Highlights from “Inclusive Excellence” – a Global Approach for European Higher Education?

On Wednesday, 11 May 2022, ACA and co-organisers VLUHR international, CZELO|DZS, DAAD, and HK-Dir, had the pleasure to host “Inclusive Excellence” - a Global Approach for European Higher Education? in Brussels and online. Thanks to contributions from 19 panellists with representation from the European Commission, stakeholder groups, HEIs, national funding agencies and students, we focused on the emerging concept of “inclusive excellence” in the context of the global dimension of the European Strategy for Universities and Erasmus + . 
 
Some of the main takeaways: 

• "Inclusive excellence" is an evolving concept - it should entail a broadening of the 'research excellence' paradigm, to cover excellence in teaching, a better leverage of Europe's own internal diversity, and a socially just approach to cooperation.
• European higher education institutions should position Europe more as a partner on equal footing (than a leader) when collaborating globally, especially with the global south.  
• In a shifting geopolitical context, there is a growing need to reach out even more to countries that do not fully share the same European, or, universal values, instead of closing the door to collaboration. This may be challenging, but collaboration should be possible in specific areas of common interest and mutual benefit, particularly to tackle global challenges, that cannot be solved through isolation.

Missed the seminar or want to rewatch one of the panels? Visit our event page to see recordings and pictures from the seminar, and subscribe to our Youtube channel! 

#ACA_InclusiveExcellence

Interested in more on this topic? Stay tuned in June, when ACA and its member organisations will publish a Reflection Paper to further elaborate on these ideas.