Позитивные изменения. Том 3, № 3 (2023). Positive changes. Volume 3, Issue 3 (2023)

TURNING VISION INTO REALITY

“Universities need academic freedom, institutional autonomy, sufficient and sustainable funding and efficient support for collaboration. To face the challenges of this decade, it is critical that Europe’s universities are equipped to make decisions about the paths they want to pursue in order to best fulfil their missions in service to society,” the authors state.

According to the document, making this vision a reality will depend on three factors:

1. Enabling frameworks that strengthen and protect university autonomy in its various dimensions. These include supporting universities in their continuous development and including clear and consistent provisions guaranteeing scholars and students the rights that constitute academic freedom. The frameworks need to consider the needs of science, for example in copyright and data protection regulation, and support transnational collaboration among Europe’s universities.

2. Adequate investments in order to meet the challenges of the new decade. Financial autonomy must be strengthened to enable the university to take strategic decisions and foster institutional profiling. Additional investments in infrastructure, both physical and digital, as well as in academic and professional staff, will be crucial.

3. Strong leadership that needs to be inclusive and transparent in its decisionmaking. Current and future leaders must have support for the development of their leadership skills. The strategy also emphasizes the importance of professionalization of staff in all areas of university management.