9th FEDORA conference in Vilnius, Lithuania
Vilnius, 23. October 2006

Minister,
Magnificiency,
President,
Secretary General,
Distinguished guests,
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!

I.

Since the Middle Ages, European universities have been developing knowledge
and defining values. They are still the building–blocks of Europe. They are also
essential for growth in the knowledge economy. In 2000 the national leaders of
the European Union launched the Lisbon process: Europe should become the
world’s leading knowledge–based economy and society. Progress has been
uneven, so last year the Lisbon strategy was re–focussed on growth and jobs.
However, the role of knowledge and education remains central. The nature of
work is changing. Europe’s workforce needs to be highly educated and needs to
update its skills and knowledge fast. Universities must provide the correct mix
of high–quality education. As well as their educational role, universities have an
economic role – students need to find jobs, researchers contribute to science and
industry, entire regions benefit from the stimulus of an active university.
However, in many cases universities are not in a position to deliver their full
potential.
Europe’s universities were world leaders until the mid–20th century. They have
since lost ground to the US and to emerging players such as China and India.
Just to give you a few figures: 57% of the EU student–age population is enrolled
in higher education. This is far below the US figure of 81%. Out of the top 50
universities in the ‘Shanghai rankings’, only 9 are from Europe, while 37 are
from the US. The USA invests about 2.6% of its GDP in Higher Education, the
EU 1.15%. Imagine the contribution Europe’s universities could make if their
potential of knowledge, talent, and energy could be freed up.

II.
University reform has been on the agenda for many years. It is the rationale of
the Bologna process, which started in the 1990s. European countries agreed to
develop a European Higher Education Area co–coordinating national reforms.
The process now includes 45 countries. Although not all progress can be
observed at the same pace, the EU25 is on track to meet the targets. Lithuania
has made good progress. The process is inter–governmental, but the European
Commission is fully involved. It uses many tools we developed in the 1990s
(such as the European credit transfer system, diploma supplement, thematic
networks). Our experience with mobility programmes highlighted the non
comparability of national systems. While the Bologna reforms are important, we
need to go further – radically reform the way universities are structured, funded
and regulated.
The June Communication on modernising Europe’s universities identified gaps
and highlighted nine areas for change, many of which are relevant for guidance.
The gaps can be described as follows:
Over-regulation and under-funding of education and research;
Too much uniformity – over-reliance on a single university model;
Problems with academic recognition and mobility across borders;
Internal fragmentation into too many subparts – faculties, departments, etc.
and not enough collective or cross-cutting effort;
Too remote from industry and society;
Poor career structures, whether for teachers or for researchers.
The Communication has identified nine areas for change:
More mobility: Double the numbers of graduates who spend at least
one term abroad or working in industry. All grants and loans should
be portable within the EU.
More autonomy from government and responsibility for managing
their programmes, staff, resources. Universities should develop their
own profiles.
Partnerships with business. This is vital for innovation, relevant for
education and secures additional funding.
Curricular reform: Improving graduates’ employability and making
education more accessible.
Funding: At least 2% of GDP (public and private funding). Fees: free
access does not equal social equity.
Interdisciplinarity: Focus on research domains rather than traditional
disciplines.
Build links with society.
Reward excellence at the highest level.
Make the European Higher Education Area and the European
Research
Area more visible and attractive: networks,
internationalisation.

III.
Let me now turn briefly to an initiative which ranks high on the Commission’s
political agenda: The European Institute for Technology (EIT). Traditional
competitors – US and Japan – invest more and cluster knowledge and innovation
on a scale Europe cannot reach. China, Korea, Singapore and soon India,
Malaysia and Indonesia are moving from imitation to innovation. Integrating the
three elements of the knowledge triangle, education, research and innovation is a
must. We need to overcome the fragmentation of European research, achieve a
critical mass, and bring business into the picture. Open and flexible concepts for
partnerships with academia and business are necessary. The Knowledge and
Innovation Communities (KIC) are the heart of our proposal. Joint ventures of
universities, research organisations and business will be established. Up to 2013,
the EIT will launch some 6 KICs. It should be operational already as of 2009.

IV.
I would now like to touch briefly some other EU initiatives.
Efficiency and equity: Education is the backbone of the European social model.
It has positive effects on health, quality of life etc. Education systems can and
should be both efficient and equitable. Governments need to think of this in
long–term planning and budget decisions.
Recommendation on key competences: The Recommendation identifies and
defines the competences that everyone needs for living, learning and working in
a knowledge society: languages, literacy, Information and Communication
Technologies. Learning to learn; interpersonal competences – these are crucial
for lifelong learning and for adapting to a changing world. This
Recommendation should be translated into concrete measures, helping people to
be prepared for real working life, and for the job market.
The European Qualifications Framework (EQF): People in Europe face too
many obstacles when they try to move from one country to another to learn or
work. It is also difficult to build upon previous education or training and move,
for example, from vocational education and training to higher education. EQF
will improve transparency and make national qualifications more
understandable. It will thus promote access to education and training and
increase mobility. It will be a voluntary instrument, given as a framework to
which Member States can link their own qualification systems.
New integrated lifelong learning programme: Mobility and cooperation have
been the core EU education and training initiatives, starting with the first
exchange programmes in the 1980s. We are proud that these programmes are
perhaps the best known of all European initiatives (notably the Erasmus
Programme) and also proud of the well–documented high satisfaction levels of
participants. We will continue to support cross–border cooperation in the new
programme for lifelong learning that comes into operation start 2007. The
programmes are ambitious. We want to reach more people and continue to
support networks, curriculum development, and intensive programmes. New
opportunities in modernising universities, virtual learning and university
business partnerships.

V.
When it comes to making the right choices in life, the role of information and
guidance is vital. You will all be familiar with the European guidance tools that
have been developed.
I am pleased that the Finnish Presidency is planning a conference on lifelong
guidance for November 2006. The conference will examine where each Member
State stands on fulfilling its 2004 commitment to developing guidance. It will
also examine where guidance and counselling can be improved:
the transition from secondary to higher education,
from undergraduate to postgraduate study;
promoting links between employers, universities and students across Europe.
Educational guidance and counselling staff have a vital role to play in
international cooperation: Advisory services are a key component in making
European universities an attractive environment for international students. This
applies both to educational matters such as the recognition of study periods and
qualifications, and to administrative matters such as arrangements for obtaining
visas and opportunities for temporary work. It also applies to day–to–day needs,
such as accommodation – and these should not be underestimated. Over the
years, we have supported projects in this area, especially through the Tempus
Programme. But there is another role for advisors: establishing a worldwide
network of European educational advisers. We have been supporting a project
under Erasmus Mundus that demonstrates what such a network can do to boost
European links with our partners around the globe.
Lithuanian institutions have played a leading role in this project. They are also
involved in two other Erasmus Mundus projects which promote the Baltic States
as an attractive European region for international students and faculty. And
judging by what I have seen in Vilnius today, I think they have every reason to
do it.

Thank you for your attention.