HomeNews & EventsThe future ERASMUS+ Programme should develop its full potential as a driver for innovation

The future ERASMUS+ Programme should develop its full potential as a driver for innovation

31 May 2017

Download the EuroTech Universities Alliance’s Position for Mid Term Evaluation of ERASMUS.

Summary:

In a world where demand for high skills and creativity is growing, universities play an ever more crucial role in society. We believe that the relationship between  scientific research and education at universities leads to disruptive innovation thanks to the transfer of scientific knowledge to the next generation of researchers, entrepreneurs and skilled employees for the benefit of industry and society.

In this regard, we welcome the European Commission’s Agenda for the Modernization of Higher Education. We believe that the promotion of excellence in skills development and the role of higher education institutions in contributing to regional innovation need to be prioritized. The future ERASMUS+ programme should focus more investment on these priorities through the development of strong, strategic instruments for collaboration between Europe’s universities. Better synergies with the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and the European Structural and Investment Funds should be promoted further to tap into the full potential of the knowledge triangle actors in driving innovation.

EuroTech Key Messages

This position paper is based on our experience with the ERASMUS+ programme. In summary, we would like to promote the following:

  • Keep the primary focus of the programme on individual mobility to strengthen its vital contribution to promoting an open society
  • Develop the full potential of the programme as a driver for innovation and modernization of Higher Education through strong, strategic instruments for cooperation by:
    1. Raising Higher Education participation rates through fair and transparent processes for cooperation projects, particularly in decentralized actions
    2. Fostering the testing and dissemination of innovative practices through smaller actions with lower funding thresholds which universities can use as test beds
    3. Increasing the impact of the international dimension of the programme
  • Promote more efficient and lean project implementation