The III Mediterranean University Forum, MALTA, 8-10 June 2006

1. The III Mediterranean University Forum,MALTA, 8-10 June 2006

2. The Euro-Mediterranean Area of Higher Education • Emerges from the directives set forth by the Bologna Declaration (1995) • The Declaration of the Tenth Anniversary of Barcelona acknowledges the crucial role of education for the region’s stability and for its effective economical, political and social development • The five-year Action Plan set by 10th Anniversary Declaration entails actions aimed at the realisation of this objective

3. The Euro-Mediterranean Area of Higher Education • Catania Declaration – January 2006 – 13 signatory Ministers The Catania Conferences (Nov 2003, Jan 2005) laid the basis for a political strategy aimed at coordinating education and training policies of Countries in the Mediterranean basin: - to increase opportunities of access to knowledge at HE level - to increase study and work situations in a multicultural environment

4. The situation in the Euro-Med area • An area of intense bilateral collaboration • Multitude of networks, study-groups and research centres • Disjointed efforts • Universities as interlocutors for change • Image management and quality assurance • Lack of information regarding sources of qualitative and infrastructural investment

5. The Euro-Mediterranean Area of Higher Education • How do we realise the political mandates? • How do we ensure that efforts are not disjointed but a continuum is created over time? • How do we expand bilateral cooperation into multilateral cooperation? • What sources of financing can be garnered to establish programmes for wide-scale mobility • Why is it important to have a Euro-Mediterranean Higher Education Area? • How to we ensure that this will be a win-win situation and not a platform for further brain drain?

6. The Euro-Mediterranean Higher Education Area The I and II Mediterranean University Forums and the Tarragona Declaration: • Involving Universities with an International and/or Regional agenda • Signature of a Declaration based on Dialogue and cooperation but including a definite Action Plan • Analysis of priorities • Identification of opportunities

7. The Tarragona Declaration Collaboration among Higher education institutions of the EuroMed countries Creation of a Euro-Mediterranean Higher Education and Research Area

8. The Tarragona Declaration • 137 signatory universities so far • 30 Euro-Med countries represented • 2 signatory institutions: IEMed, IAU Objective: To achieve a minimum of 1 higher education institution from all of the 35 EuroMed countries

9. The III Mediterranean University Forum • Malta 8-10 June 2006 • Involving 200 participants from universities, networks, student organisations and entities with a global reach • Joint organisation with the British Council, the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures (Alexandria), the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona • Building on the foundations laid by the dialogue which took place during the 1st and 2nd Forums and the Barcelona Process

10. Aims: • A common platform for the discussion and the development of activities that will set into motion the Euro-Mediterranean Higher Education Area • The organisation of the necessary infrastructure to enable the Euro-Mediterranean Higher Education Area to become a reality • Building of multilateral partnerships and sharing of expertise • Setting into motion the Action Plan set in the Tarragona Declaration

11. Aims (continued) • Development of programmes for mobility of staff – training and internships in project preparation and management for staff in universities and other HE centres • Strengthening of joint research structures, • Identification of structural needs for specific countries • Dissemination of information about potential financing sources (presentations and the Souk)

12. Aims (continued) • Pushing the agenda of mobility to the South • 25+10 and beyond – a dynamic approach • Opportunities to develop collaboration with new partners and existing networks • Bringing together Universities with an International and/or Regional agenda • Analysis of priorities • Identification of opportunities and areas of excellence in the region

13. Round-tables Three main round-tables: • The Euro-Mediterranean Area: a joint north-south professional challenge • The creation of a Euro-Mediterranean Area of Higher Education • The European Educational Programmes and their Euro-Mediterranean Dimension Introduction by Chairperson + 3 or 4 presentations per round-table followed by plenary discussion

14. Other/Parallel sessions • Med net meeting for students • Quality Assurance in North-South collaboration • Presentation on the Tarragona Declaration • The Lifelong Learning Academy • Infrastructural and Technological challenges • Funding Opportunities • Technical Assistance • Project Drafting and support

15. The Souk Information Stands and Parallel Sessions from: • The Forum’s sponsors and partners • University Networks • The European Commission • Information Providers • Funding Organisations • Institutions and commercial organisations involved in projects The Souk will be managed and run by a group of facilitators who are trained in project organisation and management

17. The III Mediterranean University Forum,MALTA, 8-10 June Forum Secretariat: European Unit, Administration Building, University of Malta, MSD 06, MALTA Tel: (+356) 23403180 Fax: (+356) 21323807 eu-unit@um.edu.mt