The European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) welcomes the creation of a European Education Area by 2025, as proposed by the European Commission. ECIU is the leading university consortium in innovation in teaching and learning, and has already been working on challenging conventional thinking for 20 years.
Working on a more social Europe and realising jobs and inclusive growth is important. With its proposal for a European Education Area, the European Commission wants to realise learning, studying and doing research not hampered by borders, by 2025. ECIU is glad that this is high on Europe’s agenda and looks forward to collaborate together with the EU to realise these ambitions in a fast changing context.
ECIU has been working with
programmes that perfectly fit the plans of the EU for over 20 years. In its
twin programmes and joint degrees, ECIU offers pre-established study programmes
that are fully recognised by ECIU universities. Engaging with wider society,
e.g. by involving stakeholders in curriculum (re)design and in contributing to
problem-based learning, whilst ensuring a high quality, is a core business of
the ECIU Universities.
Mobility for all, realising a true internal market for education, is another priority of the proposal by the European Commission. At ECIU Universities, mobility is for all students and staff. ECIU wishes to nurture and sustain international minded students and staff and therefore offers exchange products.
The ECIU mobility programme for support staff is a tailor-made programme to individual staff member’s development needs. The student exchange programmes of the ECIU guarantee excellent learning experiences at well-known and like-minded partner institutions. In the ECIU Minor Programmes, students naturally follow a curriculum that is being offered by several member universities, pre-established and fully recognised by ECIU Universities.
Offering these Minor programmes,
ECIU can very well be seen as Europe’s first University Network. ECIU is ready
to share its experiences and think along with the EU about initiating the
Sorbonne process and an EU Student Card, enhancing mobility experiences.
Furthermore, the ECIU
Universities embrace their role as lifelong educators, by offering international,
inclusive and flexible education, independent of background, nationality and
age. ECIU supports the aim of reaching a 25% share of people engaging in
learning throughout their lives and works actively to achieve this target.
ECIU calls for synergies with the already existing European Research Area and European Higher Education Area. If we want to realise a true European knowledge economy, Europe is in need of a comprehensive knowledge policy including both research and education. ECIU Universities encourage their students to engage with research, the EU cannot lag behind in policies. A minimum investment of Member States to invest 5% of GDP in education is very important to realise a European knowledge economy.