Meet the University of the Greater Region. Together for the Europe of tomorrow… Bucharest, 26 th October 2011

Meet the University of the Greater Region. Meet the University of the Greater Region. Together for the Europe of tomorrow…Together for the Europe of tomorrow…

Bucharest, 26Bucharest, 26thth October 2011 October 2011

ProgrammeProgramme

11:30 How to create a European consortium of universities : best practices and governance structuresby Prof. Dr. Volker Linneweber, President of Saarland University

Best practices in double-degree Masters and PhDs by Prof. Dr. Rolf Tarrach, President of the University of Luxembourg

How to create joint research projects with Romanian partners through exchange of young researchers and post-docsby Prof. Dr. Jean-Pierre Finance, President of the University Henri Poincaré (Nancy I)

Closing Speech by Prof. Dr. Bernard Rentier, Rector of the University of Liège

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11:00

Introduction by Conf. Univ. Dr. Mireille Radoi, General Director of the Central University Library of Bucharest

Welcoming speech by Prof. Dr. Ioan Panzaru, Rector of the University of Bucharest

11:10 Presentation of the “University of the Greater Region” consortiumby Prof. Dr. Michael Jäckel, President of the University of Trier and Prof. Dr. Helmut J. Schmidt, President of the University of Kaiserslautern

The University of the Greater RegionPresentation of the consortium

Bucharest, 26th October 2011

The Greater Region: A cross-border region in the heart of Europe

3 languages, 4 countriesSaarland and Rhineland-Palatinate in Germanythe Belgian Walloon region with its French and German speaking communitiesthe Grand Duchy of Luxembourg the French region of LorraineA historical and cosmopolitan area A European crossroad of economic, political and cultural life

4

Germany Saarland UniversityUniversity of Trier University of Kaiserslautern

Belgium University of Liège

Luxembourg University of Luxembourg

France Universities of Metz and Nancy (= University of Lorraine)

The University of the Greater Region:Members of the University Consortium

5

The University of the Greater Region: A single higher education area for the future

University of the Greater Region7 universities 115 000 students 6 000 academic and research staffTeaching and research languages: French, German, English

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The consortium promotes the higher education, research and innovation area of the Greater Region by

improving mobility among students, researchers and administrative staff inter-connecting and creating joint study programmes close cooperation and joint efforts in doctoral education and cross-

border research sharing information with other higher education institutes of the Greater

Region for cooperation and best practice maintaining widespread international relations

7

The University of the Greater Region: Profile

GO

VERN

ANCE

MOBILITY

OPE

NIN

G

EDUCATION

RESEARCH

international appeal

cooperation in research

students

researchers

cross-border studies

recognition transports

non-academic staff

UniGRcommon higher

education & research area

libraries

doctoral studies

partnerships

8

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The University of the Greater Region: What are the students’ benefits?

coverage of a wide range of fields of study

good support, small study groups and modern technical equipment

high level of internationality and mobility: cross-border studies, numerous double degrees with international partner universities, European and international research programmes

intercultural experience historical consciousness openness

Saarland Univ.

Univ. of Liège

Univ. of Luxembourg

University of Lorraine

Univ. of Kaiserslautern

Univ. of Trier

Education (Teacher training etc.)

X X X X X X

Humanities & Arts X X X X X

Social Sciences, Business & Law

X X X X X X

Science (Life, Physical, Computing, Mathematics)

X X X X X X

Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction

X X X X X

Agriculture, Veterinary

X X

Health & Welfare(Medicine etc.)

X X X10

The University of the Greater Region: Areas of Study

“How to create a European consortium of universities: best practices and governance structures”Prof. Dr. Volker Linneweber

“Best practices in double-degree Masters and PhDs”Prof. Dr. Rolf Tarrach

“How to create joint research projects with Romanian partners through exchange of young researchers and post-docs”Prof. Dr. Jean-Pierre Finance

Closing speechProf. Dr. Bernard Rentier

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The University of the Greater Region: Possibilities for cooperation with the UGR Consortium

How to create a European consortium of universities:

best practices and governance structures

Prof. Dr. Volker Linneweber, President of Saarland University

University of the Greater Region How to create a European, cross-border

higher education and research area

Key questions for a governance strategy:

• What do we decide to share?

• Who has to be involved and how?

Mo

du

le 1

: G

OV

ER

NA

NC

E(S

aarb

rück

en/L

ièg

e)

Module 2: MOBILITY(Luxembourg/ Metz)

Mo

du

le 5

: O

PE

NIN

G(L

ièg

e/N

ancy

)

Module 3: EDUCATION(Metz/Saarbrücken)

Module 4: RESEARCH(Nancy/Luxembourg)(Nancy/Luxembourg)

UGRCross-border

higher education & research area

Activities – covering all university key areas

Ad

viso

ry S

tud

ents

Co

un

cil

Stu

de

nts

re

pre

se

nta

tiv

es

of

ea

ch

un

ive

rsit

y

UGR operational levelProject officers at each university

Experts committees

UGR Steering CommitteeVice-presidents / university representatives in charge of the project

UGR CouncilUniversity presidents + political stakeholders

Working groups

Pilot Activities

Governance structure

Governance structure – involving all university levels

(administrative and academic)

• Council: University presidents and political stakeholders

• Steering Committee: vice presidents

• Students Council: Students

• Experts Committees: University Administration

• Pilot activities: Scientists, professors, lecturers

MODULE 1 – GOVERNANCE

Main results and best practices

• Common strategies

• Networking

• Bottom-up cooperation

• Visibility and communication


Main results and best practices

• Strategic level: Developing common strategies

• Operational level: Setting up networks between the partner universities by creating experts committees and working groups.Supporting bottom-up cooperation: 19 pilot activities in teaching and research.

Main results and best practices:

Studying

• UGR student status (complete realization until beginning of 2012):

Access to the courses of the partner universities

Access to the libraries, cafeterias and other university organizations and student services

• UGR mobility fund (complete realization until beginning of 2012):

Financial support for students attending courses, conferences, etc. at the partner universities

Student council initiative


Research

• Scientific cooperation:

Thematic workshops networking(e.g. biotechnology, virology)

Database “research equipment”

• Cross-border doctorate training:

Workshops for PhD students (e.g. European Doctoriales)


Communication & visibility

• Internet portal www.uni-gr.eu:

Database containing all the courses on offer (to be published by the end of 2011)

Information on partner universities

• UGR as part of communication strategy of each partner university

• Common marketing strategy and material


Perspectives:

From a project to a university network

• EUA evaluation

• Reflection on future UGR network structure,possible creation of an EGTC (European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation)

Timing

2008 - 2012 2013 … 2020 …

UGR Interreg

Project

+ Extension

UGR NETWORK





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The University of the Greater Region: Possibilities for cooperation with the UGR

Consortium

Best practices in double-degree Masters and PhDsProf. Dr. Rolf Tarrach, President of the University of Luxembourg

“University of the Greater Region”Bucharest, 26th October 2011

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Double / Joint degrees

• What are the advantages of double / joint degrees? Why are they that desired?

• Are double degrees a current trend or an evolution of the higher education offer?

• What are the challenges?

• What about a stepwise increase of integration?

>> our objective : integrated higher education area

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Levels of educational cooperation

1. Degrees with joint lectures/seminars

>> informal cooperation

2. Degrees with “mobility windows” / integrated mobility

and/or cooperation agreements

>> Erasmus, “UGR” agreement

3. Integrated degrees

>> double or triple degrees, joint degrees, Erasmus Mundus,

Co-tutelles

Lev

el o

f

in

teg

rati

on

>> our aim: support all levels and lead to high integration

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Deliverables to provide basis for cooperation in education

• Joint online educational offer database (in progress – end 2011)

• Comparative academic calendar

• UGR student status to facilitate mobility

• Mobility handbook (in progress – delivery April 2012)

• Mobility funds

• Network of university libraries

• Charta for the doctoral education and European doctorate label (in progress)

• Handbook for cooperation in education (in progress – delivery mid 2012)

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Way of working

• Involve administrative staff: create joint experts committees to analyse issues, and develop and implement sustainable and shared structures and procedures

• Support initiatives of academic staff: finance and advise pilot activities to analyse barriers, develop solutions and to identify best practices

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Identified best practices 1/2

FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility in curricula

• Flexibility in recognition

JOINT ADMINISTRATION

Involvement of all stakeholders – from students to academic staff to central administration

• Joint administrative procedures

• Pro-active support and networking of administrative staff and academic staff

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Identified best practices 2/2

DISSEMINATION AND ONE-STOP-SHOP PRINCIPLE

• Visibility of education offer

• Global information source

• Pro-active internal promotion of added values related to integrated study offer

• Pro-active support and promotion of mobility

>> our statement: promote unity while respecting diversity

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Motivations, challenges & perspectives

• The UGR cooperation in education offers

>> infrastructure to support the development of integrated and broad educational offer at all levels

>> best preparation for a global labour market

>> simple procedures for smooth running of mobility

• Our next challenges

>> enlarge curriculum offer

>> increase level of integration

>> open our collaborations to third countries

>> remain pro-active and maintain the current dynamism





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Consortium

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How to create joint research projects

with Romanian partners through

exchange of young researchers and post-docs

Prof. Dr. Jean-Pierre Finance President of Henri Poincaré University, Nancy

Provisional President of Lorraine University

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UGR – Romanian universities :Why to create join research projects?

• International research projects interests:

– To share knowledge

– To add complementary skills

– To mix the thinking and culture

an good way to quickly produce new knowledge and to

obtain excellent results

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What are the difficulties to implement such cooperation ?

• Integration in the scientific strategy of each partner

• Trust between partners

• Lots of travel

• Long or medium term stays in the partner’s

institution.

corresponding costs

high availability of researchers

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Success conditions?

• Choice of topics of common interest

• Trust between partners of long-term partnerships

and well negotiated (intellectual property,…)

• Financial capacity to support costs

• Human resources : motivated and high available

researchers

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Qualities of young researchers?

• Availability (few family constrainsts)

• Openness to other cultures

• Motivation for a research experience abroad

– that will enrich their resumes

– that will improve their chances of obtaining sustainable and

high-level employment in an university or in a large

international company

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Involving young researchers in join projects

• In existing collaborative projects

• To create new joint projects :

– In prospective projects by providing a missing knowledge

– By join response to calls for proposals from various

European programs

UGR offer

• Broad spectrum of research topics

• Possibility of integrating collaborative projects between UGR

universities

• Access to high performance scientific equipments in all UGR

universities

• No need to speak neither German nor French, researchers often

work in English

• Various proposed positions with or without teaching activity :

post-docs, visiting researcher-lecturer

• Installation assistance – Euraxess centers

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Exchange procedure

• Dissemination of research topics proposed in the

partner

• Dissemination of information on the intentions of

response to calls for proposals in European programs

• Dissemination of the available positions

• Selection of candidates by the home university

• Final selection by the host university

Conclusion

• UGR universities are open to exchange young

researchers

• Romanian universities have been selected as

preferred partner

• UGR universities are ready to discuss a procedure for

the exchange to be integrated into a partnership

agreement

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Consortium

As a conclusion…

We are…

• 7 universities

• 115.000 students

• 4 countries, 5 regions, 2 languages (+ English)

We share …

• A common history and similar development challenges

• A European higher education and research area

• An ability to build cross border activities

We decided to…

• Take advantage of our location to work on our similarities and differences

• Strenghten our universities in common teaching and research

• Search innovation in multilateral collaboration (based on bottom-up proposals)

• Contribute to the European knowledge area : be a European lab for university networks; be attractive as a European region; be a strong link with stakeholders

We would like to…

• Make the UGR consortium visible and attractive

• Explain that our best practices possess added-value : your

university, your exchange students, your researchers

• Convince that the UGR facilitates collaboration and is a very

good tool for long term relationships

– Students’ profile

– Collaboration between universities

– Study structures

We offer…

• A shared experience in university networking

• Mobility within the consortium:

– Erasmus studies + internships

– doctoral education and multicultural experiences

• Experience in research and joint degree development• Multicultural and European experience: languages, soft

skills, partnerships within European consortia

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For further information please visit our website www.uni-gr.eu

Thank you for your attention!Project supported by the European

Regional Development Fund (ERDF), « INTERREG IVA Grande

Région » Programme

L’Union européenne investit dans votre avenir

Die Europäische Union investiert in Ihre Zukunft

Documents

Meet the University of the Greater Region. Together for the Europe of tomorrow… Bucharest, 26 th October 2011