| | | ACC Bulletin 071 [28.12.07]
Conference: reports by Jørgen Olsen and Renske Hijbeek
General Assembly 2007
Journal of World Education
Invitations received
Calendar
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| Advancing the European Education Agenda
The conference was arranged in Brussels and Leuven, Belgium on 30 November and 1 December 2007 by the European Education Policy Network, which is a forum for academics and policymakers to discuss current and future trends, challenges and priorities for European education. About 100 European policymakers, national representatives, university administrators and education policy researchers from more that fifteen European countries participated. ACC was represented by Renske Hijbeek and Jørgen Olsen.
Review by Jørgen Olsen, Brussels:
The conference was arranged in Brussels and Leuven, Belgium on 30 November and 1 December 2007 by the European Education Policy Network, which is a forum for academics and policymakers to discuss current and future trends, challenges and priorities for European education. About 100 European policymakers, national representatives, university administrators and education policy researchers from more that fifteen European countries participated. ACC was represented by Renske Hijbeek and Jørgen Olsen.
Seen with ACC eyes “working for the development of a European (transnational) public sphere“ it was disappointing to see that subsidiarity (in its limitative sense) is still the key word in education policies. The EU-Commission for instance is mainly seen as a “taboo breaker” and “eye-opener”.
The Commission is still searching for authority, capacity and legitimacy in educational matters. A recurrent theme in the conference was that citizenship is normally on a national level. The loss of cultural identity is still feared in member states.
At the end of the conference one could put a question mark against the validity of the slogan “unity in diversity”.
The first day at the European Parliament looked at the changing objectives, policy trends and initiatives affecting European education. The second day, at the Katholieke Universiteit in Leuven, explored future research directions and the most fruitful analytical perspectives for investigating European educations policy developments.
Speakers included Members of the European Parliament, senior Commission officials, and representatives of the Council of Europe, European University Association, Academic Cooperation Association and other key policy organizations. Academic presentations were given by leading professors, senior analysts and young researchers from throughout Europe.
The conference had interventions from 50 presenters under the headlines:
1. European Education Policy - Current and Future Directions
2. Policy Developments in Higher Education and Research
3. Developments in European Learning and Skills Policies
4. Interactions between Academic Research and the Policy World
5. Academic Research on European Educational Policymaking
6. Towards the European Higher Education Area: Evaluating the Impact of the Bologna Process on European Universities
7. ‘Educating Europeans’: Language Policy and Mobility Programmes
8. Governing the European Educational Space: Modes and Mechanisms of European Education Policymaking
9. Inclusion Policies and Practices in European Education
10. Multi-Level Governance and European Education Policy: National and International Dimensions of European Educational Governance
11. Researching European Education Policy: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges
The framework and presentations were a multifaceted approach to the overall title of the conference. On the whole well done with interesting observations, but somewhat marred by the breakneck pace and the lack of sufficient time for questions from the participants after the presentations. It is of course not possible to give a general report on the conference. For those who want to go into detail you can go to www.educationpolicy.eu, where all the interventions can be found.
Personal remarks by Renske Hijbeek, Wageningen:
From my perspective the particpants of the conference mainly talked about competition versus co-operation at the global market. The competition with the US and China for talented students and researchers from these countries and others, and co-operation with all countries. The future of the EU is a knowledge society and the policy is to strenghten this society in all possible ways. Competition through co-operation was the main idea, although many poeple wondered if this is possible.
I was personally shocked about the attitude of the participants about getting talents from third world countries to Europe to enforce our knowledge economy. After the first day I thought about this a lot and on the second day I dared to ask some questions. I was even more shocked about the answers:
Liviu Matei from the Central European University:
“We need to compete with the US. Somehow the EU is acting like the Worldbank. Their argument is that the high education immigrants will send money home (…..) I can see the contradiction.”
“It is a dangerous world out there, we need democracy. Solidarity ok, but first solidarity for our own people.”
Gaby Hostens, Director General of International Affairs, Department for Education, Flemish Community, Belgium in response to my earlier question, in the end note:
“Nowadays it is not fashionable anymore to talk about braindrain. We prefer to talk about braingain or knowledge mobility."
"It is hard to work in Africa ”
Although it is not "fashionable" to talk about braindrain according to the last speaker in relation to third world countries, it was still fashionable the previous day in relation to students leaving the EU. I think this is very inappropiate, or let’s say; inconsistent at least. From my perspective, the issue is not taken serious. I understand it is difficult and that there are also good projects and effects, but in general I felt very disappointed about the lack of interest.
Besides this, one could also question who in Europe will benefits from the coming knowledge society. For who will be this mobility? Does it contribute to elite-making? And is this a society all citizens of Europe want to see as a future? Of course this could be, and maybe it strengthens even more equality, but the matters were not mentioned.
Notwithstanding the last comments, I enjoyed participating and had interesting conversations which gave me a broader insight. I think I stayed polite but critical like you would expect from an ACC representative.
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General Assembly 2007
The minutes of the General Assembly 2007 have been uploaded to the members-section
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Journal of World Education
The most recent issue of the Journal of World Education describes the World Council of the Association for World Education. Ludmila Blinova and Ali Özyigit represented the ACC. It is downloadable at:
http://www.awe-international.com/journals/journals/awe-journ-37-1.pdf
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Invitations received
A few invitations are available
The most recently received invitation is:
Training, "Sailors on the CitizenShip - Navigation: Poland", 3-11.2.2008 near Wroclaw, Poland
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Calendar
2/9 ACC & the link to Højskolen Østersøen, presentation by John Petersen, Aabenraa, DK
8/9 ACC General Assembly, Aarhus, DK
30/11-1/12 Conference: Advancing the European Education Agenda, Brussels & Leuven, BE, Jørgen Olsen & Renske Hijbeek
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A warm welcome to one new member
Veronika Dozbabova, Trebic/Brussels
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On behalf of the ACC wishing everybody a happy New Year,
John Petersen
ACC International Programme Office
0045 2425 3068
www.acc.eu.org
office@acc.eu.org
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