Members of the Slovak Rectors´ Conference ("SRC") have joined in a session in Bruxelles on 27 and 28 October 2018. Rectors of Slovak higher education institutions had a possibility to meet and discuss with the representatives of the European Commission ("EC") about actual European policies, processes and instruments in higher education and research and development sectors. They also met with the representatives of the Permanent Representation of the SR to EC to debate about particularities and conditions of Slovak higher education institutions.
Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič in his videospeech emphasized importance of the European programmes for the growth and employemnet and not only the structural funds.
Presentations nad discussions with representatives of the European Commission and particular DGs concentrated on research and science, higher education and structural funds. Rectors were interested in the Slovak success rate in Horizon 2020, but also in settings of future framework programme Horizon Europe. Slovak higher education institutions have a possibility to apply in programmes created to support research institutions in EU13 such as Teaming, Twinning, ERA chairs and Widening Fellowships, that aim to support their excellence. A challenge for Slovak higher education institutions will be implementation of the Open Access and Open Science policies, that require legilsative changes and increase in funding. Open Access is according to SRC in our conditions applicable only with sufficient financial sources. These policies must be applied in national programmes as well.
Another challenge for Slovak academy is the European Universities Network initiative, which will support alliances of universities from European and national sources. SRC is fully aware of the importance to join the initiative and informs its members regularly about the developments. Some Slovak universities are already performing concrete activities before the call is open. The initiative will be in our national conditions rather difficult. The possibilities to succeed will be conditioned by the state of present funding of higher education and research.
More information is available at the Slovak page here. Photos in Gallery here.
Session was prepared by the Representation of the EC in SR, EC and Permanent Representation of the SR to EC and SRC. The session was financially supported by the EC.
Author: Mária Čikešová
Poto: EC