Work and Policy Areas

EUA Declarations & Policy Positions Print Email this page

As the representative organisation of European universities and national rectors’ conferences, EUA has frequent contact with EU Institutions, international organisations and various stakeholders and has a key function in contributing to European debates in higher education and research.

Below you will find EUA's political declarations and policy positions together with details of the Memorandum of Understanding that EUA has signed with the European Commission regarding the European Research Area. The political declarations address key issues for the future of European universities and result from the discussions held during EUA conferences. The policy positions are the documents stating EUA's point of view on a number of topics discussed at the European level.

EUA Memorandum of Understanding with European Commission (regarding the European Research Area)

The text of the Memorandum signed on 17 July 2012 can be downloaded here. The Joint Statement text also signed on 17 July can be downloaded here downloaded here.

Glasgow Declaration – Strong Universities for a Strong Europe
Published version in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian 
Additional translations in Catalan , Polish , Russian , Turkish 

Graz Declaration – Forward from Berlin: the role of universities
Published version in English, French, German, Spanish 

Salamanca Convention 2001 – The Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area
English, French, German, Spanish 

European Universities’ Charter on Lifelong learning
Published version in English , French , Italian 

2012

• EUA Statement addressed to Heads of State and Government attending the 'EU Budget Summit'
• EUA Input to the Debate on the Rules for Participation in Horizon 2020
• Universities in the European Higher Education Area - EUA Input Statement to the EHEA-Bologna Ministerial Conference 2012
• EUA Position Paper on the Commission’s proposed amendments to Directive 2005/36/EC on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications

2011

• EUA response to ERA Framework consultation 
• Modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive. EUA response to European Commission’s Consultation on Green Paper COM(2011)367
• EUA comments on the ‘Public consultation on the draft statement of public service principles for EU civil servants’
• EUA position on the EC "Green Paper" on a Common Strategic Framework for EU Research and Innovation Funding
• Statement by EUA in response to the EC Consultation on the Modernisation of Higher Education in Europe
• Working together towards financial sustainability for European universities
• EUA statement on behalf of the EUA European Platform of Universities engaged in Energy Research (EPUE) on the Public Consultation on the Energy Roadmap 2050
• Professional Qualifications Directive 2005/36/EC: EUA response to European Commission’s Consultation Paper
• Smart People for Smart Growth: Statement by the European University Association on the EU Flagship Initiative “Innovation Union” of the Europe 2020 European Strategy for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth
• EUA response to Consultation on funding on EU External Actions

2010

• EUA Response to the public consultation on the future EU programmes for European and international mobility and cooperation
• Joint Statement of the Association of African Universities (AAU) and the European University Association (EUA) on the role of higher education in the Africa-Europe Strategic Partnership - for submission to the Africa EU Summit
• Statement of EUA on the revision of ISCED
• EUA Policy Statement on Quality and Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area
• EUA Contribution to the Public Consultation on Towards a New Energy Strategy for Europe 2011-2020

2008

• Bologna post 2010. Please click here to read more.
• European Universities’ Charter on Lifelong learning  (Click here to see French version)
• Recommendations from the EUA Working Group on Open Access adopted by the EUA Council on 26 March 2008 (University of Barcelona, Spain)

2007

• The Banff Principles on Graduate Education - agreed by EUA
• EUA Response to Commission's "Green Paper" consultation on the European Research Area
• EUA Policy Position on Quality
• EUA Policy Position on the European Commission’s proposals for a European Qualification Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF-LLL) and the European Commission staff working document on a European Credit System for Vocational education and Training (ECVET)

 2006

• Final conclusions of the Bologna seminar on Doctoral Programmes: "Matching Ambition with Responsibilities and Resources"
• Comments on the European Commission's new Communication on the European Institute of Technology: Further Steps Towards its Creation
• An International Agenda for EUA
• EUA/CUIB Asturias Declaration
• EUA Statement on FP7 Rules of Participation proposals for support rates and cost models
• EUA Policy Position on the European Commission's "Communication to the European Council on the European Institute of Technology (EIT)"
• A Vision and Strategy for Europe's Universities and the European University Association
• Conclusions and Recommendations for Action adopted by participants in the meeting "Strengthening Higher Education and Research in South East Europe - Priorities for Regional and European Cooperation"

2005

• EUA's Position on the Development of a European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning
• EUA Statement on the Public Consultation on the Idea of Establishing a European Institute of Technology (EIT)

 2004

• EUA Response to the EC Communication "Science and Technology, the key to Europe's future - Guidelines for future European Union policy to support research"
• EUA Recommendation on the Role of ECTS in the Elaboration of a European Qualifications Framework (EQF)
• EUA/CUIB Declaration of Guadalajara of the Universities of Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean
• EUA Statement on the Research Role of Europe's Universities
• EUA's QA Policy Position in the context of the Berlin Communiqué

 2003

• EUA Policy Paper concerning the establishment of a European Research Council
• Response to the Communication from the Commission "The Role of Universities in the Europe of Knowledge"
• EUA Response to the EU Consultation Document on the Future Development of the European Union Education, Training and Youth Programmes after 2006
• The Role of Universities in Shaping the Future of Europe - EUA Statement to the European Convention

2002

• More Research for Europe - Towards 3% of GDP