EUA Convention of European Higher Education Institutions

1
Theme II

• Revisiting the Links between Teaching and
  Research

2
General principles

• The Bologna process is an integral part of the
  establishment of ERA, EHEA and Europe as a
  knowledge based society.
• We will increase the strength and relevance of
  our research to the technological, social and
  cultural evolution and the needs of society.
• We will make the necessary effort to become an
  even more attractive and efficient partner for
  governments and other stakeholders.
• Many obstacles still exist that cannot be solved
  by universities alone but where strong support
  and appropriate decisions of national governments
  and EU bodies will be crucial.

3
Four Main Areas for Discussion

• Research as an integral part of all levels of
  higher education i.e. the relationship between
  teaching and research
• Research focus, institutional networking and
  collaboration
• Strengthen European collaborations at the
  doctoral and post-doctoral level
• Creating the optimal conditions for masters and
  doctoral studies

4
Area 1 Research and scholarship are an integral
part of higher education

• Defines the content of graduate and
  undergraduate education
• Teachers are professional academics and
  professional specialists
• All students will obtain high level skills and
  problem solving capabilities which are necessary
  to increase employability and create good
  researchers
• To stimulate the knowledge society and innovation
  culture

5
Area 2 Research focus, institutional networking
and collaboration

• Institutions should continue to focus research
  strategically with increased awareness of
  inter-disciplinarity
• Local/regional collaboration (clustering) becomes
  increasingly important
• Collaboration networking should be dynamic and
  reconfigurable to ensure continued creativity
  nodes of critical mass

6
Area 3 Strengthen European collaboration at the
doctoral and post-doctoral level mobility

• Crucially important to the success of ERA
• Research networks provide the best environment to
  foster mobility and promotion
• Joint degrees are important mechanisms
• Structured to ensure good re-entry in their
  careers to home country
• Appointment and promotion procedures more
  flexible
• Major priority for European and national funding

7
Area 4 Creating optimal conditions for masters
and doctoral studies

• Further work is required on the definition of
  academic and professional master degrees and on
  the transition from BA/MA to PhD
• Second cycle academic degrees must contain
  research
• PhD or equivalent must be based on original
  research and a thesis
• High quality supervision and training