Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Communication from the Commission: Mobilising the brainpower of Europe: enabling universities to make their full contribution to the Lisbon Strategy
Date: 2005-10-12
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: education policy, higher education, organisation of teaching, school-industry relations, scientific exchange

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Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Communication from the Commission: Mobi-
lising the brainpower of Europe: enabling universities to make their full contribution to the
Lisbon Strategy

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

(2006/C 81/05)

Having regard to the Communication from the Commission: Mobilising the brainpower of Europe: enabling
universities to make their full contribution to the Lisbon Strategy (COM(2005) 152 final);

Having regard to the decision of the European Commission of 3 June 2005 to consult it on this subject,
under the first paragraph of Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community;

Having regard to the decision of its Bureau of 12 April 2005 to instruct its Commission for Culture and
Education to draw up an opinion on this subject;

Having regard to the decision of the Lisbon European Council approving the concept of the European
Research Area and thus laying the foundations for a common European policy on science and technology;

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy
(CdR 152/2004 fin) (1);

Having regard to the Communication from the Commission ‘The role of universities in the Europe of knowledge’ (2)
and the outlook opinion of the CoR on The role of universities in local and regional development within the
context of a Europe of knowledge (CdR 89/2003 fin) (3);

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions on Establishing an integrated action
programme in the field of lifelong learning (CdR 258/2004 fin);

Having regard to the opinion of the Commission for Culture and Education, adopted on 11 July 2005
(CdR 154/2005 rev. 1) (rapporteur: Mr Gerd Harms, Delegate to the Federation and for European Affairs
of the Land of Brandenburg, State Secretary in the State Chancellery (DE/PES));

Whereas:

1.

2.

3.

4.

the Commission's Communication must be seen in the context of the general European ‘Growth
Through Knowledge’ strategy. A society's capacity to innovate depends on education and research. The
objectives of the Lisbon Strategy can only be achieved by means of global competition in which
research, education and training play a key role. This means that universities have a key role to play
in the Lisbon process;

in 20 years time, only 5 % of the world's population will live and work in Europe, compared with
52 % in Asia. These statistics reflect the urgent need for radical measures to make the European
educational and research environment more attractive. The attractiveness of universities is a key
factor in Europe's efforts to build up the brainpower which it needs to secure its future;

access to education must be as inclusive as possible, not only in order to secure the future of a
Europe of knowledge, but also to serve as a basis for the social cohesion of European countries and
of Europe as a whole. The main challenges faced at all levels are to remove barriers to education, to
make lifelong learning options available to all, and to enhance the quality of education systems;

as part of its efforts to give the Lisbon strategy a new impetus, the European Commission has
proposed a package of measures to meet these challenges proactively. The Seventh Research Frame-
work Programme is one of the main activities within the remit of the European Commission.
Reforms of education and higher education are needed to ensure that the potential identified in the
framework programme can be incorporated into the European innovation process;

(1) OJ C 43, 18.2.2005, p. 1.
(2) COM(2003) 58 final.
(3) OJ C 73, 23.3.2004, p. 22.

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5.

the European regions, which have significant powers in relation to scientific education and research,
have a special role to play in this process. The Committee of the Regions recognises that local and
regional authorities have a special role to play, particularly as a communication channel to all citi-
zens. Local and regional authorities can also promote collaboration between networks in order to
create synergies between the various stakeholders. The development of European regions is closely
dependent on how they use scientific, research and innovation potential. The process of building up
this potential in Europe can only succeed with the involvement of the regions;

unanimously adopted the following opinion at its 61st plenary session (meeting of 12 October),
held on 12-13 October 2005:

1. The Committee of the Regions' views and recommen-

dations

General comments

The Committee of the Regions

1.1 welcomes
the Communication from the Commission:
Mobilising the brainpower of Europe: enabling universities to make
their full contribution to the Lisbon Strategy, and sees it as an
important boost for the much-needed Europe-wide debate on
improving university education;

reiterates that higher education establishments and
1.2
universities, referred to as ‘universities’ in the Communication,
are very diverse. The present opinion also uses the term in this
broader sense;

1.3
shares the Commission's view that future growth and
social welfare will rely increasingly on knowledge-intensive
industries and services, and that ever more jobs will require
tertiary qualifications;

1.4
acknowledges the need for a fundamental shift in Euro-
pean higher education policy, taking into account the needs of
local and regional authorities while enabling research and
teaching of sufficient standard to compete at international level;

would point out in this context that there are excellent
1.5
universities in Europe, where research achievements and the
teaching of future scientists are outstanding even by interna-
tional standards; however, at the same time there are many
universities which are unable to deliver their full potential, as
discussed in the Commission's Communication;

emphasises that the ambitious goals which prompted
1.8
the Communication can only be achieved if the basic condi-
tions are in place in terms of general school and pre-school
education, and acknowledges that the regional
level has a
special role to play here;

believes

1.9
should be more closely
involved in the concept of lifelong learning with a view to
achieving the objectives of the Lisbon strategy;

that universities

is of the opinion that rapidly changing social expecta-
1.10
tions of higher education can be most effectively met by means
of flexible structures. Although establishing such structures is
primarily a matter
for universities, national and regional
government also bear responsibility for ensuring that the condi-
tions for flexibility are in place by removing legal restrictions
and providing the necessary resources;

regrets that the European Commission was unable to
1.11
draft an inter-departmental communication covering all aspects
of European higher education policy, including research. The
European Research Area and the ‘Regions of Knowledge’
heading in the Commission's proposal for the Seventh Research
relevance to higher
Framework Programme are of special
education in Europe, particularly with regard to achieving the
Lisbon objectives;

notes that

1.12
treating research as a separate category
severs the link between research, training of future scientists
and academic qualifications for a scientific career, and between
university and non-university research.

1.6 welcomes the clear reference to subsidiarity, but would
place additional emphasis on the role of the regions, as set
in the White Paper on European Governance 2001 and
out
enshrined in the draft constitutional Treaty;

2. Increasing challenges

The Committee of the Regions

emphasises that, economic considerations aside, univer-
1.7
sity education also offers social and cultural added value which,
although not measurable in terms of economic benefits, still
constitutes the foundation of a developed society;

shares the Commission's concern that the educational
2.1
resources of European countries are not being sufficiently
developed, and considers the Commission's analysis to be a
useful basis for approaching areas in which change is needed;

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that

feels, however,

2.2
the statistics included in the
Communication give a distorted picture of the actual situation
in many European countries. In particular, the low percentage
of university students and graduates does not take into account
the many European students studying at polytechnics or parti-
cipating in vocational training, whereas in North America and
Asia comparable courses are offered by universities;

agrees with the analysis of factors preventing dynamic
2.3
development of the higher education sector,
in particular a
marked tendency for universities to isolate themselves from
business and society, over-regulation of higher education
systems due to ex-ante checks by government, and the relative
poverty of the European higher education sector as a result of
its dependency on state funding;

2.4
would emphasise that the quality of higher education
establishments in Europe is still generally high, and that many
universities have long since undertaken the necessary changes
described in the Communication, or are in the process of doing
so, although in many cases without deliberately aligning them-
selves with the Lisbon objectives. The fact that many universi-
ties have not heard of the Bologna process does not warrant a
negative assessment of European universities;

supports the endeavours of the Bologna process to set
2.5
up a common higher education area, but notes that
this
should reflect the diversity of national and regional approaches
to higher education. The Committee of the Regions does not
share the concerns expressed in the Communication with
regard to linguistic diversity.

3. The core modernisation agenda: attractiveness, govern-

ance, funding

The Committee of the Regions

the Bologna process

reiterates its view that

3.1
sets
concrete and relevant objectives for developing higher educa-
tion in the EU, with the aim of creating a European area of
higher education by the year 2010. In particular, these concern
adopting a system of comparable degrees, based on two-cycle
credit systems, mobility, quality assurance and promotion of
the European dimension. The Committee notes that not
enough has yet been done to achieve these objectives, and that
not only universities, but also regions, Member States and the
European Union will have to step up their efforts;

promoting excellence. Incentives for excellence in teaching and
research must be consistently enhanced and supported;

3.4
acknowledges and agrees with the Commission's
analysis of the factors involved in making universities more
attractive. Human resources is one area in which there are
numerous opportunities for universities to become more Euro-
pean in outlook;

3.5 welcomes the Erasmus programme's more ambitious
aim to cover 3 million students;

endorses

3.6
the Commission's view that partnership
between higher education and industry is especially important,
but feels that other areas of the economy, public administra-
tion, culture and social organisations are partners. Given the
contribution of science to regional development, the restriction
to partnerships with industry is too narrow;

3.7
is concerned that universities have not yet sufficiently
taken on board the need to open themselves up to new groups
of learners, to emphasise lifelong learning and to offer wider
access to academic education, as essential conditions for coping
with demographic and structural changes over the next few
decades. It therefore welcomes moves to place this issue at the
top of the agenda for a Europe-wide debate, and promises to
support the Commission in doing so;

3.8
notes that competition and rising standards in higher
education must not cause European regions to drift apart in
terms of scientific achievements; Europe is characterised by its
broad educational base, and this must be preserved. Every Euro-
pean region must have higher education facilities which meet
European quality standards;

emphasises that, while the Commission's call for more
3.9
and better financial backing for universities is understandable,
it does not adequately reflect the actual circumstances of many
European regions, where (non-higher) education and training
are often the budgetary priorities;

3.10
stresses that the local and regional authorities repre-
sented in the Committee of the Regions are willing to enter
into joint discussions with universities on institutional moderni-
sation strategies, and to implement them wherever possible.
This would involve multi-annual contracts, support for innova-
tive university management and even greater openness on the
part of universities to partnerships with industry.

3.2
shares the Commission's view that universities need
local support in order to make the necessary changes. Local
and regional authorities have long collaborated with universi-
ties and other establishments to provide support for the requi-
site measures;

4. Priorities for action

The Committee of the Regions

3.3 welcomes the call for an across-the-board ‘culture of
excellence’, and sees scientific faculties and networks of innova-
tive scientists as key players in the process of calling for and

recommends compiling a summary of priorities in the
4.1
fields of education, higher education and research, in order to
focus attention on links and on the resulting options for imple-
mentation of the Lisbon strategy;

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4.2
emphasises that comprehensive and Europe-wide recog-
nition of degrees is a pre-condition for effective structural
change in universities. The quantitative comparability of studies
envisaged by the Bologna process is an important basis for
such recognition. To ensure equitable and effective access to
the European Higher Education Area for all regions, it would
be useful to build on such measures by launching a debate at
European level on qualitative standards;

4.3
points out that Marie Curie actions have already proved
useful in promoting the mobility of scientists under the Euro-
pean research framework programme. Additional measures at
European level in this area as suggested in the Communication
would dissipate resources and makes no sense. The Committee
encourages the Commission to further strengthen the Marie
Curie actions promoting mobility of scientists and to take steps
to improve the conditions for mobility, as set out in the Euro-
pean Charter for Researchers;

emphasises that the debate on study fees can only be

4.4
conducted in a national or regional context;

rejects the Commission's proposal

4.5
to guide student
choices by introducing differential fee and grant systems. The
freedom of individuals to make educational choices must not
be constrained by attempts at state control;

Brussels, 12 October 2005.

4.6
endorses the Commission's view that all sources of EU
funding should be mobilised for the modernisation of universi-
ties, but urges the Commission to include appropriate provi-
sions in the Structural Funds regulations to strengthen the posi-
tion of science in the competition for national resources, and
to emphasise the need for development in the field of higher
education;

emphasises the need for universities to have as much
4.7
freedom in organising teaching and research as possible, within
the framework of national and regional remits. Strategic multi-
annual framework agreements should be used to define the
balance between freedom and responsibility,
thus enabling
surveillance of progress
transparent and effective ex-post
towards objectives. With this in mind, the Committee of the
Regions would emphasise the role of the regions in the devel-
opment of higher education and the contribution of universities
to regional development.

4.8
calls on the Commission to take appropriate measures
to achieve recognition for regions, municipalities and towns in
the context of boosting the regional involvement of universities
and research institutes, stimulating interaction between science,
business and public administration, and enhancing the social
impact of scientific institutions. This could be achieved through
a competition.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Peter STRAUB