An agenda for UNICA

1. An agenda for UNICA Stavros A. Zenios UNICA President IRO Meeting Paris, April 2008

2. OUTLINE • Broad themes: where do we stand • Specific themes: what do we do • UNICA Draft Policy Statement • The important role of IROs

3. Broad Themes • Internationalization and mobility • Further promote faculty and staff exchanges • Faculty exchanges foster academic excellence while administrative exchanges help us in identifying best practices • Work together on joint projects • Education • UNICA European Campus should be promoted by all of us with vigor • Focus on PhD programs; it is at the Third Cycle level where we stand to gain most from working together • Research and Development • We represent some of Europe’s leading research Universities • Promote joint Doctoral programs • Exchange best practice experiences in research administration • Collaborate in information sharing and lobbying activities in Brussels

4. Broad Themes • Links with society • Universities of the Capitals have been playing an important role in urban development. • We could also play a role in transforming our cities into Knowledge Regions of innovation • Links with industry a great opportunity and a severe threat • Strategy and Policy • Demands for full cost accounting • Renewed interest in old debate: University autonomy and accountability • Autonomy is but the means to an end; our presence in our Nations’ capitals, near the seat of power, puts us in a unique position to lead discussions on this issue.

5. 1. Internationalization and mobility • Select a theme and encourage mobility to promote it • University Internationalization • Universities and Enterprises • University Governance • Quality Culture at both the administrative and academic levels • Conclude with a Workshop to share experiences

6. 2. Education • Bologna Lab • UNICA Entrepreneurship Competition for Students and Young Researchers • Culture of entrepreneurship among UNICA students and young researchers • Compete but also to collaborate at the European level • Every two years, starting in 2009 • Prizes: • First prize, 20,000 Euro • Second prize, 10,000 Euro

7. 3. Research and Development • A PhD Working Group • EUA Council for Doctoral Education • Research Officers Group • European Collaboration Office in Brussels

8. 4. Links with society • Urban Development – Knowledge Regions • Intermediaries between Universities and Industry • Conference on Knowledge Regions (Dubrovnik) (Think tank, University of Copenhagen)

9. 5. Policy Statement • We represent some of the historic and stronger European Universities • UNICA aspires to play a significant role in shaping policy within EUA • Contribute to the EUA mission of “Strong Universities for Europe”. • The General Assembly will debate a policy statement to supplement the existing broad activities of the UNICA network.

10. Promote collaboration in research (within the FP7 Framework) and promote innovation and knowledge regions for the capital cities. • Brand and promote our programs at the Masters level in order to attract international students to Europe • encourage the development of joint degrees within ERASMUS Mundus • undertake the development of UNICA Masters in European History • Policy for collaboration with the non-EU regions adjacent to our member Universities in the periphery (north Africa, middle east, CIS). • Horizontal actions that promote the UNICA network and develop ties among our members such as: • UNICA Chairs, • UNICA Entrepreneurship Competition for Students and Young Researchers • UNICA Scholarships for student exchange among member Universities. • Staff mobility to share experiences on topics of strategic interest to all of us.

11. Themes for collaboration

12. The Role of IROs • UNICA Coordinator in each University • UNICA activities add value to your core activity (internationalization) • UNICA Coordinator holds yearly meeting at each University