Citation
(2003), "Universities reassured on Erasmus World", Education + Training, Vol. 45 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2003.00445bab.008
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited
Universities reassured on Erasmus World
Universities reassured on Erasmus World
University participation in the EU Erasmus World programme will be entirely voluntary, according to EU education ministers meeting in the European Council.
The programme aims to make higher education in the EU more attractive to students and teachers from outside the EU, through scholarships and around 250 new European masters courses. It also aims to encourage EU students and teachers to work and study outside the EU.
The education ministers insisted that academic autonomy should be safeguarded and that the programme should not become too centralized. They opposed impinging upon universities' right to decide on the content of the proposed European masters degree.
The German delegation suggested calling the new programmes Erasmus World masters degrees, to distinguish them from courses and qualifications already on offer. Germany, Finland and Ireland raised the point that universities would have to communicate well to avoid repetition of content and to arrange travel and other details. The proposal is for Erasmus World to run for five years, from 2004-2008, with a budget of E200 million.
The European Council also adopted a draft resolution on the promotion of enhanced European co-operation in vocational education and training. The resolution aims to make EU education and training a world quality reference by 2010, through a work programme based on improved quality, the facilitation of universal access and opening up to the wider world. An interim progress report will be submitted to the European Council in Spring 2004.