CHARM-EU joins the Coimbra Group Annual Conference
Following the first open session of Coimbra Group, the annual conference held on the 17th of June 2021, discussed the sustainability of the European University Alliances.
The public conference was divided into two parts. Firstly, addressed the role of universities in achieving Sustainable Development goal #16 (“Effective, accountable and inclusive institutions”) in a multi-level governance context. Subsequently and following up and building on the results of the first Coimbra Group open session on the European Universities Alliances*, the second part discussed the sustainability of the European Universities Initiative
Representing CHARM-EU, Prof. Joan Guàrdia, Rector of the University of Barcelona participated in the panel discussion “The sustainability of the European Universities Initiative in the context of multi-level governance” emphasizing four main pillars for a sustainable European university: the focus on key CHARM-EU values such as European values, transdisciplinary, inclusivity, diversity, cooperation and transferability; a well-integrated and effective governance; the need to overcome fragmented project-based funding leaving no one behind and a real alignment of the career assessment of academic and non-academic staff to fulfill its main objectives.
The panel session started with the words of Mr Lukáš Pachta (representing Ms Michaela Šojdrová, MEP), Advisor Assistant at the European Parliament who introduced the report on the European Education Area: a shared holistic approach that will be negotiated in Autum 2021. The report is a EP reponse to the European Comission’s communication and to the Council resolution on the European Education Area. The main aim of the report is to bridge the different views of the stakeholders and HE institutions highlightining the importance of a common vision for the EEA.
Then, Ms Sophia Eriksson Waterschoot, Director, Youth, Education and Erasmus+, DG EAC, European Commission who highligted that „Europan universities are not just a project” but an „ambitous and longterm vision to build the universities of the future”. The panel session also brought the perspective of other European university alliances, such as EC2U, Circle U and Una Europa and included the student perspective represented by the Erasmus Student Network and the European Students’ Union.
Find out more about the conference at: https://www.coimbra-group.eu/2021-coimbra-group-annual-meeting/
*For more information about the 2020 Open Session on the European Universities Alliances and main take-aways, please click here.
Watch the public conference here: