Higher Education & Research
:: Activities ::
International level
EI's activities to represent professionals in the higher education and research sector include working both to protect and further develop the rights of higher education and research personnel, and to strengthen the sector’s representation against the challenges posed by globalization and internationalization.
Since 1997, EI organises, every two years, a conference on higher education and research issues. Along the years, these meetings have focused on academic freedom, diversity, discrimination and career paths, information technology, distance learning and transnational suppliers, brain drain, as well as on the impact of globalization and trade agreements. The last Conference was held in Malaga from 12-14 November 2007. More information is availabe here:
http://www.ei-ie.org/highereducation/en/calendarshow.php?id=98
Well aware of the implications of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)'s talks on the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) on the higher education and research sector, EI's work in the area is two-fold:
Externally: Participation in international encounters to raise the awareness of higher education and research personnel on WTO-GATS talks; development of contacts with intergovernmental agencies such as WTO, UNESCO and OECD; alliances with the partners in the global trade union movement and with international non-governmental organisations. Lobbying activities in conjunction with Clusters Services meetings in Geneva are also organised (see Tradeducation news).
Internally: Formation of a Task Force on the impact of GATS on vocational education; information-sharing and alert system among affiliated organisations to provide mutual support. Development of a general information package for all affiliates on GATS and education.
European level/Bologna process
At the European level, EI has a Standing Committee for higher education and research meeting twice a year. An essential part of EI’s work is dedicated to the follow-up of the Bologna Process - an inter-ministerial initiative that formally included EI in May 2005 -, which aims at establishing a European Higher Education Area by 2010.
Since 2005 and its recognition as Consultative member of the Bologna Follow-up Group, EI is participating to the activities undertaken in the framework of the work plan: BFUG meetings, Bologna seminars and other initiatives organised by member states or other stakeholders (http://www.bologna2009benelux.org).
EI has, together with the European Students’ Union, organised one official Bologna Seminar on the topic of student and staff mobility. The seminar gathered staff, students and higher education policy makers from all over Europe. The recommendations from the seminar have fed into the continued BFUG work on making mobility a reality for staff and students in the European Higher Education Area. The seminar was held on 8-9 February 2007, for more information please click here.
Together with the European Students’ Union EI is working on a campaign to facilitate mobility for staff and students in Europe, the campaign is called “Let’s go!”. The work revolves around national activities to improve mobility and will be carried out between January 2008 and October 2008. The campaign will end with a conference in Lille, France, 6-8 October 2008.