Glasgow Communique

EUA ADOPTS THE GLASGOW DECLARATION: 'STRONG UNIVERSITIES FOR A STRONGEUROPE'

 
On 15 April 2005, meeting in a special session, the EUA Council adopted the "Glasgow Declaration." Drawing on the findings of TRENDS IV and on discussions during the Glasgow Convention, the Declaration will provide the basis for the message that the EUA President, Professor Georg Winckler, will present to Ministers of Education meeting in Bergen on 19 May 2005. The Glasgow Declaration also sets the policy agenda for the higher education community in the years to come.

The Declaration underlines universities' commitment to pushing forward reforms, and the importance of developing differentiated missions and profiles to address responsibly the challenges of global competition and social cohesion. Governments are called upon to give European universities the autonomy they need, be it legal, administrative or financial, to allow them to implement reforms, while universities recognise the importance of improving governance and strengthening leadership at all levels.

For the first time, EUA addresses the crucial topic of funding, stating clearly that adequate funding is a prerequisite for securing universities' future, and, with it, their capacity for promoting cultural, social and technological innovation. The Declaration emphasises that Europe cannot hope to compete with education systems in other parts of the world if higher education and research budgets are not viewed as an investment in the future and urgently increased.

EUA Glasgow Declaration:

http://www.eua.be/eua/jsp/en/upload/GLASGOWdeclaration_FINAL.1113840794089.pdf