Small countries discuss implications of having just one university
Ministers and university rectors from six European countries with only one university met in Luxembourg on 16 January for an informal exchange of views. Representatives from Iceland, Cyprus, Malta, Andorra, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg focused their talks on how to ensure the autonomy of their universities whilst guaranteeing that their programmes respond to economic and social objectives. Those present also compared different ways of working, and assessed to what extent their universities are multilingual, as well as the benefits that multilingualism has brought about. The financing of these institutions was also debated at the meeting. The objective of each university is to offer a high quality education and to create excellence in research. Finding a funding solution that enables these objectives to be met is the aim of all of these countries. The ministers in attendance are reported to have found the meeting fruitful, and the debate indispensable for finding solutions to questions which are not faced by countries hosting more than a single, national university. Discussions will continue at an autumn meeting in Andorra.
Countries
Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta