Make European higher education more attractive

A large-scale survey on perceptions of European higher education in third countries has just been conducted. With about 20,000 respondents, it was one of the largest surveys of its kind ever. One of the main results of the survey was that there is a clear lack of information on study opportunities in Europe.

According to a press statement issued by the Commission, Ján Figel, European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism, said: "The study shows that European higher education is perceived positively around the globe" but "it also tells us that Europe needs to further improve the quality of its higher education, and that it must provide more comprehensive and accessible information on its study opportunities.

"The Commission will remain committed to the promotion of the EU's higher education systems, notably through Erasmus Mundus - the EU programme specifically designed to improve the quality and attractiveness of higher education in Europe - and the Tempus programme for co-operation with our neighbouring countries."

The study was carried out between November 2004 and December 2005 by the Academic Co-operation Association (ACA), an independent European organisation dedicated to the management, analysis and improvement of education and training co-operation within Europe and between Europe and other parts of the world.

Its purpose was to investigate the perception of European higher education in other parts of the world, to identify some key messages for a "European brand" in the field of higher education and to reflect on how to make Europe a more attractive place to study.

The study was based on large-scale surveys and interviews with students and other stakeholders in six target countries (China, India, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, and Thailand) as well as, online, worldwide. For comparative purposes, it also included international students in the US.

One of the main findings of the study was that Europe is regarded as a union in an economic and political respect, but not in terms of higher education. When it comes to higher education, the perception focuses on the continent's individual countries, and mostly on the larger ones.

Europe's higher education institutions are perceived positively: students coming to study in Europe cited the high quality, accessibility and long tradition of European universities. However, the study also showed that Europe is losing out to the US on a number of issues, such as the perceived prestige of institutions, labour market acceptance of qualifications, and the dynamism and innovative capacity of the universities.

The most important factors influencing the decision of prospective students when making up their mind on where to go and complete their university studies were the quality of education, reputation and prestige of the institution and of the degrees earned, as well as costs and safety.

An overwhelming majority of respondents said that there is a lack of information on higher education in Europe - the outstanding opportunities for study it offers and the advantages of studying here compared with other parts of the world.

Based on the survey results, the report recommends that a perception of European higher education as a whole should be created, by means of a "European brand", with characteristics common to all European countries.

Educational opportunities in Europe must be made better known outside the EU, by way of a coherent and convincingly implemented information policy, including the creation of a single, well functioning Web portal. However, marketing alone is not sufficient: Europe must improve its educational offer to become and remain attractive to students from elsewhere.

Educational services have become a very important source of exports for many countries and a revenue earner for the country. The country earns money because incoming students pay fees for their education as well as living expenses.

There is no reason why Malta cannot also enter this lucrative sector in a big way. In fact, efforts towards attracting foreign students have been going on for a number of years and moderate gains have been achieved.

The export of university courses requires careful planning to ensure that the required resources are deployed. Growth has to be slow but sure for, once Malta's reputation is ruined, there is no getting it back.

Fortnightly report compiled by the European Movement