1. HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE AND THE DANUBE REGION Prof. Dr. MIROSLAV VESKOVIC Rector of the University of Novi Sad President of the Danube Rectors’ Conference (DRC) 2010 PÉCS, OCTOBER 2010

2. HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE AND THE DANUBE REGION 2010 is an important date on the European calendar. It not only marks the first decade of the twentieth century, but in education policy terms, the first decade of advancement on the European Lisbon goals, and a significant benchmark for the European policy Education and Training 2010 and the Bologna Process. What is the future of Education and Training 2010 beyond 2010?

3. Three major issues are identified as facing higher education in the years to come: –the challenges of demography, –global competitiveness, –redefinition of the roles and responsibilities of the various actors in a system defining higher education as a public good. HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE AND THE DANUBE REGION

4. The first major issue facing Europe in the decade to come is the demographic challenge of an ageing and increasingly diverse population in a knowledge society. This challenge is to be met by reinforcing the social dimension of higher education, by fully engaging in lifelong learning practices and by rethinking international mobility. Migration as a Counter-Development? Scenarios of higher education in 2050 HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE AND THE DANUBE REGION

5.  European higher education between cooperation and competition HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE AND THE DANUBE REGION

6.  The roles and responsibilities of the various actors in a system defining higher education as a public good HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE AND THE DANUBE REGION

7. The Danube macro region and the Danube strategy Regional differences and Danube Region Added Value multilateral cooperation structures between universities and research institutes are missing Cooperation could advance building on already existing structures, like the Danube Rectors Conference, which however lacks common resources, both financially and institutionally research infrastructure needs to be modernized BRAIN CIRCULATION HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE AND THE DANUBE REGION

8. In order to promote policies mentioned one can try: To establish a Danube research fund promoting excellence in research in the Danube Region To strengthen university cooperation through a Danube Region Education, Research and Innovation Platform To promote innovation and business' success in new markets HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE AND THE DANUBE REGION

9. It is time to go from ‘words to actions’! HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE AND THE DANUBE REGION