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Projects, Publications, and Policy debate on internationalising European Higher Education. Academic Cooperation Association. 27 November 2007. Elizabeth Colucci Senior Officer, ACA. ACA: Overview. Small Brussels based NGO/’think tank’
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Projects, Publications, and Policy debate on internationalising European Higher Education Academic Cooperation Association 27 November 2007 Elizabeth Colucci Senior Officer, ACA
ACA: Overview • Small Brussels based NGO/’think tank’ • Membership organistion: DAAD, Nuffic, British Council, CampusFrance, CIMO, SIU, SI, ÖAD,...... • Non European members: IIE, IDP Australia, Australian Rectors Conference
ACA Activities • Mobilizing our members around European Projects, tender, calls for proposals in higher education and research • European Policy seminars, Annual conference • Publications • ACA Newsletter
Recent ACA focus: • Support of Bologna and Lisbon reform • Student mobility statistics • Student services and university competition • ‘Externalisation’ of European higher education • Promotion of Europe as an attractive destination for higher education • English-language taught programmes in Europe
Bologna and externalising European higher education • London Communiqué 2007: ‘The European Higher Education Area in a Global Setting’ (ACA contributed to BFUG) • ‘improving information on, and promoting the attractiveness and competitiveness of the EHEA’
Promoting Europe as a study destination: current efforts • National marketing campaigns carried outby CampusFrance, DAAD, BC, Nuffic,and others • Joint European education fairs (Commission funded vs organic), for example, EHEFs in Southeast Asia and Latin America • External EU programmes: Erasmus Mundus • Improving recognition between Europe and third countries: Tuning projects....
Promoting Europe….but what are we promoting? • ACA study on perceptions of Europe and its higher education in third countries, November 2004 to December 2005 • in response to a call for tender issued by the European Commission’s Directorate for Education and Culture
Perceptions of European higher education • Two overriding aims: • Acquire an in-depth understanding of the perception of European higher education in third countries • Advise the European Commission regarding a possible European higher education brandand promotion strategy
Does Europe exist on the students’ mental map? • Europe is perceived as • an economic and political unionbut as • individualised countries for higher education and culture • Dominance of “core Europe” • Perceived discrepanciesregarding quality, cost-related issues, student support
Europe and its competitors • In general: • “traditional Europe vs dynamic US” • “cultural Europe” • Clear regional preference pattern (Six target countries:China, India, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, and Thailand) • Asian target countries: US/AUS • Russia/Latin American countries: Europe
Myths, reality, and confusion • Free/low tuition: asset, but Europe not seen as particularly affordable • Diversity of cultures and languages • mainly seen as attractive, (especially Brazilians/Mexicans) • “abundance” a problem for significant group of Asians (barrier to communication, confusing) • Europe’s single major disadvantage in Asia is that English is not the mother tongue.
How to make Europe more attractive? • Most essential that are lacking: • information portal • Europe-wide rankings • financial support for non-European students
Where next?Erasmus Mundus Global Promotion Project • European Commission tender (Autumn 2006): First integrated attempt to bolster the attractiveness and accessibility of Europe as destination of study • Policy response to Perceptions study and general progression of EM programme
Global Promotion Project: Aims Develop European ‘key messages’ and design a study in Europe website Asses prospect of overseas European promoters and info offices Organise two European study fairs Design a media campaign Produce a ‘tool kit’ of promotion techniques for institutions Build capacities
Questions and challenges Consent and support of national promotion organisations/ institutions Ensuring ‘added value’ with such a brand/promotion network Building capacities of some countries (‘Gap filling’) Balancing commercialisation and internationalisation
Europe going English? • Foreign Language taught programme survey and database • Marketing English courses in Europe • Data collection? A fast-evolving lanscape
Other ACA projects- related • New book: The Future of the University: Lisbon in Practice • New book: Support for international students in Higher Education • Foreign language taught programmes in Europe- Is Europe going English?
Upcoming events • ACA European Policy Seminars *What’s New in Brussels? (January 2008) *International Rankings: What they tell us and what they don’ t (April 2008) *Exporting Education: TNE and Europe (MAy 2008) *ACA Annual Conference ‘Beyond 2010’ Tallinn, June 15-17 2008
Thank you for your attention!!! Elizabeth.colucci@aca-secretariat.be www.aca-secretariat.be