Higher education institutions are often criticised for carrying out their work in ‘silos’, whereby distinct groups of stakeholders focus narrowly on specific activities or areas of concern, with little opportunity or incentive to explore the synergies (or gaps) between them.  Indeed, some of the most complex and compelling issues facing higher education today are rarely explored jointly in great depth, either in practical terms or in the policy realm. 

The ACA Annual Conference 2012—under the title Tying it all together. Excellence, internationalisation, funding and the social dimension in higher education—aims to fill this important gap in communication and analysis by weaving together a substantive discussion on the intersections between these four very timely subjects in the European higher education context and beyond. As always, the programme will feature speakers who are internationally-recognised scholars, high-level policymakers and innovative institutional leaders, including Peter Scott (Institute of Education University of London), Jamil Salmi (formerly of the World Bank), Joan Dassin (Ford Foundation International Fellowship Program), and David Crosier (Eurydice), amongst others. Their perspectives span the globe and their insights should be most illuminating.

New this year, the conversations at the conference will be guided by a set of papers commissioned by ACA on the central topics under consideration. The ideas generated during the conference will serve to inform a more nuanced understanding of the issues addressed by these papers which, in their final form, will be compiled into a publication to be released by ACA in the second half of 2012.

Some of the brightest minds in higher education will be on hand at the ACA 2012 Annual Conference in Helsinki on 10-12 June. Please consider registering soon!

ACA 2012 Annual Conference