Exclusive"Education will climb higher on the European political agenda" (Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, DG EAC)

"I expect that education will climb higher on the political agenda, as it has become a critical strategic priority across EU member states. This is reflected in the new Political Guidelines presented on 18/07/2024 by Ursula von der Leyen, the reelected President of the next Commission", says Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, DG of DG EAC at the European Commission to News Tank on 27/08/2024.

According to her, as the European Universities Initiative is one of the key flagships of the Commission, it is important to maintain continuity in the Investment Pathway, which "is crucial. Indeed, the new Political Guidelines highlight the importance of strengthened collaboration between research departments, higher education and business via alliances. They need considerable funding and pooling of resources, and a single funding source won't suffice".

FP10 is seen as a possible source of funds to encourage synergies between programmes: "Success depends on how effectively we enhance the research dimension of these alliances, which already spans the full spectrum of higher education. We could focus on…