The full programme of ACA's 2006 conference: Destination Europe? Players, goals and strategies in enhancing the attractiveness of European universities, is now online and can be accessed via the ACA website. The conference, jointly organised with ACA’s Norwegian member SIU, will take place in the city of Bergen, Norway from 18 to 20 June 2006. "Destination Europe?" will explore the question whether or not Europe is really “the most-favoured destination” of students and researchers from around the world, as European leaders demanded a few years ago it must become, and what our universities and colleges must still do, in terms of quality improvement and international marketing, to enhance their attractiveness vis-à-vis other continents.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Alan Smith, European Commission, Directorate for Education and Culture. Having spent his entire career in the service of European cooperation in education, Alan is something of an “eminence grise” in this field. He is one of the “fathers” of the Erasmus programme and was the founding director of the Academic Cooperation Association before he entered the European Commission services eleven years ago. Alan is now responsible for the development of a strategy for the worldwide promotion of European higher education, and of Erasmus Mundus in particular. ACA is also proud to announce, amongst others,

• Neil Kemp, former Director of Education UK at the British Council, UK;
• Deepak Pental, Delhi University, India;
• Piuyshi Kotecha, Higher Education South Africa;
• Onesmo Ole-MoiYoi, ICIPE, Kenya;
• Robert van Kan, Director, NESO Beijing, China;
• Rolf Hoffmann, Director of the German-American Fulbright Commission, Germany;
• Ulrich Teichler, INCHER, Kassel;
• Peter Scott, ACA President.

The deadline for early-bird registrations at a reduced rate is 19 May 2006 – if you have still not registered, you should not wait any longer. For more information on the theme, the programme and online registration, please go to http://www.aca-secretariat.be or contact the secretariat at info@aca-secretariat.be . Tel. +32 2 513 22 41 - Fax +32 2 513 17 76