Last week, SFS participated in Erasmus Days, which was organized for the fourth time. Thousands of activities are organized over three days and the Swedish Council for Higher Education invited a panel discussion about the EU Commission's prestigious initiative European Universities. The webinar sought answers to "European Universities - a paradigm shift in Swedish higher education?" With this text, I will comment on SFS's stance on European Universities.
The role of the Academy for intercultural competences
The Academy's function in the knowledge society means that it is very much part of a globalized world. Both students and research and teaching staff must be given the opportunity and encouraged to participate in exchanges and international collaboration. It is also important that students, as well as research and teaching staff, are given the opportunity to develop their intercultural competence, thereby enabling effective and appropriate communication with other cultures. SFS is positive about the initiatives. This is because we believe it can contribute to further internationalization. It is intended to actually achieve the goal of mobility (not only for the student), which is required if we really want more people to go on exchange, so we need to provide better conditions for it. The alliances can be a tool for this.
About European University
Ahead of the Gothenburg summit in 2017, the overall vision for a European education area by 2025 was discussed. The following year, the EU Commission launched the European Universities initiative.
Cross-border alliances
European Universities are cross-border alliances between colleges and universities from all over Europe. Cross-border refers to the international spread as well as subject areas, usually referred to as multi- or interdisciplinary. Alliances, also referred to as initiatives and networks, are created for the benefit of students, teachers and society. The alliances include higher education institutions from different parts of Europe. SFS is happy to see the higher education institutions that are part of the alliance come together around an issue to jointly find new knowledge and use what exists in a new way. In these projects, SFS sees students as an obvious party.
The quality of education lies in its usefulness to the student. Students have different purposes and goals for their education. Therefore, it is important that there is a diversity of both subject areas and forms of education. Students are the ones who are to be educated and who alone can decide which education is useful to them. Therefore, student demand should be the most important factor when the scope of Swedish higher education is controlled. Transnational courses offered within the alliances are a way for education to develop. The aim of European Universities is to increase the quality and competitiveness of European education through collaboration between higher education institutions in Europe. Through European Universities, exchange periods are becoming an increasingly integrated part for students, researchers and staff at the higher education institutions.
The commitment of Swedish universities
In Sweden, there are now eleven higher education institutions that are part of alliances with other higher education institutions in Europe that are European Universities. With funding from the Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020 programs, the European Universities are expected to contribute to improving the quality of education, inclusion, digitalization and attractiveness of European higher education. It is important that higher education institutions can be autonomous in which education they choose to provide. Therefore, it is also important that the higher education institution takes responsibility for ensuring that the education provided is useful and relevant to the student based on the student's situation. The state should finance higher education so that it can benefit everyone on equal terms.
Student participation and influence
SFS as well as the European Student Union have pushed for student participation and influence. We experience the Swedish tradition of student representatives as strong, as student representatives are often seen as equal to other representatives. We are very happy about this, but part of activating student representatives is to give them time and material to familiarize themselves with the issue. Students usually have these assignments alongside their studies and it is of great importance that the best possible conditions are given to the representatives who will represent Sweden's students and doctoral students. SFS would have liked to see these assignments paid. In order for students to have the opportunity to deviate from their studies, the students need to be compensated. The experience is not enough, even though it is of course also enriching and developing for both the individual and the work.
What does SFS do?
What SFS is now working on is coordinating a network or equivalent with the Swedish student representatives within the European Universities. At a European level, the equivalent is done within the European Student Union, ESU. SFS International Committee Komit is working on the issue via ESU towards the European Commission. To secure student representation and contribute to exchange between these, to provide support to the student who is committed as well as to contribute to the influence of the student movement.