Higher education, research and innovation, including the European university alliance, are a top priority of the French Presidency of the EU, as demonstrated by the Forum of Universities for the Future of Europe organized on 25-26 January. Because of the pandemic the Forum was held virtually.
Shaping the university of tomorrow
With this major event, the French Presidency wished to create an incubator for new proposals for shaping the university of tomorrow, drawing in particular on the feedback from the 41 alliances. Member States' governments and ministries, the European Commission, European universities, alliances and other European stakeholders discussed, exchanged their views and opinions, shared their concerns and challenges in order to contribute to the EU agenda for universities.
Synergies between higher education and research
Various thematic workshops were organized, allowing alliances to share their experiences with a greater audience. Circle U. participated in the workshop on synergies between higher education and research, together with ARQUS, EC2U, EUNICE, EUNIWELL and Transform4Europe. In his presentation prepared by Prof. Antoine Cazé (Management Board member of Université de Paris), Circle U.'s secretary general explained the different "infrastuctures" that we have been building to foster synergies between higher education and research.
Top-down meets grassroots
The academic chairs programme ideally allows a top-down initiative to meet bottom-up processes, thus making it possible to connect a global, multidisciplinary research agenda to share local initiatives translating into research-led teaching practice. Kevin explained how the Think & Do Tank is meant to bring a "self-transformation" process by providing a laboratory of reflection and experimentation in pedagogical innovation for academics and researchers, students, staff and stakeholders. The T&D Tank aims at directly influencing the policy-makers towards a more sustainable education, by combining thinking and doing and by imagining, highlighting and disseminating new ways of teaching and learning.
