News
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25 Feb 2021EUA supports the Conférence des Présidents d’Universités (France) in its call to protect academic freedom
On 14 February, Frédérique Vidal, French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Innovation, announced plans to order the French research agency (CNRS) to conduct an enquiry into French university research focused on colonialism and race. The aim, according to Vidal, is to identify those “wanting to fracture and divide” the country. More specifically, the probe is reportedly directed at the influence of "Islamo-leftism” on research. The aim, according to reports, is to distinguish “real” academic research from activism.
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24 Feb 2021Retaining researchers’ choices: EUA supports COAR's position on data repository selection criteria
EUA joins the global coalition of organisations that endorses the concerns raised by the Confederation of Open Access Repositories (COAR) about the report “Data Repository Selection: Criteria that Matter”, which proposes a set selection criteria for data repositories under the umbrella of the FAIRsharing initiative.
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22 Feb 2021EUA welcomes 10 new members
On 29 January, the EUA Council approved the applications of seven new individual full members and three individual associate members.
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22 Jan 2021Turkey and university autonomy: criticism rises as government appoints new rector
In Turkey, the practice of appointments of university rectors by the President of the Republic is generating a new wave of criticism. The recent nomination of a new rector at Bogaziçi University in Istanbul has led opposition parties, civil rights organisations and parts of the higher education community to denounce politically motivated appointments by the government.
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30 Dec 2020European University Association and Universities UK International’s common statement on the EU-UK agreement
Europe’s universities, in the European Union and neighbouring countries including the United Kingdom, are pleased to see that an agreement on the EU-UK future relationship has been reached. The European family of universities sees the result as a solid basis to continue and enhance our cooperation.
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17 Dec 2020EOSC Association elects first president and board of directors
Karel Luyben, Rector Magnificus Emeritus of Delft University of Technology, will be the first president of the European Open Science Cloud Association. He was elected during the Association’s first General Assembly on 17 December. The General Assembly also confirmed EUA’s status as a non-voting observer.
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17 Dec 2020“Spotlight on recognition” project: new Academic Recognition Hub, webinar and training platform
The “Spotlight on recognition” project has launched a series of activities and opportunities to engage. The project, co-funded by Erasmus+, is coordinated by EUA and will be of interest to higher education professionals and other stakeholders working in the field of recognition.
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14 Dec 2020Relief and satisfaction as EU programmes greenlighted to start next year
After the longest negotiations ever on the seven-year EU budget, member states managed to find a compromise at the European summit on 10 December to overcome the veto of Hungary and Poland. The two countries had contested the mechanism linking the disbursement of EU funds to the respect of the rule of law, stalling the budget’s final approval.
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04 Dec 2020EUA response to EU Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion
The new European Commission “Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion” frames migrant integration under the overarching theme of “Inclusion for all”.
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25 Nov 2020EUA calls on Iranian authorities to release Dr Amadreza Djalali and suspend death sentence
On 25 November, EUA President Michael Murphy expressed grave concern for the well-being of Dr Ahmadreza Djalali in a letter addressed to the Iranian leadership.
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19 Nov 2020EUA-coordinated project puts a spotlight on recognition
This summer, EUA launched the new Erasmus+ co-funded “Spotlight on recognition” project. It aims to support higher education staff responsible for recognition processes and decisions by enhancing their capacities in terms of recognition procedures in compliance with the Lisbon Recognition Convention.
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18 Nov 2020EUA welcomes 15 new members
On 30 October, the EUA Council accepted the applications of 15 new individual full members.
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17 Nov 2020Academic freedom and institutional autonomy: developments in Europe and beyond
Recent months have seen important events regarding academic freedom, both in Europe and globally. There have been violations of democratic and human rights in Belarus, including threats against students and staff of universities – which were widely condemned. Last month, the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) ruled that the Hungarian government violated EU law when it amended its education law in 2017. The EJC ruling drew welcome attention to growing violations of academic freedom and institutional autonomy, which are essential for successful universities and vibrant democratic societies in Europe and beyond.
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10 Nov 2020Green light for EU seven-year budget: European institutions’ deal tops up Horizon Europe and Erasmus+
The European Parliament and EU Council negotiating team finally agreed on the EU’s multiannual financial framework, a process made more complex than ever this time due to the pandemic and the related new recovery package, the difficulties of striking a deal among member states, and the strongly diverging negotiating positions of the two institutions.
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02 Nov 2020Belarus: Statement of the European University Association (EUA) and the European Students’ Union (ESU)
The European University Association (EUA) and the European Students’ Union (ESU) are concerned by the grave violations of democratic and human rights that continue to be witnessed in Belarus. The two organisations strongly condemn recent threats of expulsion, dismissal or conscription into the military directed against students and staff of Belarusian universities.
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22 Oct 2020HRK, UNIKO and VSNU unite in call for EU investment in education, research and innovation
The presidents of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), Universities Austria (UNIKO) and the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU), all EUA members, have published a common statement urging governments to recognise the value of education, research and innovation in the EU Multiannual Financial Framework.
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12 Oct 2020Hungary: EU court rules education amendments unlawful
On 6 October 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) ruled that the Hungarian government violated EU law in 2017 when it changed its education legislation. The amendments made headlines as they ultimately led the Central European University (CEU), an EUA member, to move most of its operations from Budapest to Vienna.
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30 Sep 2020European Commission presents flagship package for education, research and innovation
On 30 September, the European Commission presented a package of three major initiatives aimed at unlocking Europe’s potential in education, research and innovation. The Commission published two dedicated Communications on the European Education Area and the European Research Area. It also presented the updated Digital Education Action Plan, whose purpose is to support the use of technology in education and the development of digital competences.
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18 Sep 2020EUA joins forces with UNESCO for a global transition to Open Science
EUA has joined the UNESCO Global Open Science Partnership. The purpose of this partnership is to work towards a global consensus on the transition to Open Science and the adoption of a UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science in 2021.
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17 Sep 2020Knowledge must be at the heart of plans to revitalise Europe
The European University Association’s response to Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech
Under President Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission has set an ambitious agenda for Europe, for the green and digital transitions of the continent and for Europe’s role in the world. These ambitions require a solid knowledge base, sustained by common investments and policy frameworks, otherwise Europe risks becoming irrelevant.
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