While universities will contribute to the?European Union¡¯s new competitiveness drive, a leading umbrella group has said, they ¡°will not become mere knowledge and skills machines aimed at economic gain¡±.

In a new report on the role universities may play in the bloc¡¯s ¡°competitiveness agenda¡±, the European University Association (EUA) warns of the ¡°risk of instrumentalisation¡±, while recognising the potential for institutions to be ¡°active partners for competitiveness¡±.

Current EU policy places significant emphasis on the region¡¯s ability to compete globally, with?January¡¯s ¡°Competitiveness Compass¡±?setting goals including ¡°closing the innovation gap¡±, establishing a decarbonisation roadmap, ¡°reducing excessive dependencies¡± and boosting security.

University groups have already raised concerns about the potential?instrumentalisation of research?in service of a political agenda, with the relationship between the next Horizon Europe framework programme and the proposed European Competitiveness Fund coming under particular scrutiny.

̽»¨ÊÓƵ

In the latest report, the EUA says that universities share the ¡°broader goal¡± of a ¡°strong, independent and sustainable Europe¡±, with institutions able to become ¡°full partners¡± in the region¡¯s prosperity if the ¡°right framework conditions¡± are met.

Emphasising the need for institutional autonomy, the umbrella group says that universities must be able to determine their own governance models, finances, staffing and academic approach. Universities themselves are best placed to identify the role they can play in the competitiveness agenda, the EUA says, and should receive appropriate, accessible and sustainable funding at both the European and national levels.

̽»¨ÊÓƵ

Universities must make their intended role clear while sustaining dialogue with government, industry and other partners, says the EUA, while emphasising ¡°that they come with their own agenda and identity¡± and ¡°will not give up their cultural role and belief in knowledge for their own sake¡±.

¡°Economic growth and academic values are not mutually exclusive. In fact, delivering knowledge, research and innovation for competitiveness requires time, resources and space for serendipity, which is at the heart of what universities do,¡± the university group says.

¡°In this vein, facilitating interdisciplinary research and learning is crucial for competitiveness. Challenges that are by nature complex and ambiguous do not lend themselves to be addressed by just one discipline, or even within one faculty. There needs to be cooperation from many traditions of knowledge, including full involvement of the social sciences, arts and humanities.¡±

Cautioning against an emphasis on STEM subjects, for instance, as ¡°problem solvers¡±, the EUA says arts, social sciences and humanities must be included when considering global challenges, and called for an approach to career assessment that values interdisciplinarity.

̽»¨ÊÓƵ

International openness ¡°must remain the default option¡±, the university group stresses. ¡°Research and higher education need to be part of international flows of knowledge, where discussions and new ideas flow freely across borders,¡± it says.

¡°Universities will have difficulties working in any future Europe that relies exclusively on its own knowledge, or only shares it with a restricted circle of like-minded or friendly countries.¡±

¡°Universities can certainly help to shape a new future through education and knowledge,¡± said EUA president Josep Garrell. ¡°But to do this, to fully make our contribution, European universities also need the framework conditions for which we have long advocated.¡±

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com