Underline the role of Universities as pillars of democratic values, cornerstones of lifelong learning and prerequisites for a robust and competitive educational system.
Bring forward the strong links between regions and cities and the universities and the benefits for the regions and cities hosting them; reiterate the necessity of forming strategic partnerships between universities and local and regional authorities.
Reaffirm the pivotal role of universities in dealing with vital challenges for the EU, such as the green and digital transitions, brain-drain and rural exodus; underline the crucial role role of universities in addressing global challenges.
Highlight the importance of transnational cooperation between univerisities as an essential element of the success of the European strategy for Universities and the European Education Area.
On 19 May Mr Boc's constituency of Cluj-Napoca hosted the Innowave Summit 2022, with several important dignitaries in attendance; During the event, the rapporteur presented his opinion to Commissioner Gabriel.
The rapporteur participated in the first edition of the Education and Innovation Summit (23 June 2022), as well as in the "Campus of European Universities", a high-level event organised by the French Presidency of the Council of the EU (30 June 2022), promoting the CoR views on the topic.
Commissioner Gabriel and the rapporteur co-authored an op-ed in Euractiv titled "Universities can stimulate a European innovation agenda".
The rapporteur further promoted the Opinion's key political messages at the European Education Summit (1 December 2022), in a high-level panel dedicated to "Shaping the Future: Better Investing in Education and Training" and featuring the launch of the Learning Lab by Commissioner Gabriel.
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
endorses the EU's engagement in and support for promoting excellence in education;
stresses that a civilisation that strengthens European democratic values can only endure if it invests in human capital. An excellent education system with strong universities at its core is the cornerstone of lifelong learning;
notes that at local and regional level, the presence of universities generally gives a significant competitive advantage to the communities hosting them;
points out that universities play a pivotal role in promoting objectives which are vital for the EU, such as the green and digital transitions;
emphasises that Member State LRAs need to engage in consolidating a broad range of local and regional ecosystems and promote cooperation and trust between different community sectors;
notes that deepening transnational cooperation between universities and developing the European dimension of higher education are fundamental priorities of the European strategy for universities;
notes that LRAs can help European universities to go international and to promote the European Union on the global stage.