ELDR Focus Year

Just a month after a LYMEC seminar on the topic of “Education as a location factor”, where we tackled the problems of competitiveness, flexibility and efficiency of current education systems in Europe, European Parliament adopted a resolution for the modernisation of Europe's universities. The Report primarily emphasises the need for closer cooperation between business and the academic world, a link recognised by LYMEC as crucial for the further development of the higher education system in Europe.

The President of LYMEC, Alexander Plahr states: “Closer cooperation between companies and education system on different levels such as scholarships for students, redesign of the curriculum and investments and cooperation in the field of research will increase European competitiveness and get us a step closer to Europe 2020 targets and goals set in the EU Growth and Jobs strategy.”

LYMEC Bureau member Vedrana Gujić comments: “The Resolution, among others, suggests the establishment of a European Industrial PhD Scheme co-financed by the EU, a proposal put forward by ALDE MEP Morten Løkkegaard. Such a scheme would promote cooperation between universities and businesses and increase mobility by allowing an employee in a company in one member state to take a PhD at a university in another country.

LYMEC warmly welcomes the proposal of PhD cross-border cooperation between industry and the universities, as it combines our expectations of efficient European knowledge triangle: ‘research - education - innovation’ and functional 5th European freedom - free movement of knowledge.”