Citation
(2005), "Commission suggests way ahead for European Institute of Technology", Education + Training, Vol. 47 No. 7. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2005.00447gab.015
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Commission suggests way ahead for European Institute of Technology
A network of existing institutions, rather than a wholly new institution, would be the best way to create a European Institute of Technology, says the European Commission. The proposal for such an institute was contained in the Commission’s mid-term review of the Lisbon strategy, which aims to make Europe the most successful knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. The review pointed out that Europe is falling behind its competitors in the USA and Asia when it comes to the creation and application of new knowledge. The institute would aim to:
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offer world-class education and attract the best students;
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become an accepted centre of world-class researchers and research;
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raise the quality of research and research management in Europe; and
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increase knowledge transfer and innovation.
The Commission envisages a network institution founded on, but not taking over, around six of the best universities in the EU. Five of these would each co-ordinate a main field of work – life sciences and biotechnology, chemistry and materials science, and so on. The sixth would be responsible for making the networked institute function. “I am convinced that attempting to create a new institution in Europe would not be the right solution,” said Jan Figel, European Commissioner for Education and Training. “Europe has sufficient potential in its existing universities, but this potential must be mobilized and shared.”