The European Commission believes that higher education is the key to maintaining Europe’s competitiveness in the global economy.
“Higher education is crucial for developing the knowledge and skills that Europe needs to compete in the world economy, but Member States are not investing enough to modernise their higher education systems,” according to a High Level Group on the Modernisation of Higher Education launched by the European Commission this week.
The aim of the new group, according to the EU, will be to address issues relating to the quality of and access to higher education. The EU statement said that a comprehensive three-year review of the sector across the European Union would take place.
The group will be chaired by Mary McAleese, former President of Ireland, and will focus initially on how best to achieve quality and excellence in teaching and learning.
The group will then look into how best to adapt learning in the digital age.
Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, said: “Everybody remembers a teacher who inspired or motivated them. With the help of the high level group I want to ensure that every student, regardless of where they live or study in Europe, will benefit from quality teaching. This is a pre-condition for innovation, jobs and growth. Teaching excellence is also a fundamental requirement for identifying and supporting sustainable pathways out of the current crisis.”
Mary McAleese said: “I am very honoured to chair this group. I care deeply about Europe and its young generation, which has been struck so hard by the crisis. Our group will examine how to nurture excellent teaching in our universities so that our young people receive the best education and the best possible employment prospects.”
The launch of this group is part of a broader strategy to modernise the higher education sector in Member States.
Geographic Disparities in Education
A separate European report also launched this week titled: ‘Mind the Gap - education inequality across EU regions’, stated that where one lives in Europe can strongly influence your education and prospects in life.
This report highlights considerable disparities in education opportunities and results across Member States. According to the report, there appears to be a North-South divide in educational attainment, with the highest rates of low-qualified people, with lower secondary education or less, chiefly found in southern European regions, and especially in Portugal and Spain.
“All European citizens should benefit from high quality education and training - irrespective of where they live. It is time to deliver on the commitments which have been made. Tackling geographic inequality in education is a pre-requisite for balanced regional development and social cohesion. The European Structural Funds can and should be used to help address inequalities,” said Ms Vassiliou.
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