European Network for Universities of Applied Sciences (UASNET)

Moving from project to sustainable networkingwww.uasnet.eu

Henrik Wolffpresident UASNET vice-chairman international affairs ARENE CEO Arcada UAS

UASNET?Informal Network for Universities of Applied Sciences

Profile universities

Starting point:

Improvement of professional practice

Translation into:

• profession-oriented higher education programmes and

• demand-driven applied research

UAS educate professionals and conduct research in a broad range of subjects, all relevant to society:

• Economics Business and management• Teacher training Engineering• Social work Health care• Fine and performing arts Agriculture

UASNET focuses on:----------------------------------------------

• Profile of UAS in Europe> in-depth studies on core themes for UAS

• International exchange of national developments

• Platform for UAS and partners from business, SMEs, public sector

→ European projects (BaLaMa, Eduprof)

→ lobby for recognition and support

The partners in UASNET?

---------------------------------------------------11 National Associations for Universities of Applied Sciences:The Netherlands (2004) Germany (2004) Ireland (2004)

Austria (2004) Denmark (2004) Estonia (2004)

Switzerland (2004) Finland (2004) France (2008)

Portugal (2008) Lithuania (2008)

Sounding Board: EARTO, UEAPME, Erinn

Why the EDUPROF-project 2008-2011?

----------------------------------------------Educating the new European Professional in the Knowledge Society

Innovation

ànd human capital

Applied research

UAS

Profession oriented higher

education

RTO

UAS

UniSME

Public org

UAS

Goals EDUPROF

Recognition (external goal)• Profile and position UAS, with a focus on the R&D function

– More visibility > Better understanding >Better policy support and funding

Platform UAS (internal goal)• Bring the ‘human capital’ of UAS together:

– to do our own ‘homework’ and to improve our quality on applied research

– help the UAS professionals to find their UAS partners for peer learning on the R&D function:

> “How to ensure and embed research of good quality”

Link EDUPROF goals and concrete activitiesPhase I: • Research process• International Conference

Phase II:• Expert meetings (5x2)• Profiling the UAS by indicators on applied research • Meeting UAS presidents• Broadening the network

• Closure Event• Website www.uasnet.eu• Brochure

Link EDUPROF goals and concrete activities (1)Recognition • Profile and position UAS, with a focus on the R&D function

1) Offering transparancy/overview on diverse national trends in applied research– Research report CHEPS

2) Publicity– International conference The Hague, February 2009– www.uasnet.eu– Brochure– Closing conference

3) Profiling the UAS R&D function by European indicators

Link EDUPROF goals and concrete activities (2)Platform UAS• Bring the ‘human capital’ of UAS together to think about our

own homework on applied research and improving quality

1) First and second rounds of 5 expert meetings– Quality assurance applied research, validation and recognition– Funding, sustainability and research priorities– Regional, national, international Partnerships – HRM, organising research within the UAS – Transferral of research results into education: Link education –

research – innovation in professional practice

2) Starting and closing conference – attention and involvement worldwide regional networks (South-

Africa, Canada, Australia….)

• Expert meetings• Indicators• Conferences• Research report

C • Website• Brochure

ProjectLeader

SP

• Coordination workplan• Accountability to

partners• Relations management

(internal, external)

EDUPROFPartners

UAS

UAS

UASUAS

UAS

UAS

UASEduprof 2008

‘EDUPROF’ Project: Spin-off activities 2009/10• Think Tank in preparation of the Leuven Declaration, Feb 2009• Evening reception Austrian House, Brussels, April 2009position paper Leuven 2020. Europe’s knowledge future • Bologna/ Leuven declaration:“Higher education should be based at all levels on state of the art research and development thus fostering innovation and creativity in society. We recognise the potential of higher education programmes, including those based on applied science, to foster innovation.” • Presentation to DG Research, The Hague, April 2009, July 2009• Brainstorm European Research Area, May 2009How to become more ‘visible and focused’ within the ERA• South African Technology Network (SATN), Annual Conference,

July 2009• Conference Swedish Presidency ‘The Knowledge Triangle shaping the

future of Europe’, September 2009• Advisory Board and Stakeholders Grouping U-Multirank, Sept 2009• The Innovation Summit, March 2010

Trends1. Importance of lobby is increasing

Political momentum: demand European actors– Frans van Vught :Think Tank Barroso, Neth-ER, Classification,

Multirank, High Level Group Research– Robert-Jan Smits: DG Research – Sabine Neyer: Perm. Rep. Austria– Members of European Parliament

and current policy themes (UAS are in the heart of the EU agenda)

– integrating EHEA and ERA, Lisbon 2020, New skills for new jobs and lifelong learning, classification and ranking

– EU2020, Innovation Union, Regional innovation and Structural Funds (linking to FP), Budget Review, Financial Perspectives

do justice to built-up name in Brussels and fill in reputation

Trends2. Recognition is growing for role UAS A focus solely on R&D is no longer enough Higher education is receiving its rightful place in the

knowledge triangle Both innovation and human capital are needed to

make the knowledge economy work

Public debate is shifting towards added value UAS and stress for diversity within Higher Education

• Ministers at the Leuven conference: “Higher education should be based at all levels on state of the art research and development thus fostering innovation and creativity in society. We recognise the potential of higher education programmes, including those based on applied science, to foster innovation”.

• Swedish EU presidency : “The current debate about the knowledge triangle tends primarily to focus on the relationship between research and innovation. We will focus on the central role of higher education in the knowledge triangle and for European competitiveness”.

• Dutch SER (Social and Economic Council) : ”to involve more explicitly (higher) education concerning the development of the European Knowledge Area”.

• Veerman : Preserve the binary structure, but: small, selective research intensive universities, and broad supply of universities (UAS) with a clear profile

>>invest in applied research at UAS,

and publicly funded Masters in applied sciences

Trends3. Needs from world of work • Questions from the world of work to act as

matchmaking between demand and supply for:

innovation projects in SMEs and public sector companies

education programmes for the human capital (initial and lifelong learners) in SMEs and public sector companies

Largely overlapping policy/lobby agenda

Trends4a. Needs from UASDemand to strengthen the position of UAS: recognition and support on the national and

European level Influence EU policy agenda, and financial

instruments• More visibility, better understanding • to get: fitting policy and financial instruments

Use EU debate and position to influence position at home

Use each other’s national developments, successes and bottlenecks

Trends4b. Needs of UASQuestions from UAS to act as EU matchmaking platform for: Peer learning (‘think’ together: analysis what’s going well,

what could be better, what do we need to do ourselves as UAS, what do we expect from others like government and stakeholders)>research managers, presidents…

Collaboration (‘do’ together: joint research projects, joint curriculum development)

Benchmarking (to compare: educational programmes, research programmes, check with professional bodies)

Harmonize (to give input to tune the best national and European policy and instruments on innovation)

• Expert meetings• Indicators• Conferences• Research report

C • Website• Brochure

ProjectLeader

SP

• Coordination workplan• Accountability to

partners• Relations management

(internal, external)

EDUPROFPartners

UAS

UAS

UASUAS

UAS

UAS

UASEduprof 2008

• Expert meetings• Indicators• Conferences• Research report

C • Website• Brochure

L• Lobby in

Brussels• Position Papers• Lobby seminar

M

ProjectLeader

SP

CoordinationAccountability to partnersRelations management

(internal, external)

EDUPROFPartners

UAS

UAS

UASUAS

UAS

UAS

UAS

• Connect UAS – UAS

• World of work - UAS

• UAS - prof. bodies

Eduprof 2009/10

Questions for our teamwork in Europe

1. How do we incorporate the trends in the Eduprof project?

2. How do we move from Eduprof to a sustainable UASNET?

Why professionalize teamwork?

• UAS as important actors within the higher education sector still lag behind in:

• International visibility (widespread knowledge on the activities and added value we have to offer)

• Appreciation (acknowledgement of the value and contribution of UAS to society, especially social-economic development on a regional level

• Support (accompanying policy measures and funds)

While at the same time:

There is a growing demand from the world of work for our type of research and education.

There is a growing political demand for our type of research and education. Now is the time to act…..

Innovation

ànd human capital

Applied research

UAS

Profession oriented higher

education

RTO

UAS

UniSME

Public org

UAS

…..Because: UAS are the linking pin in the regional knowledge triangle

UAS are the linking pin in the regional knowledge triangle:

Assisting SMEs and public organizations to innovate their professions by:

• conducting applied research, and • educating the workforce, both young professionals and

lifelong learners.

This forms a strong basis for Educating the new (European) International Professionals in the Knowledge Society.

The way forward:

• People should know > Importance of lobby: recognition and support

• Are we going to unleash our potential to become even better? – Learn from each other, connect UAS, find a

European/international approach• Are we going to use our potential to link regions

internationally? To conduct research and education.

> Organize on a European level is the key• What about the international level???

– How could UASNET and SATN work together?– What about other worldwide networks? (Canada,

Australia, China….)