Endika BengoetxeaUnit C.1 - Higher Education; «Erasmus»DG Education and CultureEuropean Commission

Update of European Commission initiatives in transparency

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A. EU Context: the Modernisation agenda forHigher Education

B. Overview of EU-supported transparencyinitiatives: rankings being one of them

C. Towards a Multi-dimensional Global Ranking

OutlineOutline

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EU 2020EU political agenda for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

through an economy based on knowledge and innovation

Higher education and research are high on the EU agenda.Reforms are needed to allow universities to play

their full part in reaching policy objectives

A. EUA. EU--context: context: EU Modernisation agendaEU Modernisation agenda

Youth on the Move[1];An agenda for new skills and jobs[2];Innovation Union[3].

[1] http://europa.eu/youthonthemove/[2] http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=822&langId=en [3] http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/index_en.cfm

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Policy messages and transparency: • Worldwide competition and tightening budgets will

challenge universities increasingly to modernise furtherand to diversify on the basis of their strenghts.

• Institutions can excell in different areas, not just on research.

• The diverse missions and performances of ouruniversities should be made transparent to allstakeholders.

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Policy messages and transparency:

• More transparency will make it easier for students,teachers and researchers to make an informedchoice on where and what to study and where to work.

• More transparency would also serve universitymanagement to better position themselves and improve their developments strategies, quality andperformances!

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An EU agenda for the An EU agenda for the modernisation of higher educationmodernisation of higher education

Europe needs more graduates

Quality, relevance and employability

Higher education’s contribution to economic recovery and long-term growth

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Modernisation Communication: Modernisation Communication: Diversification and need for transparencyDiversification and need for transparency

Key policy messages (diversification): 1. Need more opportunities for study abroad and

international co-operation2. Strengthen education, research and business links3. Governance that enhances transparency and

empowers institutions to play to their strengths

EU-level action:Improving the evidence base to support policymaking and increase transparency

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B. Several EU supported B. Several EU supported transparency initiativestransparency initiatives

European Data Collection project(www.eumida.org)

Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO)

Mapping diversity of university profiles(www.u-map.eu)

Quality Assurance (ENQA, EQAR, ESG’s)

Feasibility study on a multi-dimensional global ranking(www.u--multirank.eu)

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Rankings, one of the EURankings, one of the EU--supported supported transparency initiativestransparency initiatives

Rankings do not tell the whole story on quality. They provide a simplistic picture of performance, based on someindicators

However, so far rankings are the only instruments able to give a clearcomparative picture of institutions performances.

Rankings provide a useful «first picture» on how institutions perform and where they stand, compared to other institutions in- and outside theircountry

Based on this first picture, the different users (institutions, students, employers, governments) need to gather more underlying(qualitative) information which meets their specific demands

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CC. Towards a Global . Towards a Global MultiMulti--dimensional University Rankingdimensional University RankingVarious rankings have their own purpose and target groups. There is no such a thing as an objective ranking!

Shortcomings existing rankings:

- tendency to focus on research in hard sciences…performance in other areas like humanities and social sciences? other missions such as teaching quality, innovation, internationalisation and community outreach?

- focus on entire institutions, not on programmes/disciplines

- Delivered as a «league table»

Use of rankings for strategic decision making?

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Another ranking concept Another ranking concept

Multi-dimensional and user-drivenCovering othermissions of higher education institutionsDifferent users and target groups can choose an own« smart ranking » (no league tables)

Ranking both at institutional and disciplinary-level

Independent (not run by governments or universities)

Global (covering institutions in Europe and othercontinents)

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CommitmentCommitment #2 #2 –– Innovation Innovation Union Union

“In 2011 the Commission will, on the basis of the current preparatory work, support an independent multi-dimensional international ranking system to benchmark university performance.

In 2011 further steps will be proposed in a Communication on the reform and modernisation of higher education.”

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• ‘U-Multirank’ information and ranking tool

• Quality framework for traineeships

• ‘Erasmus Masters Degree Mobility’ student loan guarantee

• ‘Knowledge Alliances’ for stronger interaction between universities and business

• ‘European Industrial Doctorates’

Modernisation Communication: Modernisation Communication: New initiatives New initiatives