here  is  the  growing  professionalism  and profile  of  the National  Tempus 
Offices(NTOs)  in  the  Phare  partner  countries  which  have  acted  as  an 
increasingly  effective  intermediary  in  the  process  of  elaborating  and 
articulating the agenda for reform. 

•  projects  increasingly  determined  according to  national  priorities.  In turn 
these  priorities  are  progressively  being  located  within  coherent  national 
strategies  for  higher  education  reform  where  Tempus  is  positioned  to 
address  in  particular  those  skill  needs  supporting  overall  Phare/Tacis 
country objectives. 

•  modalities which have reflected  this more strategic approach by adding a 
'top-down' dimension to the proven success of the traditional 'bottom-up' 
approach. 

• 

increasing emphasis on those horizontal issues such as university /enterprise 
links,  multidisciplinarity  and  flexible  course  structures  and  quality  of 
university management, which are aimed at improving the performance of 
the  higher  education  sector  in  meeting  changing  demands  in  the  labour 
market and from  a variety  of social partners. 

• 

increasing  focus  on  the  sustainability  and  dissemination  of  the  growing 
inventory  of transferable  outputs of Tempus projects. 

2. 

TEMPUS impacts 

6.  When  considering  Tempus  impacts  it  is  necessary  to  assess  these  against  the 
objectives set for the programme under the terms of the respective Council Decision. 
Those  for  Tempus  I  focused  on  encouraging  cooperation  with  partners  in  the 
Community, on the mobility  of  students and teaching staff  and  on opportunities for 
teaching and learning Community languages. Only under Tempus II which commenced 
on  I  July  1994  was  there  an  explicit  link  made  in  the  Decision  Text  with  the 
objectives of the Phare and Tacis programmes in the context of economic and social 
reform. Specific objectives became more structural in terms of curriculum development 
and  overhaul,  the  reform  of  higher  education  structures  and  institutions  and  their 
management and the development of  skill-related training to address advanced level 
skill  shortages during economic  reform. 

7.  Evidence  for  the  impact  of  Tempus has been  taken principally  from  an external 
Evaluation1,  supplemented  by  the  series  of  Country  Monographs based  on site-visit 
investigations and published by the European Commission2, the Report 'Strengthening 
East-West Inter-University Cooperation: From Assistance to Partnership' prepared by 
the  CRE  ("Conférence  des  Recteurs  Européens")  in  collaboration  with  the  Liaison 
Committee of Rectors' Conferences3 and Site Visit Reports involving external experts4. 

8.  Despite  this  diversity  of  sources  there  appears  to  be  a  considerable  degree  of 
consistency as to the assessment of Tempus impacts and the areas where further action 
is necessary. The Evaluation concludes that 'the projects supported by TEMPUS can 
be considered by and large as successful  and important for the development of higher 
education  in  the  CEE  partner  countries 
Although  a  substantial  contribution  of 
TEMPUS I to the development of higher education in the CEE partner countries can 
be  observed,  further  efforts  will  be  necessary  at least  in  some  of  the  CEE partner 
countries to reach a level of achievement and progress in higher education renewal and 
restructuring  which  utilizes  the  potentials  of  the  TEMPUS  Programme  to  a  fuller 
extent in order to reach the aims and objectives of the Programme'. 

9. The CRE report is very clear in its overall  assessment of the Tempus programme 
within the general framework  of international  assistance to higher education reform: 
'Thus, East-West inter-university cooperation constitutes a highly complex and 
diversified  scene and it would be wrong to view  it as a scene determined by 
a single supporting  agency however powerful  and large it may be. 

1 

(i)  Evaluation  of the First  Phase  of Tempus  1990-91  -  1993-94, Final  Report, February  1996, 

(ii)  Evaluation of the  Second Phase of Tempus  1994-95 -  1995-96, Interim Report, April  1996, by: University 
of Kassel, Centre  for  Research  on Higher  Education, and  GES Maiworm&Over,  Gesellschaft  fur  Empinsche 
Studien bR, Kassel. 

2  Tempus Country  Monograph:  The  Slovak Republic,  1994, by: Prof. R. Gwyn.  Tempus  Country 
Monographs  for  Bulgaria,  the  Czech  Republic,  Hungary,  Poland,  Romania  and  Slovenia  are  currenly  in 
preparation. 

3 

September  1994. 

4  A  series  of  site  visits  were  undertaken  by  the  Commission  in  1992-94  in  order  to  carry  out  a 
quality audit of the Tempus programme and, in particular, of its Joint European Projects, from both an academic 
and financial  point  of  view.  For details: Tempus  Site  Visit Programme, Annual  Report  1992-93. 

It  appeared  nevertheless  very  clearly  in  the  course  of  this  project  that  one 
supporting programme, namely Tempus, played and plays an absolutely central 
role  among  the  different  past  and  present  cooperation  schemes.  For  many 
institutions  this  was  by  far  the  most  important  international  programme  of 
East-West  cooperation,  not  only from the  point  of  view  of  the  amount  of 
external  resources  involved  but  also  in  terms  of  thinking  about  outside 
assistance. In the opinion of many, Tempus has indeed opened and developed 
more  than any  other  process  the  internationalisation  of  Central  and Eastern 
European  higher  education  and  it  can  be  safely  argued  that  the  overall 
assessment by its beneficiaries  is highly positive.' 

Similarly  the  Monographs  state that Tempus  'has generated a high level  of  activity 
which  has  had  a  very  positive  impact  on  the  process  of  innovation  in  Higher 
Education'. 

10. This consensus broadly extends to the assessment of the more specific  outcomes 
and  impacts  of  Tempus.  Both  the  Evaluation  and Monographs  distinguish  in  their 
different ways between what the latter calls proem and project outcomes.  With regard 
to  process,  the  Evaluation  specifies  as  the  first  and most  significant  outcome  'the 
integration  of the  CEE partners  into  an international  community  of  scholars  and in 
some  cases  of  administrators.  They  became  accustomed  to  and  versatile  in  this 
framework,  they were integrated into smaller and larger networks, and they received 
some training and general  improvement to raise their competences  and status'. 

11. Looking to the future it can be argued that through these process benefits Tempus 
has  and is  creating  a platform for  sustainable  change  and development  within the 
higher  education  sector  in  the  partner  countries.  For  the  associated  countries  the 
networks, skills and attitudes engendered by Tempus should have the particular benefit 
of  facilitating  future  active  engagement  by  the  academic  community  in  European 
Union programmes  of  various  kinds.  For the other Phare  and Tacis  countries these 
benefits will contribute to embedding democratic values and new perspectives within 
their higher education systems and to providing those skills important for facilitating 
reform in other areas of society. 

12. Perhaps the most important concrete outcome of Tempus projects has been in the 
area of innovations introduced into university curricula including the development of 
new  courses,  teaching  material  and  teaching  methodologies.  Increasingly  these 
activities  have  been  subject  to  the framework provided  by  national  priorities,  the 
typical  features of which have included: 

• 

the  promotion  of  multidisciplinary  studies  and  the  development  of  new 
course structures, particularly short cycle bachelor degrees and postgraduate 
courses. 

•  priority to subjects in certain academic areas linked to economic transition 
and  democratic  reform  or  more  specifically  to  Phare  and  Tacis  sector 
programmes,  such  as  business  management,  public  administration, 
environmental  protection, agriculture and health. 

13. However within the generally favourable assessment of Tempus impact in this area 
the  level  and  scope  of  impact  were  initially  limited  and  have  been  raised  under 
Tempus  II.  Initially,  under  Tempus  I,  most  development  took  place  at  the  level  of 
courses  or  units  of  teaching  material,  that  achievements  have  been  characterised  by 
selective innovation or adaptation rather than by totally new programmes and that the 
focus  of impact has typically  been at departmental  level. Even where a university has 
various  departments  involved  in  a number  of different  projects  there  was  often  little 
or  no  synergy  between  them  as  a  means  for  institutional  reform.  The  Tempus  I 
Evaluation  states: 

'In  a  substantial  number  of  departments  in  CEE  countries,  far-reaching 
curricular  innovations  were  achieved,  and  the  development  of  new  teaching 
material  of a strategic  nature was realised frequently. Curricular  development 
and  other  educational  activities,  however,  varied  substantially  in  scope  and 
achievement.' 

14.  Recalling  the  objectives  set  for  Tempus  I  by  the  Council  Decision  it  is  indeed 
quite  reasonable  and  understandable  that  the  outcomes  of  the  Tempus  projects 
commencing  in  the  first  three  or  four  years  lacked  the  wider  dimensions  which  are 
viewed  as a clear priority  for  Tempus  II. However  the reasons  for  the  initial  lack  of 
more strategic impact within institutions seem to go beyond the question of objectives 
and  points  to  constraints  which  are  likely  to  persist  to  a  greater  or  lesser  extent 
through  Tempus  II,  and  thus  be  relevant  to  a possible  agenda  to  be  addressed  by  a 
further  phase  of  the  programme.  These  constraints  arise  from  the  move  towards 
internal fragmentation  and the development of extreme forms  of individual  autonomy 
within higher  education  institutions  following  their release from  centralised  direction 
in  1989/90.  Both  the  Evaluation  and  Monographs  identify  this  lack  of  institutional 
cohesion and strategy as an important factor  in limiting the broader impact of Tempus 
projects.  For  example  the  Evaluation  refers to: 

'  ...achievements  on  selected  islands  of innovation  privileged  to be  chosen  in 
the  framework  of  the  TEMPUS  Programme.  Spin-offs  within  the  respective 
institutions  remained  moderate  or mostly  marginal.' 

Interestingly  both  qualify  this view  in respect of smaller universities  where a greater 
degree  of  institutional  identity  and  management  has  led  to  more  structural  reforms 
being initiated through Tempus projects. This topic of university management will be 
returned  to  later  in the  report. 

15. The need to create impact on institutions as a whole was specifically  addressed by 
Tempus  II.  A  kick-off  for  attempts  to  use  Tempus  as  an  instrument  to  promote 
sustainable  development  at  institutional  level  has  been  the  newly  introduced 
requirement  that  partner  country  universities  demonstrate  how  a planned  project  fits 
with  their  institutional  development  strategies.  Another  fact  having  contributed  to  a 
stronger  involvement  of  the  central  levels  of  institutions  in  Tempus  projects  is  that 
local  universities  can  act  as  project  coordinators  in  all  partner  countries  and  as 
contractors  in  most  of them. 

The Tempus  II  Evaluation  assesses  the  adaptations  made  as  follows: 

'The  function  of  the  central  level  of  the  higher  education  institutions  has 
gradually  changed  within  Tempus  II.  Special  Joint  European  Projects  and 
complementary  measures  were  awarded  support  in  order  to  improve  the 
institutional  management.  Furthermore  the  attempts  to  integrate  Tempus 
activities into an institutional  strategy  could be found more often.' 

16. Although a means rather than an end in itself, the provision of equipment,  books 
and periodicals  appears  to  be  a  highly  valued  outcome  of  Tempus  projects.  The 
Evaluation speaks of new equipment being  ' the pride of the respective  departments 
in the Central Eastern European countries'. The acquisition of new equipment was of 
course only  agreed to where it could be seen to be demonstrably  supporting relevant 
educational  activities and/or related infrastructure,  for example PCs for management 
projects,  language  laboratories  for  languages  projects  or photocopying  machines  to 
facilitate  the  development  of  teaching  materials  and communications  with partners. 
Both  the Evaluation  and Monographs  confirm  that such  a linkage  with  educational 
activities  in  fact  existed.  The  latter  refers  to  the  beneficial  impact  on  teaching 
programmes  of  the  acquisition  of  microcomputers  and in  a more  general  sense the 
important  contribution  to  improved  communications  provided  by  photocopiers, 
telephones and fax machines. 

The Evaluation puts it this way: 

'While  in some cases  it(new equipment)  was closely  linked to the respective 
educational  measures, it was in most cases viewed  as an improvement  useful 
anyway, ie. for the quality of educational activities in general, for easing future 
international  cooperation,  for  supporting  the  research  infrastructure,  etc. 
Structural  development  met  the  highest  consensus  as  being  an  important 
element of support.' 

17. Many of the same considerations apply to the provision of books and periodicals. 
To quote from the Monographs: 

'  The  quality  of  its  library  is  an  important  indicator  of  the  quality  of  the 
University  as a whole. Tempus has made a major contribution: it has enabled 
institutions to replenish their book stocks with many titles, often from Western 
Europe  and  North  America,  which  may  not  have  been  available  under  the 
previous  regime  and  which  would  have  been  denied  to  them  still,  on  cost 
grounds alone, without the Programme's support.' 

As with equipment, benefits accrued to both the methods and content of teaching and 
learning but it is also necessary to add that once a significant part of this 'deficit'  has 
been corrected, increasing ernphasis has been put on the development of publications 
and other materials (particularly case studies) developed locally appropriate to national 
needs. 

18.  Staff mobility  led  as  much  to  process  benefits  as  to  achieving  specific  project 
outcomes. Volumes have been substantial, with about 57,000 mobility grants for staff 
being granted under Tempus Joint European Projects (JEPs), 60% of which supported 
East to West visits. The Evaluation speaks of far-reaching benefits in terms of getting 
to  know  partners  in  other  countries,  their  activities  and  ways  of  thinking,  of 
establishing networks, of improving competences moderately and of adapting to other 
styles of  communication  and behaviour.  The Monographs state that  '  staff  mobility 

in JEPs (and for that matter, also  student mobility)  and all that it has brought  in its 
wake,  albeit  a  means  rather  than  an  end,  is  one  of  the  great  success  stories  of 
Tempus'.  Some of the many  associated benefits  are the acquisition  and up-dating  of 
specialist  knowledge,  adoption  of  new  teaching  methodologies,  experience  of  using 
modern curriculum development strategies and the skills to work within and manage 
projects.  Project  development  and  management  skills  have  proved  a  particularly 
valuable  'enabling'  tool  as they  have  contributed  significantly  to  partner  countries 
assuming  a greater degree of  ownership  of  projects through progressively  taking on 
the role of contractor. To these benefits  should be added the no less important factor 
of the adoption of new perspectives and attitudes towards change and reform and the 
confidence  to challenge  existing  structures and practices.  Perhaps one caveat should 
be added to this positive analysis in that the full potential of newly-acquired skills was 
not always fully  realised following  return of staff to their partner country institutions. 
Once again this comes back to the consequences of institutional fragmentation  which 
will be addressed later in the report. 

19. There has also been a substantial volume of student mobility  with almost 27,000 
grants being awarded under Tempus JEPs. The Evaluation notes that 'student exchange 
tended to be viewed as very helpful for those actually going abroad, but altogether less 
intertwined with the other reform activities'. Certainly it  has had less direct links with 
educational innovation and change  although the indirect effects of students returning 
with new perspectives  and attitudes,  as  well  as with  a strengthened  confidence  and 
ability  to  articulate  their  views  and  challenge  the  status  quo  should  not  be 
underestimated.  One  of  the  conclusions  of  a  seminar  of  experts  involved  in  the 
Tempus site visits programme was  as follows : 

' Student mobility is considered by all experts as a cost effective activity as the 
formation abroad can really contribute to speeding up the pedagogical changes, 
considered  both  as  teaching  methodologies  and  techniques,  and  as 
programmes.' 

This  catalysing  effect  of  student  mobility  is  explained  by  the  role  of  returners 
influencing  attitudes  within  departments,  both  among  fellow  students  and  staff 
members,  often  obliging  the  latter  to  consider  changes  to  curriculum  and teaching 
methods.  In  the  context  of  Tempus  I,  perhaps  the  main  criticism  to  be  voiced 
regarding  student  mobility  is  that  periods  of  study  in  the  EU  were  too  often  not 
recognised by the parent institution, and this is an issue being addressed under Tempus 
II. Under Tempus H, student mobility projects have progressively played a smaller part 
in overall JEP activity and now are only considered within the context of establishing 
measures to  facilitate  future  mobility  and cooperation  through  systems  of  academic 
recognition  and credit transfer. 

20. Each of the above outcomes is to a larger or lesser extent subject to considerations 
of  continued sustainability  beyond the life  of  a Tempus project.  The programme has 
been addressing this in three ways: 

•  Joint  European  Project  (JEP)  applicants  are  asked  to  propose  plans  for 
future sustainability  as part of their project design and it is made clear that 
an assessment of the quality of these plans will be one of the criteria used 
in evaluating the overall  quality of the application.  Moreover, JEPs in the 
Tacis countries are only approved after successful  completion of a one year 
preparatory  phase  which  aims  at  analysing  the  precise  needs  to  be 

• 

• 

addressed  and preparing  a viable project  plan. 
the  Joint  European  Network  (JEN)  action  (i.e.  limited  funding  for 
complementary activities after the conclusion of a JEP) has been introduced 
which  specifically  addresses  the  issue of  sustainability. 
less directly  but perhaps ultimately  more important, encouragement  within 
JEPs of developing links with  and services for enterprises,  particularly  the 
provision  of  continuing  education,  is  establishing  the  potential  for 
institutions to generate future  income and thus have their own resources not 
only to  maintain  equipment  and  stocks of  publications  but  also to  sustain 
national  and international  cooperation. 

21. In  conclusion  the evidence points to  a high  degree of impact and success for  JEP 
projects  especially when measured against the objectives  set for Tempus I. According 
to  the  Evaluation  most  observers  'seem  to  agree  that  the  proportion  of  real  success 
stories  is  remarkable  and  that  useful  changes  could  be  observed  in  most  cases'. 
According to the participants themselves, when asked how satisfied  overall they  were 
with the  achievements  accomplished  with their  particular JEP: 

•  over  90% of partner  country  respondents, and 
• 

almost  80% of  EU respondents, 

expressed  a high  degree of  satisfaction. 

3. Tempus  policy  setting 

22. Tempus policy  decisions  are taken  at various levels. In each partner  country, two 
major  events  shape  the  policy,  namely  the  definition  of  national  priorities  and 
objectives  for Tempus projects  (in  application  of Article  5 of the Tempus II  Council 
decision)  and the allocation  of  funds  to Tempus within the  global  envelope of  Phare 
and  Tacis  funds.  The  main  policy  makers  at  national  level  are  the  ministries  of 
education  and the Phare/Tacis coordinators;  other ministries  may  also be  associated. 
In  the  Phare  countries,  the  National  Tempus  Offices  play  an  essential  role  in 
stimulating the whole process and coordinating the academic community's contribution. 
The relationships between the different  actors are rather complex and were not  easily 
understood  in  the  first  years.  In  this  respect  the  Tempus  II  Evaluation  notes  'a 
routinisation  and  stabilisation  of  the procedures  of  policy  formation  for  Tempus.  In 
contrast to Tempus I we found that decisions of key actors on the national policy level 
play  a more  important  role in  the  shaping  of  the programme.' 

23.  Most Phare  countries have set  up Tempus  supervisory  boards or  advisory  boards 
in  which  all  relevant  actors  are represented.  The Tempus I Evaluation  notes: 

'The  establishment  of Tempus  supervisory  boards or  advisory  boards to  serve 
as an arena for  dialogue and cooperation  of all key actors involved in Tempus 
policy  decisions  has  turned  out  to  be  a  good  option  for  the  necessary 
coordination  processes.  The  functioning  of  these  boards  requires 
the 
willingness  of  all  actors to  cooperate  with  each other.' 

24. In the first years of  Tempus the  key  players' participation  in policy  forming  was 
not  always  well  balanced.  The  role  of  ministries  of  education  was  constrained  by  a 
number  of  factors.  Universities  and  indeed  faculties  were exercising  their  new-found 

autonomy  without an effective  legislative framework  for higher education. There was 
also  a  high  level  of  volatility  within  the  structures  and  personnel  of  the  ministries 
themselves.  This  situation  has  evolved  over  the years  and  the  Tempus  II  Evaluation 
has  found  a more  pro-active  role  of  the  ministries  of  education  and  a clear  effort  to 
better  integrate  the  possibilities  offered  by  Tempus  in  the  overall  national  higher 
education  policy. 

25. The definition  of priorities and objectives  for Tempus has increasingly  influenced 
the scope and profile  of the projects  supported. Priorities can be considered  as adding 
a 'top-down' dimension to the traditional Tempus bottom-up approach, thus to a certain 
extent  incorporating  the  partner  countries  educational,  economic  and  social  reform 
policies in the programme. Priorities have progressively  been positioned with  respect 
to the overall Phare and Tacis objectives and, to some extent, sectoral Phare and Tacis 
policies  Particularly in the Tacis countries, the scope and number of the priority areas 
selected  were  restricted  by  the limited  resources  allocated  to Tempus. 

26.  The Evaluation  of Tempus  II notes that  'increasingly  detailed  specifications  have 
been  introduced  into  most  of  the  national  priorities  framed  by  statements of  further 
conditions  and  preferences  beyond  the  priorities  themselves',  and  that  furthermore 
'every  year  national  priorities  change  to  a certain  degree.  Changes  in  subject-related 
priorities are mostly due to considerations of balance and rotation. Changes in thematic 
or  structural  priorities  are  due  to  policy  developments.  Policy  changes  are  also 
frequently  reflected  in the formulation  of  preferences.' 

27. Consideration of any continuation of the Tempus programme needs to be set in the 
appropriate  financial  and  policy  context  Financial  provision  for  both  the  Phare  and 
Tacis programmes  has been  made to  31 December  1999 and  as funding  for  Tempus 
is contained within these programmes the perspective for  any possible continuation  of 
Tempus  must be  subject  to this budgetary  framework.  Under  Tempus II the last  call 
for  applications  will be for  1997-98 to be covered by the budget  1997, with the  final 
Joint European  Projects  (JEPs)  commencing  on  1 September  1997. Thus this interim 
report focuses  on the two years  1998 and  1999 as a concrete timescale for  a possible 
further  phase  of  Tempus, while  identifying  the factors  that  may  contribute  to  a  case 
for certain Tempus activity  continuing beyond  1999 should funding  become available. 

28.  The  policy  and  operational  context  leads  to  a  certain  differentiation  between 
groups  of  partner  countries  when  considering  the  future  of  Tempus  and  this 
differentiation  is reflected  in  the  structure  of this interim  report. 

29.  The first  group  are the  associated  countries  of  central  and  eastern  Europe  which 
are preparing for integration into the internal  market of the European Union within the 
context of a pre-accession  strategy  which was adopted by the Essen European Council 
in December  1994. As set out in the subsequent White Paper of May  1995 the process 
of single market integration will inter alia generate new requirements in terms of skills 
and qualifications  within  the labour  force  of the associated  countries  and this in  turn 
will  have  an  impact  on  their  education  and  training  systems.  The  case  for  any 
continuation  of Tempus in this group of countries must be positioned to add distinctive 
and  demonstrable  value  to  a  Phare  programme  which  through  the  multiannual 
indicative  planning  process  is  being  reoriented  directly  to  support  the  pre-accession 
process  In doing  so it  also needs  to  recognise that Tempus  will  have been  operating 

for up to eight years in certain of these partner countries by the end of Tempus II and 
that other programmes are also  supporting the process of higher education reform. 

30. The second group comprises the non-associated Phare countries which at present 
covers  only  Albania  but  which  is  likely  soon  to  include  also  the  countries  of  the 
former Yugoslavia provided that adequate progress is made in the areas of security and 
political  development.  Here  Tempus  will  have  been  operating  for  a  much  shorter 
period by  1998  and consequently  will  have  been  able to  make only  a more  limited 
impact on the reform  of higher education.  Rather than a context provided by  a pre-
accession strategy, these countries axe likely to be facing to varying degrees continuing 
fundamental  challenges  in  the  reform  of  their  higher  education  systems  and  more 
generally  in the transition to full  market economies. 

31.  The third group are the Newly  Independent States and Mongolia covered by the 
Tacis  programme.  It  has  only  been  as  recently  as  1993  that  these  states  started 
gradually to participate in the Tempus programme. This needs to be viewed within the 
perspective  of  the  huge  challenges  facing  these  countries  in  terms  of  political  and 
economic reform and the relatively limited scale of the Tempus Tacis budget available. 
Following the  Cannes European Council in June 1995 European Union policy towards 
these countries will  be based on the twin tracks of continuing support for  economic 
and  democratic  reform  and,  particularly  in  the  case  of  Russia,  establishing  a 
'substantial  relationship  of  partnership'.  This policy  is  gradually  being  consolidated 
within  a series  of  Partnership  and  Cooperation  Agreements  which  will  set  a broad 
context for European Union activities in the future. 

32.  The  case  for  a  further  phase  of  Tempus  will  address  the  distinctive  operating 
contexts and needs of these three groups of countries. 

*  *  * 

* 

10 

EL  A  FUTURE ROLE FOR TEMPUS 

1. 

IN THE PHARE ASSOCIATED  COUNTRIES 

33. Despite the significant  impact which Tempus has made and continues to make on 
the  reform  and  improvement  of  higher  education,  the  programme  operates  within  a 
dynamic  environment  of  changing  needs  and  requirements.  This  environment  is 
increasingly  being  shaped  by the  following  factors: 

• 

• 

• 

the demands of the pre-accession strategy and the 'acquis communautaire'. 

continued  development  of  the  legislative  and  structural  framework  for 
higher education and the need to implement policy at the operational level. 

increasing pressures on universities from a range of different  stakeholders, 
and  the need  to demonstrate  institutional quality,  relevance  and  value  for 
money  within  a more responsive  relationship  with the  labour  market  and 
social  partners. 

34.  To  a  certain  extent  these  are  areas  already  beginning  to  be  addressed  within 
Tempus II priorities. However  it can be argued that because of the nature and size of 
the  need,  for  example  in  relation  to  pre-accession  requirements,  or  because  certain 
areas  such  as  reform  of  university  management  as  identified  by  the  Evaluation  are 
proving  slow to change and thus requiring  a more sustained effort,  these areas would 
remain priorities  beyond  Tempus  II . 

35. A  further  phase  of Tempus  should  be targeted to complete  and consolidate  work 
in these  important  areas, being carefully  positioned  so as to complement  and  support 
relevant Phare sector programmes  and other EU activity. Where this strategy  requires 
flexibility  in  the  traditional  modalities  of  the  Tempus  programme  these  should  be 
considered  to  achieve  greatest  effectiveness.  Additionally,  in  order  to  maximise  the 
value of past and current  investments made through Tempus, attention should also be 
given to strengthening the dissemination of the increasing inventory of project  outputs 
particularly  where  they  are  supportive  of  the  above  areas  and  where  they  are 
applicable  outside  the university  sector. 

36.  While  recognising  the  increasing  contribution  of  Phare  programmes  within  the 
education  and  training  sector,  it  is  felt  that  the  platform  skills  and  relationships 
developed  under  Tempus I and  II can be a very cost-effective  and  efficient  means of 
mobilising  expertise to work in particular  at the interface  between policy  formulation 
and  practitioners  in  the  higher  education  sector.  Providing  that  they  are  set  in  a 
coherent  and  strategic  context,  carefully  constructed  and  implemented  institutional 
development  projects,  including  pilot  projects  to test and  demonstrate  good  practice, 
can support  and  add  substance to the process of policy development  and can  deliver 
specific  outcomes  in terms  of priority  skill needs. 

11 

A. 

TEMPUS  and pre-accession 

The Essen European Council 

37.  The  Essen  European  Council  of  December  1994  adopted  a broad  pre-accession 
strategy which  envisaged a progressive  strengthening of relations with the associated 
countries of Central and Eastern Europe through a structured dialogue and invited the 
Commission  to  prepare  a  White  Paper  on  preparatory  steps  necessary  for  the 
integration of  these  countries into the internal  market. It also  decided that the Phare 
programme should henceforth be reoriented to support this process. 

38.  The  White  Paper was  issued  in  May  1995.  There  are of  course  many  different 
aspects to the single market but in section 4 the White Paper makes a broad distinction 
between the process of legislative and regulatory approximation and the establishment 
of implementation  and enforcement  structures.  In relation to the latter it states: 

'  The overall  picture is that the process of  establishing,  staffing  and making 
operational  all  the  necessary  administrative  structures  is  lagging  behind  the 
legislative process itself. The situation varies between the associated countries 
and from sector to sector, but there is a widespread need for more effort in this 
respect.' 

39.  Even  where the  institutions  themselves  have been  created the White  Paper says 
that 'the trained staff to run them cannot always be found. In general, they inevitably 
suffer  from  a  lack  of  experience.  In  this  context,  assistance  through  Tempus,  the 
activities of the European Training Foundation and participation by the CEECs in the 
Leonardo and Socrates programmes will  help them develop the relevant skills.' 

40. Adoption of certain EU internal market Directives into the national legislation will 
result in a requirement for staff  which needs to get the adequate training at the level 
of  universities.  For  example,  the  implementation,  monitoring  and  enforcement  of 
regulations  on  health  and  safety  at  work  will  require  the  creation  of  degrees  in 
occupational medicine. As  another example, the enforcement of Directives on animal 
and  plant  health  calls  for  the  creation  of  courses  to  train  the  future  staff  of 
inspectorates. 

41. In the different Phare sector reform programmes there has been a growing concern 
over the shortage of  qualified  staff that are able to deal  with the legal  and economic 
aspects of the national policies of  reform.  The problem is becoming  more prominent 
with  the  prospects  of  future  accession.  There  is  a need  for  development  of  courses 
with  a  multidisciplinary  approach  focusing  on  the  intersection  of  legal/economic 
aspects and technical  contents. Cases in point are for instance agriculture economics, 
agricultural and food trade mechanisms, transport economics, environmental policy and 
legislation,  economics  of health  services, etc. 

42.  A more precise identification  of the  'new professional  profiles'  required for each 
country  will  need to await the individual  work  programmes being  developed  by the 
associated  countries  within  their  pre-accession  and  approximation  strategies.  Once 
these  are  identified  they  should  form  an  important  focus  for  the  setting  of  future 
national  Tempus  priorities.  It  is  envisaged  that  the  area of  university  activity  most 
likely to be appropriate for Tempus support in this respect would be the development 

12 

or  adaptation  of  postgraduate  diplomas  and/or  continuing  education  courses  at 
professional  level. 

43.  Education  and training  provided  by the  faculties  of  law  will  have  to  reflect  the 
changes  brought  about  by  the  incorporation  of  the  'acquis  communautaire'  in  the 
national legislation. Adaptation of existing courses and introduction of new courses or 
course  modules  will  be  required.  Curriculum  development  activities  in  Tempus 
projects can typically  address these needs. 

44.  Development of  European studies and in particular European Law are obviously 
essential  to  support  the  pre-accession  process.  These  academic  areas  have  figured 
prominently  amongst the priorities of  Tempus since its inception  in  1990 and many 
projects have been completed or are  at different  stages of  operation.  Some  projects 
have lead to the creation of centers Or  departments of European studies integrated in 
universities,  sometimes  as  inter-faculty  centers.  It  can  be  confidently  stated  that  in 
most countries there is still need for new Tempus projects in these areas. 

45. Another important strand of integration to which Tempus could make an effective 
contribution is in the area of measures to ensure the free movement of persons within 
the single market. Parts of the legislation concerning the free movement of persons are 
closely  linked  to  the  freedom  to  provide  services,  especially  those  services  which 
require  minimum  professional  qualifications  which  in  the  majority  of  cases  are 
awarded following  successful  study  at a higher education institution. 

46. The Commission's seven sectoral Directives covering the regulated professions of 
doctors, nurses,  dentists, mid-wives,  veterinary  surgeons, pharmacists  and architects 
will have the most direct impact on the need to adapt university courses in the partner 
countries  as  mutual  recognition  depends  on  the  previous  coordination  and 
harmonization  of  training.  The  White  Paper  sees  a  phased  application  of  these 
Directives  as the  partner  countries  will  need  a period  for  adaptation  during  which 
curriculum reform under Tempus could certainly  make a valuable contribution. 

47. The sectoral Directives are complemented by two general  systems Directives  for 
the recognition of diplomas and professional  education and training. These Directives 
of  1989  and  1992  cover  a wide  range  of  professions  and activities  and-cover, inter 
alia,  all diplomas which are not affected by sectoral Directives and which are awarded 
on completion  of  a course of  higher  education  comprising  at least three years'  full-
time  study  or  the  equivalent.  Examples  of  possible  beneficiaries  include  teachers, 
engineers, opticians and chartered accountants. Although the general Directives do not 
require  coordination  of  training,  they  do  require  mutual  trust between  the  different 
national  authorities and a good  knowledge  of  each other's  functioning. 

48.  Institutional  transparency  and  consistency  as  well  as  the  operation  of  effective 
quality  assessment  systems  greatly  support  the  strengthening  of  mutual  trust.  The 
implications  of  such  requirements  within  the  broader  context  of  improvements  in 
aspects  of  university  management  are  addressed  later  in  this  report  but  they  are 
certainly  areas where Tempus should  continue, for a number of reasons, to  make an 
important  contribution.  Additionally  the  process  of  gradually  developing  better 
knowledge  regarding the general  relationship  between  EU requirements  and partner 
country diplomas as envisaged in the White Paper may illuminate areas where it would 
be  desirable  for  some  adaptation  or  enhancement  to  the  said  diplomas  and  again 
Tempus would have a role to play  in this respect. 

13 

The relationship to Socrates 

49.  Another  aspect  of  pre-accession  which  Tempus  would  be  able  to  support  is  the 
gradual participation of the associated countries in intra-EU programmes. Negotiations 
are  already  well  advanced  regarding  entry  into  Socrates  (as  well  as  Leonardo  and 
Youth for Europe III) and although final decisions have yet to be taken it is likely that 
participation  in the Erasmus  strand  of  Socrates  will  be taking place in  1998/99. 

50. In order to consider how Tempus and  Socrates might most productively  interface 
during  this  period  it  is  first  necessary  to  examine  their  different  objectives  and 
modalities.  These can be  summarised  as follows  : 

•  Tempus  is  fundamentally  an  assistance programme  providing  substantial 
funds  for  the  transfer  of  skills  and  experience  from  the  EU  to  partner 
country universities while Socrates is essentially a  cooperation programme 
where little transfer  of  resources takes place. 

•  The principal  objective  of  Tempus  is  to promote  the  development  of  the 
higher  education  systems  in  the  partner  countries  in  the  context  of 
economic  and  social  reform  while  Socrates  contributes  to  quality  in 
education through  encouraging trans-European  cooperation  with particular 
reference  to promoting  the  'European  dimension'. 

•  While curriculum  and structural  development  are at the centre of  Tempus 
activities, student  mobility  retains  a position  of  central  importance  within 
the  Erasmus  strand  of  Socrates.  Although  increased  emphasis  is  being 
given  to  teaching  staff  exchanges  and  curriculum  development  under 
Socrates  these  are  within  a  relationship  where  all  partners  use  the  new 
curriculum.  Also  the  funds  available for  such  work  are  considerably  less 
than those provided  under Tempus. 

51.  In  terms  of  a  possible  future  complementary  relationship  between  the  above 
programmes,  the  question  posed  by  the  above  points  is  whether  partner  country 
universities are ready, in terms of their competences, to enter Socrates immediately  or 
whether their are still 'gaps' when compared with EU universities that would constrain 
the cooperation summarised above. If so there may be a role for Tempus in addressing 
these  areas  as a contribution  to  facilitating  entry  into  Socrates. 

52.  Assessments  of  partner  country  institutions  point  to  structural  and  management 
weaknesses  as the main  areas of  deficiency.  The  importance of  these  for  Socrates  is 
underlined by the introduction  of the  'Institutional  Contract'.  An important feature  of 
this  contract  is the  requirement  for  a  statement  of the  institution's  European  policy 
including  measures  for  enhancing  the  quality  of  its  European  operations  through 
appropriate  arrangements  for  monitoring,  quality  assurance  and  evaluation.  In  the 
definition  of  plans  and  the  selection  of  activities  for  future  cooperation,  institutions 
will  be  expected  to  make  an  analysis  of  the  weak  and  strong  points  of  their 
international  cooperation  so far  in terms  of  quality  of  cooperation,  types of  activity, 
subject area participation and geographical spread of partner institutions. Decisions are 
required  on  which  activities  should  be  continued,  extended  or  abolished  and  this 
overall  planning  process  is  likely  to  entail  the  orchestration  and  management  of 
consultations  with  a  broad  range  of  actors,  academic  and  non-academic,  across  and 
perhaps  also outside  the  university. 

14 

53. In  Socrates, arrangements  for  full  academic  recognition  for  study  periods  abroad 
form  will  also part  of  the institutional  policy  with increasingly  wide use being  made 
of the European Credit Transfer System as a means of achieving this. Finally, the high 
volume  of  student  mobility  under  Socrates  will  require  well-managed  and  efficient 
student  services  to  provide  effective  support  in  the  areas  of  welfare,  counselling, 
accommodation  etc. 

54.  All  these  factors  will  require  a  degree  of  quality  and  coherence  in  terms  of 
university management which the Evaluation, CRE report, Monographs, and Site Visits 
all  identify  as  an  area  of  weakness  in  the  partner  countries'  universities.  Although 
Tempus II is beginning to address this issue, because it involves deeply- rooted vested 
interests  and  attitudes  within  institutions,  the  consensus points to  it  being  somewhat 
resistant to change and requiring  a more sustained  reform  effort  which  would  extend 
into  a further  phase of Tempus. 

55. Participation  in Socrates(Erasmus) from  1998 on will need to take account of the 
progress of the Tempus programme which by its very nature is much more  favourable 
to  the  beneficiary  countries  from  a  financial  point  of  view.  The  above  analysis 
identifies  where Tempus needs to  direct  a more sustained  effort  in order to  facilitate 
the  cooperation  envisaged  under  Socrates.  Thus  it  is  proposed  that  for  a  limited 
transition  period  there  will  be  a requirement  for  both  programmes  to  run  in  parallel 
and in a complementary  manner which  avoids overlap  (for  example student  mobility 
should  be  the  exclusive province  of  Socrates).  The balance  between  them  will  vary 
from  country  to  country  and  change  over  time  as  an  increasing  number  of  eligible 
universities  are  able  to  move  from  a  position  of  beneficiary  of  assistance  to 
cooperation  as an  equal  partner. 

B. 

Support for higher education policy  initiatives 

56. The early  90s saw much new legislation  in the partner  countries which  redefined 
the  relationship  between  the  state  and  higher  education  institutions  in  a  way  which 
established  a  high  degree  of  autonomy  within  the  system.  This  period  was 
characterised by a distancing of universities from  government as the former  exercised 
their new-found  freedom.  However as the decade progresses this is being increasingly 
recognised as an inadequate basis on which to build an accountable,  relevant and high-
quality higher  education  sector  as  it  tended  to  leave  in  place  to  a  large  extent  the 
existing, predominantly  conservative  old  internal  structures  within  universities. 

57. Consequently  there  is currently  underway  in the partner  countries what  could  be 
called  a  'second  phase'  of  reform  which  is  seeking  to  rebalance  the  relationship 
between  higher  education  institutions,  government  and  society  as  a  whole,  to 
emphasise  responsibilities  as well  as rights, and  above  all  to  address  the  key  factors 
of  accountability  and  relevance  to  social  and  economic  needs. For  example  in  1995 
legislation  affecting  the higher education  sector was passed in Bulgaria and Rumania. 
This  addressed  such  areas  as  the  restructuring  of  university  qualifications,  the 
establishment  of  assessment  and  accreditation  systems  and  institutional  management 
obligations  associated  with  autonomy. 

58.  There  is  of  course  by  now  a  diversity  of  legislative  frameworks  for  higher 
education  amongst the partner  countries  and each is at a different  stage in relation  to 
this  second  stage  of  reform.  For  example  the  Czech  Republic  is  still  working  on  its 

15 

new higher education law. However certain common themes are discernable within the 
current agenda for reform as governments and institutions themselves seek to address 
the above issues. This will involve in various ways challenging existing structures and 
vested  interests  as  well  as  changing  deeply-rooted  attitudes  and practices  and  it  is 
principally  for  these  reasons  that,  even  where  new legislation  and  regulations  have 
been developed, implementation will call for a sustained effort at the operational level 
which is something Tempus would be well designed to deliver in the remaining years 
of this decade. 

59.  A  principal  common  theme  is  the  need  to  establish  effective  quality control 
systems for autonomous higher education  institutions.  Much work, supported in part 
by  Phare  sector  programmes,  has  and  is  being  done  on  setting  up  or  reforming 
accreditation  systems  and  attention  is  also  being  given  to  the  possibility  of  using 
institutional  evaluation  systems  to  inform  future  decisions  on  institutional  funding 
levels. However even where legislation and structures are in place there is often a need 
to  operationalise  what  otherwise  may  be  in  danger  of  remaining  largely  good 
intentions.  Tempus  can  build  on  this  work  by  providing  a  means  of  mobilising 
expertise at the operational level, by trialling pilot projects to optimise implementation 
strategies and by disseminating  and embedding best practice within the system. 

60.  Similar  considerations  apply  to  another  common theme  likely  to  remain on  the 
reform agenda for some time to come, namely the development of short-cycle degree 
courses. This  covers  both  the  trend  towards  shorter,  often  three-year,  bachelor  first 
degrees  and  also  the  establishment  of  new,  short,  professionally  and  vocationally 
oriented university-level courses delivered either by existing institutions or by separate 
institutions often modelled on the German 'Fachhochschulen'. These developments are 
aimed  at  increasing  the  diversity,  flexibility  and  relevance  of  the  higher  education 
sector and again a start on reform  at the policy  and structural  level  has already been 
made. There remains however  an important role for Tempus in terms of  reinforcing 
this work through assisting with the restructuring of existing cpurses, developing new 
more practically oriented study programmes, introducing innovative teaching methods 
and disseminating  and embedding  best practice. 

61.  Higher  education  plays  a pivotal  role  a country's higher  education  policy  in the 
sense that via its teacher training institutions has a significant influence on the quality 
of primary and secondary education. Reform of those levels of education is underway 
and  in  some  countries  legislation  is  already  in  an  implementation  phase.  The 
professional  profiles  of  teachers  are being  reshaped  and teacher training  institutions 
are  required  to  restructure  their  study  programmes,  for  instance  in  order  to  train 
teachers able to deal with two subjects. Tempus can make a valuable contribution by 
funding  cooperation projects that could act as examples of  good practice. 

62.  The need for greater flexibility  and diversity  are themes  commonly  heard in the 
partner countries (as well  as in western Europe) and in addition to work progressing 
on short-cycle courses there is also a focus on increasing the role of interdisciplinary 
studies as  a  way  of  responding  to  the  evolving  needs  of  the  labour  market.  It  is 
recognised that there is still  a measure of overspecialisation  even at first degree level 
which leads to a skills base which tends to be too narrow for the multi-skill needs of 
today's  labour  markets  and  which  tends  to  inhibit  labour  mobility  and/or  to  meet 
changing requirements. Responsibility  for reform in this area rests largely with higher 
education  institutions  themselves.  However  systemic  reform  also  has  an  important 
supporting  role to play  in terms of  the  establishment  credit transfer  and recognition 

16 

procedures  within  and  between  institutions  to  facilitate  the  movement  of  students 
between  different  disciplines  as part  of  a  course of  study.  Tempus  can  contribute  to 
this process  in  a number  of  ways:  for  example by providing  expertise  to  assist  with 
the  development  and/or  piloting  of  systems,  by  imposing  conditionality  within  its 
structural  projects  to  encourage  the  institutional  adoption  of  credit  transfer  and 
recognition  and  by  giving  emphasis  to  interdisciplinary  objectives  in  its  curriculum 
development  activities. 

63. There are obviously many other issues of higher education policy where legislative 
reforms  are being introduced  in the  different  partner countries. Just to mention  a few 
examples  :  restructuring  of  postgraduate  education,  setting  up  of  interfaculty  or 
interuniversity  centers  to  overcome  fragmentation,  integration  of  universities  and 
research institutes, creation of academic course credit transfer systems at national level, 
development  of  internal  quality  systems  at  universities,  reform  of  overspecialised 
curricula,  reduction  of  the  teaching  load  and,  in  particular,  the  volume  of  contact 
hours, introduction  of new teaching  methodologies, etc. A variety  of Tempus  project 
profiles  could  be  used to  address these issues. 

C 

The  need  to  manage  change  and  demonstrate  accountability:  optimising 
university  resources 

64.  The  environment  in  which  universities  are  operating  is  becoming  increasingly 
demanding.  As  stated  in  the  introduction  to  the  CRE's  Institutional  Quality  Audit 
programme: 

'  Now  perhaps  more  than  ever  in  their  history,  universities  have  to  face  a 
their 
rapidly  changing  environment  on  which  they  are  dependent  for 
organisational  survival.  Institutional  planning  processes  to  adapt  to  the 
changing environment and to make use of the opportunities it provides, are, by 
the same token, becoming  more important  for  the governance of universities. 
Linking  these  two  insights,  we  can  conclude  that  management  for  quality  is 
central  to  a university's  strategic  management.' 

65. In the partner  countries, central  to this changing environment is the trend towards 
greater university autonomy. While originally conceived as a political measure to grant 
greater  freedom  and  independence  from  earlier  ideological  direction,  it  is  now 
becoming  clear that  autonomy  brings  with  it responsibilities  as well  as rights. As an 
expert  from  the  Center  for  Higher  Education  policy  studies puts it:  'More  autonomy 
for  universities  requires  more self-regulation,  requires  entirely  different  management 
structures,  requires  strong  leadership,  transparency  and  accountability'.  He  calls 
autonomy  an  'indispensable  management  tool  in  order  to  be  able  to  respond  to  the 
changing  environment  and to  grasp the many  opportunities...' 

66. If autonomy brings with it new obligations, these are being defined  in ever clearer 
terms by  a range of  increasingly  vocal  stakeholders  or  constituencies  which  have an 
interest  in  the  performance  of  the  higher  education  sector.  As  well  as  governments 
which  provide  the  majority  of  funding,  there  are  students  and  their  parents  who 
increasingly  have to pay  fees,  regional  and local  authorities,  employers offering  jobs 
to graduates  and clients commissioning  research projects  or specific  training  courses. 

17 

67. Perhaps the two most important factors driving change within this landscape are: 

• 

• 

the progressive  pressure  on public  funding  available for higher education 
institutions, and 

the  need  for  higher  education  institutions  to  develop  closer  links  with 
external  socioeconomic  partners  and  to  adapt  more  readily  to  changing 
labour market needs. 

68.  This  situation  in turn requires the universities  to put in place the means to both 
establish and demonstrate to their various stakeholders efficiency,  effectiveness, value 
for money  and relevance  and to  manage relationships  with them  in  a coherent way. 
They  will  have  to  decide  on  priorities  and  be  selective  within  a  clear  analysis  of 
institutional  strengths  and  weaknesses.  Their  ability  to  manage  change  across  the 
institution  will become  essential. 

69. Reference has already been made in this report to the internal fragmentation that 
took  place  within  partner  country  universities  following  the  political  changes  of 
1989/90.  In  the  context  of  die  limited  impact  of  Tempus  projects  on  institutional 
reform, the Evaluation notes a lack of policy  and management  at institutional  level. 
It adds: 

'  Most  persons  involved  and  most  external  observers  seem  to  agree  that 
Tempus-supported  activities  during  the  first  four  years  of  the  Tempus 
programme  were  more  or  less  a  matter  of  the  respective  faculties  or 
departments in the partner countries.  The university  as an institution  did not 
come into play.' 

70. In their different ways, all the reviews used as sources for this report recognise the 
factor  of  institutional fragmentation. Linkage  to  the  limited  institutional  impacts  of 
Tempus offers a further advantage and rationale for developing improved management 
skills and a more strategic  approach, in terms of providing a framework  for internal 
dissemination,  sharing  of  best  practice  and  the  embedding  of  reform  measures  by 
means of  institutional  policies. 

71.  Institutional  fragmentation  persists  in  many  partner  country  higher  education 
institutions,  especially  the  larger  ones,  and it  is  becoming  increasingly  inconsistent 
with an environment of rising expectations, the requirements of which are summarised 
in paragraph 58 above. To quote from the report of an institutional  site visit made in 
1994: 

'  If the management skills at this university  are in any way typical of Central 
and Eastern European  institutions I think there is  a strong  case for diverting 
some  of  the  TEMPUS  funds  to  provide  senior  University  managers  with 
courses on strategic planning.' 

This  is  seriously  compromising  the  ability  to  project  a  coherent  and  distinctive 
institutional  profile  to  external  stakeholders.  It  constrains  efforts  to  establish 
institution-wide  norms  and  standards  which  should  serve  to  define  and  assure 
institutional  quality  both internally  and externally.  Also  it weakens the ability of the 
institution as a whole to reflect on its own strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and 
threats, and consequently  to direct  efforts  and scarce resources to those  areas where 
they are likely to have the greatest value within a shared sense of purpose defined by 
a commonly  agreed overall  mission  for the institution. 

18 

72. However,  while  strategic management  is a vital  means for  responding creatively 
to an increasingly  demanding and changing environment, it is often  linked to systems 
which  assure  quality  within  the  institution.  Progress  towards  the  attainment  of 
objectives  and  goals  set  by  strategic  plans  can  be  most  effectively  measured  and 
managed within a framework  of clear and transparent performance standards defined 
through  a quality  assurance  system  which  can  serve  as  a unifying  factor  across the 
institution. As stated in the CRE's Institutional Quality Audit programme: '(European 
universities) need to respond to increasing demands by indicating their willingness to 
adapt  to  new  environmental  constraints.  Developing  and  implementing  quality 
management  approaches is an effective  way to do so'. 

73. An OECD expert in a paper for an OECD/Phare seminar on quality assurance in 
higher education, says 'there is little doubt that quality  assurance is seen in all of the 
countries  concerned  as  a  high  priority  for  the  successful  transformation  of  higher 
education  structures  and practices'.  He  sees  the  following  goals  being  addressed in 
CEE and other countries: 

• 
• 
• 
• 

to guarantee quality  and standards; 
to improve  quality  and to raise standards; 
to provide public accountability of resources expended on higher education; 
to ensure consumer protection against inadequate or defaulting institutions. 

He also emphasises the need for  commitment to quality at all levels in these terms: 

'A fundamental prerequisite to the successful implementation of any system of 
quality  assurance is that there should be a dedication to quality on the part of 
all members of the institution. Formal participation by the Rector, Governing 
Body  and Academic Council  is not sufficient  to ensure effective  participation 
and cooperation  by  faculty  heads  and teaching  and research  staff.  Likewise, 
enthusiastic  support by the latter will  not succeed  unless the university's top 
management  is  also  dedicated  to  the  achievement  of  the  goals  of  quality 
assurance.' 

74.  Thus the  management  needs  of  higher  education  institutions  extend beyond the 
requirements of senior managers for strategic planning skills to others involved in day-
to-day  operational management, for  example  in  the  areas  of  finance,  personnel, 
information  technology  and student  services.  Indeed  it  is  often  these  non-academic 
staff who feel  marginalised in  comparison with the status and support given  to their 
academic  colleagues.  However  in  the  future  success  will  depend  not  only  on  an 
institution's academic quality but also on the effectiveness  of its internal  systems for 
delivering  and  demonstrating  value  for  money  and  high  levels  of  efficiency  in 
supporting  academic  activity.  Put  another way, there will  be increasing  pressure  for 
these  'support  services'  to  add  demonstrable  value  to  the  operations  of  higher 
education institutions. This will not only involve providing the appropriate operational 
skills  at  various  levels  but  also  encouraging  a  more  positive  interface  between  the 
academic  and  non-academic  staff  in  terms  of  greater  involvement  by  the  latter  in 
institutional  planning  and development. 

75.  An improvement  in the  quality  and coherence  of  university  management  would 
bring many benefits, not least in the area of maintaining institutions' relevance to the 
needs of society particularly through better links with and sensitivity to labour markets 
in partner countries. This is necessary not only to sustain public support for the higher 

19 

education sector but also to provide what is likely to become an increasingly  important 
source of  income as pressure  continues to bear down on levels of public funding.  The 
CRE report calls this the  service function  ' of universities including collaboration  with 
industry, covering such  areas as consultancy  provided to regional or national  industry 
in  its restructuring,  to local  authorities  in their  administrative reforms,  by  organising 
special  training  courses  or  conducting  various  applied  research  projects.  Special 
attention  should  be  paid  to  the  contribution  that  universities  can  make  to  the 
development  of new small  and  medium-sized  enterprises, for  example in the training 
of  scientists  and  technologists,  and  to  the  innovative  provision  of  professional 
continuing  education  and  training  to  provide  for  the  changing  skill  needs  of  those 
already  in  employment. 

D.  Maximising  the utilisation of Tempus outputs 

76. The Tempus I evaluation notes : "Spin-offs  of educational  and curricular  activities 
for  the  same  subjects  and  departments  at  other  higher  education  institutions  in  the 
country  have  been  achieved  within  Tempus.  A  certain  extent  of  dissemination  and 
adoption  can  be  noted,  although  it  could  be  improved  by  increased  support  for 
increased 
dissemination,  publication  of  material  developed  within  JEPs  and 
communication  and  exchange."  Although  limited  support  is  currently  given  to 
disseminating  project  outputs  it  seems that giving this aspect  greater  attention  in  the 
future  would  capitalise  most effectively  on the considerable investment  already  made 
by  Tempus  and  maximise  the  leverage  of  its  effects  on  the  process  of  reform  and 
restructuring. 

77.  There  are  a number  of  different  areas  where  benefits  are  likely  to  accrue  from 
more  effective  dissemination,  whether  this be on  a  'vertical'  subject-related  basis  or 
a more  'horizontal'  basis  addressing  perhaps teaching methodologies  or  the process-
related  skills  of  project  implementation  and  management.  One  such  area  for  better 
utilisation  of  outcomes  is  within  the partner country institutions  where  the  original 
Tempus project was located. This may be more relevant to non subject-specific  aspects 
of dissemination  but there seems to be a clear case for the better and more systematic 
sharing  of  the  transferable  aspects  of  'good  practice',  whether  this  is  in  the  area  of 
management, interpersonal or didactic skills. Any improvements that can be introduced 
to the modalities for  dissemination  in this respect will clearly be made more  effective 
if  complemented  by  improved  staff  development  systems within  eligible  universities 
which  are  designed  to  share  and  embed best practice  across the whole  institution. 

78.  Dissemination 
to  other  higher  education  institutions  is  equally  important. 
Nationally  this  contributes  to  the  critical  mass for  reform.  It  also  provides  an 
opportunity  for  those  institutions  or  faculties  which -have not participated  in  Tempus 
to  benefit  from  of  its  outputs.  However,  particular  attention  in  the  future  should  be 
given  to  the  potential  for  sharing  Tempus  results  between partner countries, as  this 
dimension  is  identified  in  both  the  Evaluation  and  the Monographs.  Experience  has 
shown that regional  cooperation  will  work effectively  only if there are clearly  defined 
common  interests,  a  high  level  of  commitment  by  all  partners  and  appropriate 
supporting  modalities  It  is  suggested  that  the  common  agenda  defined  by  the  pre-
accession  process  as  it  affects  the  higher  education  sector  may  well  provide  an 
incentive and common  framework  for  a new phase of regional cooperation, and  future 
dissemination  actions should take this dimension into account. It should also be added 
that  the  smaller  partner  countries  have  a particular  interest in regional  dissemination 

20 

as a means of benefiting  from  the experience of the larger number of projects  in other 
partner  countries. 

79.  Many  Tempus  projects  have  potential  benefits  outside  the  academic  sector,  for 
example those  concerned  with  management  or business  skills or  applied  science  and 
technology.  In  the  context  of  what  has  already  been  said  about  maintaining  the 
relevance  of  universities  and  improving  links  with  external  social  and  economic 
partners, it is important to encourage the use of Tempus outputs where appropriate  for 
the benefit  of  local  enterprises  and  local  and regional  authorities. Indeed such  a role, 
especially if combined with harnessing the efforts  of neighbouring  universities, could 
be  used to  establish  or  strengthen  the  contribution  of  the higher  education  sector  to 
regional  development  within  individual  countries.  This  should  be  part  of  a  more 
focused  strategy  to  support  the  skill  needs of Phare sector  projects  where  the role of 
universities in providing required human resource development on a sustainable basis 
should  be  better  exploited. 

80.  In  all  the  above  aspects  of  dissemination,  it  is  suggested  that  more  effective 
utilisation  of the  considerable  investment  made  under Tempus I and II can  be made. 
Measures  to  make  dissemination  more  effective  in  the  future  should  include  the 
provision  of  improved  incentives  and  modalities  in  order  to  stimulate  greater 
commitment  and  more  productive  activity  by  project  participants.  Perhaps  more 
investment  should  be  made  in  establishing  the  needs  of  beneficiaries  and  more 
attention  given  to  the  quality  of  the  dissemination  or  implementation  process  which 
should  reflect  an  active involvement  of  and ownership  by  recipients.  This  should  be 
complemented  by allowing the possibility  of adapting the original  outputs  of  projects 
in order to meet more precisely the requirements of target institutions or organisations, 
by 
encouraging  more  collective  activity  between  consortia  and  by  supporting 
innovative alliances between  academic and non-academic institutions or organisations. 

2. 

IN TOE NON-ASSOCIATED  PHARE COUNTRIES 

81.  At present  this category  comprises  only  Albania, but  is likely  also to  include  the 
republics  of  the former  Yugoslavia  (excluding  Slovenia)  in  due  course.  Pending 
decisions on the form  and content of EU assistance to these republics and an  analysis 
of  their  needs  it  is  only  appropriate  here  to  make  some  general  comments  about  a 
possible  role  for  Tempus.  Even  within  this  limited  group  of  countries  there  are 
significant  variations  in  the  level  of  development  and  indeed  infrastructure  of  the 
in  any  Tempus 
higher  education  systems  which  would  need  to  be  reflected 
programme.  However  there  appears  to be  an  equally  strong  case, if not  stronger,  for 
including a Tempus element within  a Phare assistance package as there was for all the 
other  countries of  central  and  eastern  Europe. 

82.  While  in  some  of  the  countries  of  the  former  Yugoslavia  there  may  historically 
have been  somewhat  more contact  with the academic  community  of  western  Europe, 
recent events have to varying  degrees widened the gulf  with the rest of the continent 
It is particularly  important  that  universities in these countries not only  establish  open 
and  democratic  practices  themselves  but  are  also  able through  their  future  activities 
to help to project  and instill  such  values  within  their  societies  This  and  the need  for 
universities 
the  skills  necessary  for  economic  reform  and 
reconstruction  makes a persuasive case for  the extension of Tempus to these countries 
particularly  if  it  is  carefully  coordinated  with  Phare  sector  programmes  and  other 

to  contribute 

to 

assistance to the higher  education  sector.  Experience shows that the programme  will 
take  some years  to  reach  a  critical  mass  and  it  is therefore  recommended  that JEPs, 
particularly  addressing curriculum  development and structural objectives, are initiated 
on an on-going  annual basis over the full  period of a possible future  Phare  financing 
commitment. 

83.  The origins of  higher  education  needs  in Albania are  somewhat  different  but no 
less pressing. Unlike  most  other  countries  in the  region  there  is no  long tradition  of 
higher  education,  with  the  first  university  being  founded  as  recently  as  1957.  The 
country  and its education  system has  also suffered  from  a long period of almost total 
isolation from  the outside world, and cooperation even with other communist countries 
was  very  limited.  The  effects  of  this  situation  have  been  exacerbated  by  a  weak 
economy  and  a very  small  budget  for  higher  education  which  has been  estimated  at 
approximately  half  that  of  other  countries  in  east  and  central  Europe  in  relation  to 
national  GDP.  This  has  resulted  in  a particularly  large  'deficit'  within  their  higher 
education  system  which suffers  still from  a poor physical infrastructure  and a lack of 
basic resources  such  as books. 

84. Against this challenging  background  Tempus made a relatively  late start with the 
first projects  being  launched  in  1992/93. At the time of writing only  eight have been 
completed  with  a  further  four  due  to  end  in  1995/96. In  these  circumstances  there 
seems to be  a compelling  case  for  continuing the launch  of  Tempus projects  in  each 
year  within  the  Phare  funding  commitment.  The  Phare  Multiannual  Indicative 
Programme to 1999 envisages continued Tempus support to social and human resource 
development.  The  programme  will  need  to  address  pressing  needs  in  the  areas  of 
curriculum  renewal, particularly  where  this supports Phare objectives,  the  upgrading 
of teaching  skills, materials  and facilities,  and the modernisation  and restructuring of 
the higher  education  system,  including  institutional  management,  to  achieve  greater 
diversity,  flexibility  and  relevance  to  changing  labour  market  needs.  Moreover  the 
contribution  of  Tempus  in  establishing  and  embedding the values of  democracy  and 
civil  society  should  not  be  underestimated.  Against  this background  it  is  considered 
that  a  sufficient  number  of  JEPs  to  create  and  maintain  a  critical  mass  for  change 
would need  to  be launched  in  each year  that Phare funding  is available to  Albania. 

3. 

TEMPUS  IN THE TACIS  COUNTRIES 

85.  The  Council  Decision  of  29  April  1993  adopting  Tempus  II  extended  the 
programme  to  the  Republics  of  the  former  Soviet  Union.  Preparatory  activities 
commenced  in  1993-94  for  Belarus, the Russian  Federation  and Ukraine and the first 
JEPs  were  launched  in  these  countries  the  following  year.  Eligibility  has  been 
progressively  extended  to  other  Republics,  so  that  currently  all  13  Tacis  partner 
countries  take  part  in  Tempus.  Of  the  MECU  565  allocated  to  date  to  the  Tempus 
programme  since  its  inception  in  1990, approximately  8.5% has been  devoted  to  the 
Tacis countries, funding  240 one-year preparatory projects and 59 three-year  full-scale 
JEPs. 

86. Thus it is clear that Tempus Tacis is in its early stages of development,  especially 
when measured against the more than  1200 JEPs launched in the Phare countries since 
1990.  This  factor  is  reinforced  when  set  against  the  huge  challenges  faced  by  the 
Tacis  countries  in  reforming  their  political,  social, judicial  and  economic  structures. 
Recently  a report  of  the European  Bank  for  Reconstruction  and Development  stated: 

22 

'The magnitude of the task  of  creating  the legal, institutional  and human basis of  the 
market economy has been generally  underestimated'. With regard to higher  education 
reform,  the  size of  the  task  ahead  is  illustrated  by  the  fact  that  in  Russia  alone  'the 
approximately  700  universities,  institutes,  colleges  and  other  higher  education 
institutions, many of which have century-old history and world prestige, unite around 
six million  professors,  teachers, researchers, students  and postgraduates'  5. 

87. When considering the future  of Tempus Tacis beyond the end of Tempus II, these 
factors  need  to be taken  into  account.  The following  sections  look  in  more  detail  at 
the principal challenges facing the future  restructuring and development of the higher 
education  systems  of  the Tacis  countries  and the  strategic  considerations  relevant  to 
efficient  and  effective  programme  delivery,  leading  to  a  proposed  approach  for  a 
further  phase of Tempus Tacis which will continue to make a valuable and distinctive 
contribution  to the  reform  process. 

A. 

Key challenges for the future  of higher education 

88. Although each Tacis country has its own specific education reform  agenda, certain 
common  themes,  largely  stemming  from  their  common  Soviet  legacy,  can  be 
recognised  in the analysis of  the  challenges to be addressed.  The balance of these  of 
course vary, for example according to the size of the country concerned, but these key 
challenges  form  an important  background  to  considering the future  role of Tempus. 

89. Broadly speaking, they can be divided into structural and didactic aspects, although 
it  is  of  course  important  to  recognise  the  close  relationship  between  the  two. 
Structurally,  one  of  major  items  on  the  reform  agenda  is  the  implementation  and 
management of the process of diversification,  decentralisation and autonomy of higher 
education  institutions.  Diversification  is  being  driven  to  a  significant  extent  by  the 
growing  number  of  private-sector  higher  education  institutions  in  several  Tacis 
countries, although diversification  is also apparent within the state sector as institutions 
seek to respond to  legislative reform, financial constraints and the need to respond to 
a  changing  labour  market.  Diversification  is  also  linked  to  the  trend  towards 
decentralisation  of  the financing  and  management of  institutions.  This is particularly 
relevant to the larger Tacis countries where central government  is seeking to delegate 
a  significantly  larger  role to  regional  and  local  authorities6. There is still  much  work 
to do in defining  a satisfactory  relationship between the various levels of competence 
within the new dispensation  and in developing new supporting management structures 
and skills and financing  mechanisms. The implications of this policy  extends down to 
institutional  level  in  the  form  of  establishing  institutional  autonomy  which  is  a 
common  reform  objective  among  the  Tacis  countries.  However  as  has  already  been 
explained in respect of the Phare countries, although this is an essential tool to enable 
institutions  to  adapt  to  new  demands  and  to  exercise  accountability  to  various 
stakeholders,  it  also  requires  new  structures,  skills  and  attitudes  from  both  the 
academic  and  management  staff  of  the institutions  concerned. 

'Forword'  of the  Catalogue  of  Higher  Education  Institutions  (December  1994). 

6  For example  in Russia  the proportion  of  federal  funding  for  education  had  declined  to  3.8% 

by  1993. 

23 

90. This process of diversification  and decentralisation is putting into particular focus 
the need to control quality and to maintain a certain degree of national cohesion in the 
future  operation  of  higher  education  systems.  Thus  priority  is  being  given  to 
developing or overhauling national  systems of standards and accreditation and this is 
likely  to  lead  to  an  increasing  emphasis  on  effective  ways  to  operationalise  the 
systems developed within the framework of the various levels of competence referred 
to above. 

91.  A  major  factor  and  constraint  in  this  reform  process  is  the  dramatic  overall 
reduction in the resources available for higher education. The shortage of funding  is 
leading to staff demotivation, an internal 'brain drain' to other better paid professions, 
lack  of  basic  teaching  resources  (such  as  textbooks,  electronic/communication 
equipment and other material) and the inability to maintain the physical  infrastructure 
(such  as  the  repair  and  servicing  of  buildings).  Living  and  study  conditions  for 
students have dramatically  worsened, primarily  due to lack of financial support. This 
can  only  put  increased  demands  on  the  reform  process  and  place  even  greater 
importance on skills to manage change in a proactive  and cost-effective  way. 

92.  One  important  aspect  of  this  change,  as  stated  above,  is  strengthening  of  the 
regional  and  local  aspects  of  higher  education.  Where  the  regional  dimension  is 
important in  a Tacis  country,  higher  education  institutions  are being  called  upon to 
play  a  more  active  and  distinctive  role  in  economic  and  social  activity,  where 
appropriate  within  regional  development  plans,  including  contributing  through 
retraining to the conversion of the military infrastructure to civilian uses. Greater local 
involvement is to a degree an objective common to all Tacis countries particularly in 
the context of developing closer links with enterprises through, for example, seeking 
opportunities  for  technology  transfer,  consultancy  and  continuing  education.  The 
establishment  of  what has been  called  a 'service  function'  to be provided by higher 
education  institutions7,  which  should  address the practical  needs of  various regional 
and  local  organisations  and  enterprises,  will  however  only  be  possible  with  the 
appropriate  structures,  skills  and  attitudes  to  develop  a  closer  relationship  with 
'external' partners. If through better and more productive links forged regionally and 
locally  higher education  institutions  can establish greater relevance  and added-value, 
this will open up the possibility  of new or increased sources of funding to replace to 
a certain extent the reduced federal  contribution. 

93.  Higher education institutions play  an important role  in the training of secondary 
school teachers, for example through the approximately  100 pedagogical institutes and 
universities  in  Russia,  and  reforms  within  the  compulsory  education  sector  are 
resulting in priority being given to restructuring the provision of (re)training for school 
teachers.  The planned  reforms  in  Russia8  foresee  a move  to  a multi-level  structure 
providing  more differentiated  training  opportunities,  including  in-service  continuing 
training, as well as the introduction of new teaching methodologies and new curricula, 
particularly  in the humanities. 

Report 'Strengthening East-West Inter-University Cooperation: From Assistance to Partnership' 

prepared  by  the  CRE, pp.  16-17. 

8  Ministry  of Education/UNESCO:  'National  School Development  Project',  1995; Ministry  of 

Education:  The  Development  of  Education  - National  Report  of the Russian  Federation',  1994. 

24 

94. Key  challenges  in the  didactic field focus on the need to reform  over-specialised 
and  rigid  curricula,  making  them  more  relevant  to  the  requirements  of  the  labour 
market,  modern  technology  and  social  and  democratic  development,  as  well  as  the 
introduction  of new teaching  methods. 

95. Under the rigid system of the command economy the curricula of higher education 
institutions  were  (and  to  a  certain  extent  still  are)  narrowly  defined  by  sectoral 
ministries who guaranteed a job on graduation. With the gradual disintegration of this 
system higher education institutions are left with overspecialised, often  over-long and 
increasingly unneeded courses which are producing graduates with inappropriate skills 
for the new labour market (particularly  in technical subjects). Moreover, because skill 
needs  were  formerly  dictated  to  higher  education  institutions,  they  lack  the 
mechanisms, skills and attitudes to adapt to this changing market-driven  environment. 
However change is made all the more urgent by the acute financial  predicament of the 
higher  education  sector  which  cannot  afford  to  offer  courses  which  are  no  longer 
relevant. Developing closer links with local socio-economic partners is a necessary but 
not sufficient  condition  for  the  modernisation  of  study programmes  which  also  calls 
for  the internal institutional  changes referred  to above. 

96.  The  situation  is  especially  critical  in  those  disciplines  which  were  particularly 
subject  to  ideological  influence  but  which  in  their  contemporary  form  make  an 
important  contribution  to  economic  and social  restructuring. Principal  amongst these 
are  law and  economics,  although  more  generally  the  social  sciences  and  humanities 
suffer  in varying  degrees the  'deficits'  resulting from  the communist  era. 

97. Predominantly teacher-focused  and fact-based  teaching methods also need radical 
modernisation. Higher education institutions are seeking the know-how to replace the 
former  by more participative and innovative methods offering  greater variety to suit 
the  different  learning  styles  and  preferences  of  a  student-focused  approach.  The 
emphasis  on  factual  teaching  needs  to  be  reformed  to  encourage  and  develop  in 
students the ability for  critical analysis and to equip them to explore different  options 
and to take the sometimes complex decisions that will face them in their personal and 
working lives. This should be complemented  by developing a readiness and ability to 
be adaptable and flexible  as these will be qualities particularly  required by the market 
economy.  The acquisition of life-long  learning capabilities will form  a crucial step in 
making higher  education  more  relevant  for  changing  labour  market demands. 

B. 

Strategic  Considerations 

98. EU relations and cooperation  with the Tacis countries are progressively  being set 
within  the  framework  of  Partnership  and  Cooperation  Agreements  which  focus  on 
developing partnership relations of varying intensity  within the context of  supporting 
economic  and  democratic  reform9.  Each  of  these  Agreements  includes  provisions 
relating to  education  and training  and it is the implementation  of these which  should 
set the broad  context  for  Tempus  Tacis in the years  ahead. 

Partnership and Cooperation Agreements have been signed with Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, 
Kyrgyzstan, Russia and the Ukraine and are under negotiation with Armenia, Azerbaijan  and Georgia. 
Exploratory  discussions  are being held with Turkmenistan  and  Uzbekistan. 

25 

99.  The  European  Council  of  Cannes  laid  out  the  main  political  themes  for  the 
European  Union's  relations  with  Russia,  envisaging  in  particular  a  'substantial 
relationship of partnership'.  The  Commission  has since communicated  to the Council 
its  detailed  proposals  for  future  relations  with  Russia,  the  Ukraine  and  the 
Transcaucasian  Republics,  and  the  policy  framework  set  by  the  Council's  eventual 
conclusions  will  subsequently  have  to be taken  into  account. 

100.  Tacis  country  programmes10  provide  a  more  specific  operational  strategy  for 
supporting  economic  and  democratic  reform  objectives  and  it  will  be  important  to 
position  future  Tempus  activity  within  this  strategy  in  a  way  that  ensures  that  the 
higher  education  sector  is  most  effectively  mobilised  to  contribute  to  these  reform 
objectives. 

101.  In  relation  to the  substantial  reform  needs of  the  Tacis  countries,  the  financial 
resources  for  assistance  are  likely  to  remain  limited  which  makes  it  all  the  more 
important to seek maximum cost-effectiveness  in methods of programme delivery. The 
recent introduction of national priorities should make a significant contribution towards 
providing  a  sharper  focus  on  country-specific  priority  areas  and  this  trend  to  more 
precise  targeting  should  be  further  strengthened  in  the future  through  the placing  of 
these  priorities  within  increasingly  coherent  national  and  perhaps  regional  policy 
frameworks.  The  initial  phase  of  Tempus  Tacis  has  also  shown  that  the  competitive 
approach towards project design, selection and implementation guarantees high quality 
and cost-effectiveness,  particularly  when  set in the framework  of targeted  priorities. 

102.  Impact  of  the  limited  resources  available  can  also  be  maximised  through 
identifying  key points of leverage to optimise the multiplier effect  and by establishing 
the  most  productive  synergy  with  other  assistance  activity  in  the  higher  education 
sector.  This  will  involve  continuing  and  further  developing  the  policy  of  targeting 
centres of excellence and  encouraging  regional networking, while ensuring that these 
activities are carefully  positioned to be complementary  to and supportive of  evolving 
local policy frameworks  and development plans. Dissemination of project outputs will 
in general  become increasingly  important  in the future,  particularly  in the  context of 
creating  stronger  linkages  with  and  addressing  the needs of  local  industry  and  other 
non-academic  organisations. 

103. Change and modernisation  within higher  education  systems are to a large extent 
dependent  on  significant  improvements  in  the  standard  of  management  at  all  levels. 
This encompasses where appropriate the establishment of new management  structures 
and  will  certainly  involve  the  development  of  enhanced  management  skills  and  of 
more  proactive  and  positive  attitudes  to  implementing  change.  Not  only  will  such 
measures  facilitate  restructuring  and  reform  but,  equally  important,  they  will  sustain 
it. 

C. 

Future orientations for Tempus Tacis 

104.  The  policy  orientations  for  Tempus  will  continue  to  be  set  through  targeted 
national  priorities  to  be  defined  in  the  general  context  of  European  Union  relations 
with  the  Tacis  countries  concerned  and  the  more  specific  context  of  Tacis 

10  The  new  Tacis  Council  regulation  of  29  January  1996  provides  for  four-year  Indicative 

Programmes  1996-99  and  for  more  detailed  Action  Programmes  of  variable  duration. 

26 

programming. Positioning future Tempus projects within a framework of strengthened 
links between the policy  and operational  levels will  lead to more productive synergy 
between  the  two  and will  provide  a clear  complementary  role for  Tempus  in  those 
cases  where  Tacis  sector  programmes  are  supporting  the  process  of  policy 
development. 

105. The same applies with regard to the development and implementation of higher 
education policy in the Tacis countries, and indeed new higher education policies are 
needed  to  provide  a  coherent  framework  to  maximise  the  value  of  projects  at the 
institutional  level.  Tempus is well  placed to  complement  Tacis activities  supporting 
this process through using projects selectively  to pilot, implement and embed policy 
at the operational  level,  for  example  in  areas such  as new  educational  management 
structures and practices. 

106. Support to strengthening university management will continue to be a priority in 
the future. The trend towards increasing the degree of institutional  autonomy will put 
new  demands  on  university  staff,  and  these  will  be  all  the  greater  within  an 
environment of greatly reduced resources. Structures and skills to manage change on 
an institutional  basis will  be essential  as universities  seek  to adapt their activities to 
new labour markets, develop new relationships with local and regional authorities and 
enterprises and as they assume greater responsibility for making the most cost-effective 
use of the more limited budgets which are likely  to remain the norm. 

107. Although in the future Tempus is likely to be addressing a greater proportion of 
'horizontal'  issues by complementing  Tacis activity  as outlined  above, there will  be 
a  continuous  need  to  support  in  a  focused  way  subject-specific  curriculum 
development. Areas for support should principally be those emanating from the needs 
of establishing a market economy  and building democracy, taking into account local 
requirements such as the existing  capabilities and absorptive capacities of institutions 
and Tacis country objectives. Examples of those subjects where there is a convergence 
of  'academic  deficit',  reform-driven  needs  and  Tacis-defined  objectives  are  legal 
training, economics, science and technology,  environmental protection and education 
for democracy  (civic studies). 

108.  In  those  Tacis  countries  where  increasing  the  regional  dimension  of  higher 
education is a priority objective, Tempus projects should wherever possible reflect this 
aspect in their design  and selection.  Ways should be sought to enhance the regional 
ownership  and  identity  of  projects  and their  linkage  where  appropriate  to  regional 
development plans. This should not only increase the relevance of projects to regional 
needs but is also likely to increase impact as the commitment of regional stakeholders 
is mobilised. 

109. Networking and outreach on either a regional  or local  basis is likely  to enhance 
the critical mass of activity and contribute to consolidation and impact. Encouragement 
should  thus  continue  to  be  given  to  cooperative  activity  between  higher  education 
institutions  in  the  same  area  and  with  clear  common  goals.  However  particular 
emphasis in the future should be placed on increasing institutions' capacity to develop 
links with  'external' partners in the social  and economic field, in particular industry, 
and  to  provide  services  for  enterprises  and  local/regional  authorities  through  for 
example technology  transfer,  consultancy  and continuing education. 

27 

110. In the above context, continued support should be given to the dissemination of 
Tempus outputs, and as the inventory  of project outputs grows over the coming years 
consideration should be given as to whether there is scope for increasing the return on 
Tempus investments made by strengthening support for this activity.  In this context, 
priority should be given to establishing and deepening interaction with relevant Tacis-
supported projects. 

111.  One  potentially  important  vehicle  that  could  effectively  support  networking, 
outreach  and  dissemination,  especially  where  distances  are  large,  is  the  use  of 
electronic  media which  could for  example facilitate  wider access to project outputs, 
assist  cooperative  activity  or offer  new  options  for  teaching  methods  and  delivery 
when face-to-face meetings are not always possible or necessary. Russia, which could 
benefit  most from this medium, is paying particular attention to providing university 
access to networked IT services.  u 

UL CONCLUDING REMARKS 

112.  In  both  the  Phare  and Tacis  countries  it  is  proposed  that there  will  remain  a 
valuable and distinctive  role for  Tempus beyond the conclusion of its second phase. 
In  general  this  role  should  seek  to  capitalise  on  the  Programme's  strengths  at the 
operational,  institutional  level  and to use this substantial platform for  change to: 

• 

support  and  develop  closer  synergy  with  higher  education  policy 
development and implementation. The value of complementarity could, for 
example, be further realised through the trialling of policy  innovations in 
the form  of  pilot  projects,  establishing  more systematic  mutual  feedback 
between  the  policy  and  operational  levels  and  using 
institutional 
development  projects  and  dissemination  to  establish  and  embed  best 
practice. 

•  mobilise  and transfer,  through  well  established networks  and cooperative 
modalities,  expertise  within  the  higher  education  sector  to  address 
carefully-defined  skill  deficiencies  in  relation to  Phare and Tacis  reform 
objectives. 

•  develop  institutional  capacities  to  manage  change  and  to  respond 
effectively  to challenges within the economic  anrj social  environment. By 
placing particular emphasis on creating, strengthening and managing links 
with  enterprises  and  other  regional/local  organisations,  Tempus  can 
contribute  to  establishing  the  processes,  attitudes  and skills  necessary  to 
maintain a sustainable  relevance to economic  and social needs. 

•  capitalise on Tempus investments already made by using dissemination and 

networking to increase the critical  mass for reform. 

1  For  example  last  year  a  concept  was  elaborated  for  the  creation  of  a  'National  Academic 
System of Databases of Higher Education  Institutions in Russia'. This will contain information  on the 
main activities of higher education institutions and will be made internationally  available  through the 
Internet.  Also  the  Higher  Education  Committee  has  sponsored  the  creation  of  centres  of  new 
information  technology  in  60  universities  and  other  higher  education  institutions,  all  of  them  with 
access  to  electronic  mail.  In  the  future  Tempus  should  make  most  effective  use  of  this  developing 
infrastructure  in Russia  and  elsewhere  to  maximise  impact  in the ways outlined  above. 

28 

113.  Especially  in  the  associated  Phare  countries,  this  more  managed  strategy  will 
require some further modification to the traditional  'bottom-up' approach in favour of 
a more hands-on  role  in project  design  and monitoring.  A  possible  scenario  for the 
future is for a relatively  small number of carefully  positioned  and negotiated projects 
increasingly  addressing horizontal  areas such  as standards, quality, management and 
the structure of  qualifications  relative to the needs of  changing  labour markets. This 
is likely to have implications for the current policy of consortium-driven project design 
and  for the  degree of  monitoring  necessary  to  ensure  compliance  with  increasingly 
demanding,  specific  and  strategic  outcomes.  In the  Tacis  countries, the 'bottom-up' 
approach  as  developed  under  Tempus  II  will  remain  a  crucial  prerequisite  for 
successful  programme  delivery. 

114.  It  is  also  envisaged  that as the  Tempus programme  matures,  especially  in the 
Phare  associated  countries,  and  the  emphasis  shifts  away  from  basic  curriculum 
development, the requirement for full three-year JEPs may change towards shorter and 
more  compact  actions  of  perhaps  no  more  than  two  years  duration.  Moreover 
consideration should also be given to providing more flexibility  at the margins of the 
programme  to  enable  it to be  more responsive  to  needs  arising  in the  shorter term, 
such as support for events which would bring together those working at the policy and 
levels,  activities  designed  to  contribute  particular  expertise  to  a 
operational 
problematical  item on the reform  agenda or initiatives to increase the impact of key 
Tempus outputs. 

115. As was stated at the outset, the timescale for a further phase of Tempus is limited 
to the period of the current Phare and Tacis financing commitments. However this of 
course does not necessarily mean that all the reform needs in higher education will be 
met by  the  end of  the  decade,  especially  in  the  Tacis  countries.  Even  in the Phare 
associated  countries,  variable  progress towards  the requirements of  accession  might 
result in continuing education  and training needs in  certain countries beyond the end 
of  1999 to which Tempus may be able to make a valuable contribution.  The size of 
the reform  challenges  in the Tacis countries certainly  makes it likely  that there  will 
still be an important role for Tempus in the next decade. 

29 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(96) 197  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

16  11 

Catalogue number  : CB-CO-96-206-EN-C 

ISBN 92-78-03549-1 

Office for Official Publications of thé European Communities 

L-2985 Luxembourg