scholarly journals European Universities Initiative: How Universities May Contribute to a More Sustainable Society

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 471
Author(s):  
Rosa María Arnaldo Valdés ◽  
Victor Fernando Gómez Comendador
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Sustainable Society ◽  
Good Practices ◽  
Transnational Higher Education ◽  
European Universities ◽  
Hierarchy Process ◽  
Civic Universities

The European Universities initiative, launched by the European Commission in 2018, has its origin in the concept of Civic Universities (CivUs) and consists of transnational higher education alliances throughout the European Union that share long-term strategies. They are expected to become universities of the future, to promote European ideals and character, and to revolutionize the competitiveness and excellence of European higher education. European universities add 41 alliances, involving 31 different countries. This article presents an early quantitative evaluation of this initiative. This paper addresses the coverage of the 41 alliances and selects five of the most advanced for a deeper evaluation of their best practices and their contribution to the realization of CivUs. This paper also outlines the criteria for evaluating the extent to which good practices implemented by these alliances are aligned and can contribute to the attributes of CivUs, based upon state-of-the-art educational standards. A quantitative framework, based on application of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), is also provided to rank the good practices developed by these alliances against the previous evaluation criteria. Furthermore, by applying a sensitivity analysis, this paper also addresses the robustness of this approach.

scholarly journals Master training in Agribusiness and Rural Development at the University of Zagreb

2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-91
Author(s):  
László Kárpáti
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Rural Development ◽  
Development Project ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Education Development ◽  
European Universities ◽  
The University ◽  
Food Safety And Quality

The title of the proposed JEP project is: “Agribusiness Higher EducAtion Development” with the acronym AHEAD. This curriculum development project – in case of acceptance – will last for three years, from July 2005 and June 2008. The primary project site is the University of Zagreb, Croatia; the contractor and the co-ordinator institution is the University of Debrecen, Hungary. In the consortium, 3 further European universities (University of Hohenheim, Wageningen University and Scottish Agricultural College) will participate, from the Croatian side the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and an additional 7 Croatian institutes will also be involved. The total number of members in the consortium is 13. The main objective of the AHEAD project is to establish new BSc and MSc programmes in Croatia at two Faculties of the University of Zagreb. These are as follows: Agricultural and Rural Development, Food Safety and Quality Management and pilot MSc training in Agribusiness and Rural Development. These are preceded by faculty retraining programmes in food safety and quality management, as well as agribusiness and commerce within the framework of a MBA programme accredited by the International MBA Network. The professional content of the project is a modernised curriculum and training palette that would be available by the end of this project at the University of Zagreb, serving not only the higher education of the country, but the demand of the Croatian national economy as well, in line with the basic principles of the European Union.

scholarly journals QUALITY ASSURANCE AT HIGHER NON-UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONS: REVEALING THE EDUCATORS‘ ATTITUDES

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-35
Author(s):  
Danė Papečkienė
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
College Education ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Universities And Colleges ◽  
European Universities ◽  
The One

Lithuania having joined the European Union and seeking the education acquired in Lithuania to be internationally recognized, the necessity emerged to match the education standards with the systems of vocational training in European countries. The project plan (2002-2006) of the development of higher education in Lithuania states that the quality assurance is a top priority. The emphasis is laid on the fact that the quality assurance of higher education should not lack behind the one in the developed European countries. The quality assurance of higher education has been under discussion in the few recent years. How should be the studies organized in order to train students to be able to compete in the labor market of the dynamically developing European countries? To determine the dimensions and standards of the education quality that are common to Lithuanian universities and colleges it is essential to regard the worldwide experience and to apply it in the context of our country. The importance has been laid on the quality assurance at the European universities for the recent 10 years. The subsequent organizations were established in different countries all over the world. A number of the agencies dealing with the quality assurance of higher education started the network partnership. The established Centre for Quality Assessment in higher education plays a major role for implementing the external quality assurance policy in universities and colleges of Lithuania by contributing to the development of human resources. The object of this research is to reveal the educators’ attitudes at Marijampolė and Utena colleges towards the establishment of the quality assurance system at college. The research was done in November, 2004 at Marijampole and Utena colleges. There were 120 educator respondents at Marijampole College and 50 respondents at Utena College. 146 of them were lecturers and 24 were the administrative staff. The research done, the conclusions were made that the communities comprising the lecturers as well as the administrative staff of the colleges are concerned about the quality assurance of higher education and studies. The quality of higher non-university studies is being continuously assessed. Moreover, the system of quality assurance is being continuously developed. The educators both at Marijampole and Utena Colleges positively assess their input into the successive performance of the institutions taking an active part in making decisions related to the improvement of the inner system of quality assurance at the institutions. Key words: quality of studies, college, education.

Towards a European framework for community engagement in higher education – a case study analysis of European universities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma O’Brien ◽  
BOJANA ĆULUM ILIĆ ◽  
Anete Veidemane ◽  
Davide Dusi ◽  
Thomas Farnell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Study Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
European Universities ◽  
Context Specific

Purpose This paper aims to examine the development and piloting of a novel European framework for community engagement (CE) in higher education, which has been purposefully designed to progress the CE agenda in a European context. Design/methodology/approach The proposed framework was co-created through the European Union (EU)-funded project towards a European framework for community engagement in higher education (TEFCE). The TEFCE Toolbox is an institutional self-reflection framework that centres on seven thematic dimensions of CE. This paper follows the development of the TEFCE Toolbox through empirical case study analysis of four European universities and their local communities. Findings The findings in this paper indicate that the TEFCE Toolbox facilitates context-specific applications in different types of universities and socioeconomic environments. Incorporating insights from engagement practitioners, students and community representatives the TEFCE Toolbox was successfully applied in universities with diverse profiles and missions. The process facilitated the recognition of CE achievements and the identification of potential areas for improvement. Originality/value Despite a range of international initiatives, there remains an absence of initiatives within the European higher education area that focus on developing tools to comprehensively support CE. The TEFCE Toolbox and case-study analysis presented in this paper address this gap in knowledge. The broader societal contribution and social responsibility of higher education have become increasingly prominent on the European agenda. The TEFCE Toolbox represents an innovative, robust and holistic European framework with the potential to support universities in reflecting upon their pursuit of addressing grand societal challenges, whilst promoting CE.

scholarly journals Beyond Bologna: The Sustainable University Enterprises Partnership

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 37-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Figus
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
European Union ◽  
Labor Market ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Critical Dimension ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Policy ◽  
European Universities

There is a necessity to understand the effects of the globalization on the labor market concerning job markets. The economic and cultural growth and the ability of renewal are the fundamental objectives of every country, and they should also be the main objective of developing and in-transition countries. This is, particularly important in European Eastern countries. The article analyses university-enterprise partnership projects of the European Union. A series of recommendations has been elaborated for Higher Education Institutions, in particular, European Universities intending to progress further with the critical dimension of University-Enterprise cooperation as one of the key elements to enhance their competitiveness, and contribute to EU policy and activities in this area. These recommendations will be based on the findings of the online survey, the case studies and the discussions between all stakeholders of the European Conference held in Bonn on 18-19 June 2007. The qualitative effectiveness of the “higher education product” depends conclusively on the human components – teacher, in the first place, their behavior, competence, and attitudes.

scholarly journals Decision Factors behind Choosing Higher Education Institutions in Europe

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-86
Author(s):  
Viktorija Skvarciany ◽  
Inga Shina ◽  
Fawad bin Sajjad
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Student ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Pairwise Comparison ◽  
Strategic Partnerships ◽  
European Universities ◽  
Study Programme ◽  
Educational Factors ◽  
Hierarchy Process

AbstractResearch purpose. This article aims at distinguishing and weighting the educational factors that could have an impact on young people’s choice to study in European higher education institutions (HEIs).Design/Methodology/Approach. To achieve the aim, previous research and scientific literature were studied and experts from student society and the higher education sector, who deal with international students, were interviewed. The developed questionnaire was based on pairwise comparison procedure, and the obtained data were processed using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method.Findings. The findings revealed that the following factors are the most critical for students who want to study at European HEIs: provision of programmes that are taught in English, the existence of scholarship opportunities, provision of different facilities in the campus, and accreditation of the study programme and university.Originality/Value/Practical implications. The current study focuses on a topic that has been studied fragmentally, that is, on which factors are crucial for an international student to choose HEI in Europe. The current research contributes to the existing scientific literature by identifying and systemising educational factors influencing young people’s choice to study in Europe. The obtained results could be useful for professionals who are responsible for strategic partnerships at European universities.

scholarly journals Organizaciones y políticas supranacionales: una mirada desde la educación superior y la igualdad de género

2020 ◽  
pp. 281
Author(s):  
Ainhoa Resa Ocio ◽  
Teresa Rabazas Romero
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
European Union ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Gender Segregation ◽  
Global Dynamics ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Unequal Distribution ◽  
European Universities

We are at a time when gender equality is understood as a matter of human rights and social justice. For this reason, in the frame of development of a democratic Europe, social movements demand a gender equality perspective in all educational stages. However, the Member States of the European Union configure their educational and gender policies around different interpretative frameworks. From the perspective of globalization and the creation of supranational organizations, this article analyzes the interpretative frameworks and values the possibility of assuming the existence of a common framework for European countries for the improvement of higher education institutions. It is concluded that the linking capacity of the European Union and the global dynamics allow the implementation of common policies to the Member States. Thus, a series of basic demands raised by feminist movements at the international level and the relevance of their integration in European universities are exposed. The problems to be addressed that are collected throughout the article and that limit the inclusion of gender equality in higher education institutions are: gender segregation, unequal distribution of power, poor access to decision-making positions, need of conciliation and attention to care, elimination of biases in research and teaching, transformation of the organizational culture and institutional support. The relevance of initial teacher training with a gender perspective is also needed for the effective transformation and the definitive eradication of inequalities.

scholarly journals Higher Education Quality Assurance System in Latvia

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
TATJANA VOLKOVA ◽  
LASMA LANCMANE
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Evaluation ◽  
Education Quality ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Bologna Declaration ◽  
European Universities ◽  
Assurance System ◽  
Study Programs ◽  
Higher Education Quality ◽  
Education Quality Assurance

As the important part of European integration there is a goal till the year 2010 to create the unite higher education area, which means: considering the needs of European labour market in designing and improving study programs; encouraging the students and staff mobility within the unite higher education area; unification of the systems of evaluation of students' knowledge and skills acquired; increasing the competitiveness of the European universities; unification and implementation of criteria for quality evaluation of universities and study programs in Europe. The Bologna declaration has started a new stage in the development of the higher education area. There has to be a unite responsibility for disseminating the idea of Bologna declaration and encouraging its implementation in practice in each country which joined the declaration. The European enlargement encourages discussions and shares information among ministries, universities and society about the further ways of improving the quality efficiency and social responsibility of Universities in reaching the goals of the European Union.

Defining the Competence of Psychologists with a View to Public Accountability *

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 293-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ype H. Poortinga ◽  
Ingrid Lunt
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Professional Competence ◽  
Codes Of Ethics ◽  
The Body ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Rigorous Evaluation ◽  
Judicial Proceedings ◽  
Psychological Knowledge

In national codes of ethics the practice of psychology is presented as rooted in scientific knowledge, professional skills, and experience. However, it is not self-evident that the body of scientific knowledge in psychology provides an adequate basis for current professional practice. Professional training and experience are seen as necessary for the application of psychological knowledge, but they appear insufficient to defend the soundness of one's practices when challenged in judicial proceedings of a kind that may be faced by psychologists in the European Union in the not too distant future. In seeking to define the basis for the professional competence of psychologists, this article recommends taking a position of modesty concerning the scope and effectiveness of psychological interventions. In many circumstances, psychologists can only provide partial advice, narrowing down the range of possible courses of action more by eliminating unpromising ones than by pointing out the most correct or most favorable one. By emphasizing rigorous evaluation, the profession should gain in accountability and, in the long term, in respectability.

European Integration

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johann P. Arnason
Keyword(s):  
European Integration ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Historical Processes ◽  
History Of ◽  
External Conditions ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
Totalitarian Regimes ◽  
The Eu

Different understandings of European integration, its background and present problems are represented in this book, but they share an emphasis on historical processes, geopolitical dynamics and regional diversity. The introduction surveys approaches to the question of European continuities and discontinuities, before going on to an overview of chapters. The following three contributions deal with long-term perspectives, including the question of Europe as a civilisational entity, the civilisational crisis of the twentieth century, marked by wars and totalitarian regimes, and a comparison of the European Union with the Habsburg Empire, with particular emphasis on similar crisis symptoms. The next three chapters discuss various aspects and contexts of the present crisis. Reflections on the Brexit controversy throw light on a longer history of intra-Union rivalry, enduring disputes and changing external conditions. An analysis of efforts to strengthen the EU’s legal and constitutional framework, and of resistances to them, highlights the unfinished agenda of integration. A closer look at the much-disputed Islamic presence in Europe suggests that an interdependent radicalization of Islamism and the European extreme right is a major factor in current political developments. Three concluding chapters adopt specific regional perspectives. Central and Eastern European countries, especially Poland, are following a path that leads to conflicts with dominant orientations of the EU, but this also raises questions about Europe’s future. The record of Scandinavian policies in relation to Europe exemplifies more general problems faced by peripheral regions. Finally, growing dissonances and divergences within the EU may strengthen the case for Eurasian perspectives.

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