The European Commission scheduled to renew its international cooperation strategy (EU Global Approach) to replace the 2012 version. Aurora has prepared its input for this strategy with 8 recommendations.
The European Union (EU) wants to play a meaningful and positive role in the world at large. This requires both competitiveness and collaboration to tackle global challenges as pointed out in the international cooperation strategy published in 2012. Europe needs to cooperate at an international level with a strong, qualitative high level of research and innovation to get access to the best people, ideas and facilities. The European Commission (EC) pointed out in its work programme for 2021 that a renewal of the current strategy for international cooperation is needed. The EC wants to co-create the international cooperation strategy based on current prioritized European themes, global challenges, geopolitical considerations as well as integral inclusion of education in this strategy.
This aligns with the vision of Aurora: matching academic excellence (against global standards) with societal relevance towards global sustainability and well-being. Aurora member universities work together as higher education institutions (HEIs) with students and society around the world to learn from each other and to become better at what we care about most: learning together and researching for a strong and bright future for students, researchers, businesses, policymakers and the wider society, contributing to achieving global challenges.
In view of our position on the European Education and Research Areas, Aurora has provided its advice for a new “Global Approach to research, innovation, education and youth” in eight recommendations. This includes extending interoperability of information systems in higher education globally, finding a new balance between EU and UK to secure the established collaborations on R&I and education, using higher education institutes to foster democratic culture and practices through more interaction on education and research, and providing sustainable support for European Universities Alliances serving as linking pin between research, innovation, all levels of education and skilling, and the wider society.
Our perspectives encompass a view from HEIs and their contributions, the role and contribution of Aurora as a group of societally-engaged and comprehensive, research-intensive universities, and the role that European Universities Alliances may exert. For the full position paper, read here.
