Europe's Universities Must Be Modernized, Says Commission

published a set of proposals on how to modernize Europe’s universities. This is seen as fundamentally important if the European Union is to become a leading global and knowledge-based economy. According to the Commission, European universities have enormous potential, much of which remains untapped because of institutional and systemic rigidities and obstacles. To free up this ‘reservoir of knowledge, talent and energy’, there will need to be immediate, in-depth and coordinated change in the ways systems are regulated and universities are governed. The Commission’s ideas are presented in a ‘Communication’, which was adopted on 10 May, covering all university activities: educational delivery, research and innovation. The Communication was issued in response to a request made at the informal meeting of the European Council at Hampton Court in October 2005 to identify actions with regard to universities that could drive forward the ‘Growth and Jobs’ agenda. The EC identifies nine areas in which change should occur. Each institution should find the balance between education, research and innovation that is best suited to its role in its region or country. This necessarily involves a differentiated approach: the aim, says the Commission, is to create a framework in which universities can become stronger players in the global knowledge society and economy. The proposals include: