Rector Jukka Kola Appointed to Advisory Board of “Universities and the Future of Europe” (UniFE) Project of EUA
The European University Association EUA aims to develop, in accordance with its vision, the framework and administrative systems of European collaboration in research, higher education, innovation and culture.
Current crises, and the geo-political, economic, social, environmental and technological change and uncertainty that they bring, are impacting how universities work, follow their missions and collaborate with European and global partners. To address this fundamental challenge, European co-operation, both between universities and at policy level, plays a vital role.
The aim of the “Universities and the Future of Europe” (UniFE) project is to find out what European universities want from future collaboration and need in terms of framework conditions, political structures and multilateral frameworks.
The Rector of the University of Turku, Chair of UNIFI Jukka Kola has been appointed to the Advisory Board of the project that consists of experienced university leaders and academic experts.
“Now, perhaps more than ever, it is important to prepare for different possible futures, without losing sight of our sector’s desired future as outlined by EUA in Universities without walls – A vision for 2030. Universities are pioneers and build Europe's sustainable future effectively and diversely.”
The Chair of the Advisory Board is EUA President Michael Murphy and other members include Carle Bonafous-Murat (Representative of France Universités in Brussels, former President of Sorbonne Nouvelle University, France), Katja Brøgger (Associate Professor and Director of the Policy Futures research programme, Aarhus University, Denmark), Jukka Kola (Rector, University of Turku, Finland), Amaya Mendikoetxea (Rector, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain) and Snježana Prijić Samaržija (Rector, University of Rijeka, Croatia).
The UniFE project will foster exchange and distil common ideas by organising leadership workshops and interviewing academic experts. The topics are also discussed in national rectors’ conferences, such as UNIFI. UniFE’s outcomes will feed into EUA's engagement and overall approach to European policy making as it relates to universities.
The European University Association (EUA) represents more than 850 universities and national rectors’ conferences in 49 European countries. EUA plays a crucial role in the Bologna Process and in influencing EU policies on higher education, research and innovation. Through continuous interaction with a range of other European and international organisations, EUA ensures that the independent voice of European universities is heard.