Network of Uni versities from the Ca pitals of Europe

Presentation and proposal for cooperation to the 46th UCEU General Assembly Ljubljana, September 2006 Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe by Prof. Pierre de MARETUniversity of Brussels – Past RectorUNICA – Steering CommiteeEuropean University Association – Board

Institutional Network of UNIversities from the CApitals of Europe One of the major institutional academic networks in Europe andin the world • Created in 1990 • 41 member universities • From the Capitals of 32 European countries • 130,000 staff • 1,500,000 students General Presentation

41 universities All around Europe!

Member universities

Mission • To promote academic excellence, integration & co-operation between member universities • To be a driving force in the development of the Bologna process • To facilitate the integration of universities from Central and Eastern Europe into the EHEA

Activities • Internationalisation & Mobility • Student mobility • International Relations Officers • Staff mobility • UNICA Chair • Student Conference Berlin 2000, London 2002, Amsterdam 2004, Paris 2006 « University – City – Citizenship » Education • Bologna Laboratory • Joint Degrees (4 cities, Multilinguism, Cognitive Sciences, European Civil Societies, Democracies & governance) • Diploma Supplement • Diploma Recognition / Admission & Credential Evaluation

Activities • Research & Development • EU Research Liaison Officers • Ph D Officers • Science Park & Incubator Policy & Strategy • Contacts with EU and others • Rectors Seminar • Scholarly Communication, Librairies • Contacts with other networks Service to the Community • Urban Capital Issues • Equal Opportunities & Disability • Public Health

Universities’ Third Mission • Traditionally, universities focused on teaching and research. • Now, they are being urged to become better neighbours and citizens by engaging with the local community. Engagement is becoming a core value for universities

Universities’ Fourth Mission • Income generation • Job creation • Universities have become a key player of the knowledge economy • Creativity is a driving force of economic growth

The “Town & Gown” Relationship • A centuries-old relationship with its ups & downs • Is the University a nuisance or an asset ? • Universities are: • a major employer • a major contributor to the city economy, both directly and indirectly : research and spending (rent, consumer goods, food and drinks, real estate, taxes, etc.) • a major provider of Health Care (Hospital) • a major contributor to cultural life & sports • Higher Education is becoming a major export business • In London, foreign students alone contribute € 1,2 billion to the economy every year. • Higher Education generates a total amount of € 6 billion a year in London • Universities contribue significantly to the identity, the quality of life and the image of the City

1999 Governmental push for convergence implementation in Universities across Europe EHEA by 2010 45 countries to make Europe the most competitive knowledge based society But also « capable of sustainable economic growth, with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion » Also by 2010 EU 25 countries Bologna & Lisbon The Bologna Process: The Lisbon Strategy: Universities are central actors to reach the EHEA and Lisbon goals

Tolerance is a pillar of creative competitiveness • Dynamic knowledge-economies DO NOT beget social cohesion rather • Social cohesion can beget dynamic knowlege-economies • Growing cultural and ethnic diversity Need to move from a limited conception of tolerance as mutual non-interference toward a more active creation of social trust in fluid, pluralized societies Europe in the Creative Age Major conclusions of Richard Florida and Irene Tinagli study (2004)

need to refashion governance to reflect their need on everything from universities to connectivity Europe in the Creative Age • The locus of competitiveness is the city-region (not the nation or the firm) • If city-regions are going to drive ‘growth’ and ‘renewal’, • How do the capitals cities provide for the needs of their University ? • How do the University provide for the needs of their Capital cities ?

Dynamic Cities and Creative Clusters Major conclusions of Wu study (2005) • Key questions : What type of cities are creative ? What locational factors are essentiel ? What are the common urban policy initiatives used by creative cities ? • Empirical investigations in Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Austin, Washington DC, Dublin, Hong Kong, Bangalore

Dynamic Cities and Creative Clusters Conclusions of W. Wu study : Factors contributing to the clustering of creative industries: • Large cities and regions with many opportunities • Universities play a major role in catalyzing the local economy by: generating cutting-edge research findings pro-actively collaborating with industries Supplying the needed human capital • Critical role played by public policy in fostering a technology sector in the city

Type of support given by European capitals to their universities • Financial support of HE • Student support • Vienna, Stockholm • grant for SOCRATES students (Paris) • student placements at universities in « sister cities » (Nicosia) • Scholarship (Tallin) • Renting land • Bratislava, Tallin • Knowledge dissemination • Chair • Brussels • for Professor (Brussels, Helsinki, Lausanne, Stockholm) • Continuing Education • Research of interest for the City • Tallin • urban studies, public management, etc. (Zagreb, Reykjavík, Roma, Riga, Stockholm, Tallin, Prague) • Joint Company • Helsinki A scoreboard will be produced by UNICA

Type of support given by European capitals to their universities

UCEU – UNICA Proposal for cooperation Create a joint working group • to foster cooperation between Capitals and universities • to learn from each other • to identify creative ways to support creativity and innovation

for more information : www.ulb.ac.be/unica/

Network of Uni versities from the Ca pitals of Europe