Accessibility Tools
To shape a positive future for Europe and its universities, we must proactively engage with possible futures.
The world is changing rapidly. Among the major drivers of change are political polarisation, geopolitical tensions and conflicts, economic instability and demographic decline. Not to forget migration, artificial intelligence and climate change. But how can universities best react to change, and indeed contribute to it?
Ahead of the European elections in 2024, EUA gathered members of its community for wide-ranging discussions on the future of Europe and our sector’s place within it.
Inspired by futures thinking and strategic foresight methodologies, the ‘Universities and the future of Europe’ project explored likely influences on the future of university cooperation for Europe’s universities in the next decade.
Based on this work, EUA published the ‘What if?’ report, which outlines four different forecasts of possible futures for transnational university cooperation with partners in Europe and beyond:
Explore the ‘What if?’ forecasts
How can universities get the most out of strategic foresight and futures thinking methodologies?
In today’s world, universities need to enhance their institutional capacity to engage in transformation, rather than letting themselves be driven by external factors. This includes paying attention to early signals of change and exploring different possible futures.
Strategic foresight and futures thinking are tools that can help universities to proactively shape the future and make sure that they are prepared for whatever might come. To support our members in using these methodologies, EUA launched the ‘Universities Futures Lab’ – a podcast series featuring practitioners from universities across Europe.
Over five episodes, experts from Switzerland, the Netherlands and Finland outlined how they use foresight and futures in university strategy development. For example, how can a university use storytelling and create common vocabulary for meaningful and authentic exchanges about the future? What does setting up a foresight unit entail? Or, how can you use expert evidence in collective foresight processes?
Listen to more Universities Futures Lab episodes
EUA’s work with strategic foresight and futures thinking started with the development of ‘Universities without walls’, the Association’s vision for 2030. Published in 2021, it sets out a vision of resilient and effective universities, serving Europe’s societies towards a better future.
Catch up on ‘Universities without walls’
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, this publication outlined how political developments within the EU, from digital regulations to enlargement and foreign policy, influence the political space in which European universities act and cooperate.
To further delve into these findings, EUA published ‘Pathways to the future’, which explores different scenarios and their impact on how European universities would achieve the vision of ‘Universities without walls’.
Across three key drivers of change for universities, this publication outlines nine scenarios:
Geopolitical change
Artificial intelligence and labour markets
The course of democracy
Download ‘Pathways to the future’
What does the European Union’s new paradigm of competitiveness mean for universities? ...
The European Commission’s Communication on the Union of Skills is a timely call for more and better investment in citizens’ skills and competencies. ...
Higher education and research form the backbone of European innovation and development, and with it, the EU’s global competitiveness and long-term ambitions to tackle complex societal challenges. ...
This report analyses external drivers of change in six dimensions (political, economic, social, legal, technological and environmental) and outlines four different forecasts of possible futures for tr ...
The European Commission is developing a set of non-binding commitments for EU member states regarding enabling factors for digital education. This policy input summarises EUA’s input ahead of an eve ...
This publication focuses on geopolitical changes, digitalisation and artificial intelligence, as well as the course of democracy, and how they may impact Europe’s universities. It outlines possible ...
Higher education institutions are key actors in the transition towards carbon neutrality and sustainable societies, as well as in reaching the objectives of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and the E ...
This EUA policy input aims to inform the development of the European Commission’s upcoming “European Strategy for Universities”. ...
Tento kľúčový dokument je výsledkom rozsiahlych konzultácií a rokovaní s členmi a partnermi EUA počas šesťmesačného obdobia v roku 2020. Presadzuje víziu odolných a efektívnych univer ...
This seminal document is the result of extensive consultations and deliberations with EUA members and partners over a six-month period in 2020. It sets out a vision of resilient and effective universi ...
EUA Strategic Plan The need for strong universities has never been greater in addressing societal challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, resource scarcity, ageing populations, migration a ...
On 3 December, 22 experts from 19 countries selected for the European University Association’s task-and-finish group on sustainability gathered in Brussels and online. ...
On 8 April, a draft report on ‘A new vision for the European Universities alliances’ is up for consideration by the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT). ...
Too often, European regulations and directives have been proposed with far-reaching consequences for universities, research centres and the people who work there, but with little or no consideration o ...
Current crises, and the geo-political, economic, social, environmental and technological change and uncertainty that they bring, are impacting how universities work, follow their missions and collabor ...
The European University Association (EUA) has joined the “Improving Research Ethics Expertise and Competencies to Ensure Reliability and Trust in Science” (iRECS) project. ...
The Conference on the Future of Europe is an initiative for all Europeans to voice their ideas and debate the future of our continent. As its contribution to this important debate, EUA is submitting t ...
The Magna Charta Observatory (MCO) will celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the Magna Charta Universitatum on 16 and 17 June, and will launch the new Magna Charta, the MCU2020, which makes the charter m ...
The European University Alliance E³UDRES² (Engaged and Entrepreneurial European University as Driver for European Smart and Sustainable Regions) celebrates its official Online Opening Conference “ ...
The Eurasian Universities Union (EURAS) organises the Eurasia Higher Education (EURIE) Summit on 3 – 5 March 2021. ...
The European University Alliance E³UDRES² (Engaged and Entrepreneurial European University as Driver for European Smart and Sustainable Regions) calls for scientific contributions, relevant concepts ...
EUA is embarking on an initiative to develop a vision for Europe’s universities in 2030. This vision by the sector for the sector will serve as inspiration for EUA members, as well as for policy mak ...
For Eric Tschirhart, the European Universities Initiative is at a pivotal juncture after five years. Here, he presents three forecasts for the future funding of alliances, with special attention for u ...
EU lawmakers need to take universities into account when drawing up new laws. This will stem the growing compliance burden, make for better regulation - and result in more efficient policy making, arg ...
To achieve lasting impact and shape the future in a positive direction, foresight must go hand-in-hand with strategic decision-making. In Research Europe, EUA’s Policy Coordination and Foresight tea ...
How can universities adopt more flexible and adaptive approaches to strategy development? Gert-Jan Scheurwater reports on TU Delft’s progress in introducing foresight as a tool to tackle this challe ...
Global challenges call for “universities without walls”. Drawing from his experience in the Higher Education Reform Expert (HERE) teams, Chafic Mokbel discusses the future of the sector from a Leb ...
As we look forward towards a future of “Universities without walls”, this article by EUA President Michael Murphy points out that universities need better and coordinated communication of their wo ...
What will the future hold in terms of geopolitics, digitalisation and democracy? How will this affect universities? This University World News piece delves into different scenarios, offering a reflect ...
Universities support Europe’s agenda for digital leadership in their role as digital technology makers. At the same time, they must adapt to the growing digitalisation of research practice, but thei ...
As universities strive to realise human potential, preserve the planet and promote health and prosperity, the new Magna Charta Universitatum offers a fresh opportunity to adhere to fundamental princip ...
The European Commission aims at developing a “European strategy for universities” to strengthen synergies between teaching, research, innovation and service to society by better linking related Eu ...
The preservation and development of culture is part of the mission of universities. This article, from the President of HRK, explores how this mission widens the knowledge triangle of education, resea ...
Europe’s universities are upping their game for the new decade, to meet the challenges of our digital and green transitions, writes Amanda Crowfoot.As the pandemic has shown, research and innovation ...
As the world faces complex challenges, universities are taking the time to reflect about the future strategically. How do we want Europe’s universities to look in ten years? What should be their rol ...
Change is in the air. The Covid-19 crisis has turned our lives upside down, but well before this happened there was already a palpable feeling that today’s challenges are changing society in unpredi ...
In this in-depth analysis of the lessons presented by the Covid-19 crisis for universities, EUA President Michael Murphy delves into the question of what universities might do differently now to grow ...
The European Universities Initiative aims to strengthen strategic and in-depth transnational collaboration through the development of alliances involving universities from several European countries. ...
The European University Association’s latest podcast series, launching November 2024, tells you about futures thinking and foresight and how to use it for university strategy development. ...
