News

A reflection on the evolution of higher education and research policies of the European Union, within the perspective of the Brexit vote

by Sir Timothy O’Shea
Principal University of Edinburgh

These are interesting times in Higher Education and Brexit, of course, poses a variety of new challenges for universities.
The University of Edinburgh is, and always will be, a truly global university…

Executive Board statement: university autonomy in Catalonia

The Coimbra Group Executive Board follows the political development in Catalonia with great concern, in particular with respect to the situation of Higher Education and Research Institutions, the University of Barcelona being a long-standing and valued member of the Coimbra Group of Universities. Hoping for a collaborative, reasoned solution to the overall situation, the Coimbra […]

Improving Erasmus+, extending our reach: the Coimbra Group at EAIE 2017

By Dorothy Kelly, Henri Luchian and Joaquim Ramos de Carvalho The Coimbra Group participated actively at the annual conference of the European Association for International Educational Education (EAIE), which took place in Seville in September. With over 6,000 participants from 95 countries, EAIE 2017 was an opportunity to engage with a wide audience in topics […]

CG High-Level Seminar for Rectors and Vice-Rectors on Education Policy

13-14 November 2017, Trinity College Dublin This event will bring together Rectors and Vice-Rectors of the 39 Coimbra Group universities as well as representatives of key stakeholders in higher education policy and in industry. The Dublin seminar continues the annual tradition of Coimbra Group high-level policy seminars addressing issues of key concerns in, alternately, education […]

A First Response from the CG to the Lamy Report

The Coimbra Group has published a first response to the “Lab-Fab-App” report on maximising the impact of EU R&I programme. In September 2016 Carlos Moedas, the EU Commissioner for research, science and innovation, mandated a 12-person high-level expert group led by former WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy to set out a vision on how to maximise […]

New Executive Board team

The first meeting of the Executive Board after the annual meeting in Edinburgh took place in Brussels. From right to left, bottom to top: Ludovic Thilly (EB Chair, University of Poitiers), Jürgen Barkhoff (EB Vice-Chair, Trinity College Dublin), Lenka Rovná (Charles University Prague), Joaquim Ramos de Carvalho (University of Coimbra), Daniel Donoghue (Durham University), Johnny […]

Coimbra Group stands with Barcelona and Turku

The Coimbra Group would like to express its strong solidarity with the citizens of Barcelona and of Turku and our three member universities, the Universities of Barcelona, Turku and Åbo Akademi. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go to the families of the victims. The Coimbra Group strongly condemns these acts of terror against innocent civilians […]

Turkey’s Syrian Youth and Higher Education

Our colleague from Istanbul University, Prof. Yeşim Özer, wrote a paper together with her colleagues, for the Turkish Higher Education Council on “Turkey’s Syrian Youth and Higher Education“. The paper focuses on Syrians in the Turkish higher education system and includes general information on Syrians’ inclusion into higher education in Turkey as well as Istanbul […]

Coimbra Group Position Paper on Erasmus+

The Coimbra Group contribution to the mid-term evaluation of the European Commission’s Erasmus+ Programme is published today on 23 May 2017. The Expert Group underlines both successes and challenges in the paper and draws attention to “The established and respected status of Erasmus+ in Europe (and beyond) [which] comes with responsibilities for this programme. No […]

CG supports Central European University in Budapest

The Coimbra Group has expressed its concern over the threat to academic freedom in the light of proposed reforms by the Hungarian Government and its support for the Central European University in Budapest. Read the letter… Regardless, the Hungarian Parliament voted 123 to 38 to adopt the authoritarian amendment on Tuesday afternoon, 4 April.  https://tinyurl.com/lfz2pp5  […]

Joint communication on H2020

The Coimbra Group and other European associations active in the policy areas of research and innovation have communicated with one voice on Horizon 2020 and the values and developments they wish to preserve and strengthen strong partnerships with the European and global research communities and policy-makers. The one overriding and important goal is to make […]

2017 Arenberg-Coimbra Group Prize for Erasmus Students

It is with great pleasure that we can announce the result of the work of the selection committee established by the Executive Board to assess the nominations from member universities for the Arenberg-Coimbra Group for Erasmus Students. The 2017 Laureate is Ms Aura Nikkilä from the University of Turku, who spent her Erasmus exchange period […]

National Stereotyping and Cultural Identities

‘National Stereotyping and Cultural Identities in recent European Crises’ – This is the topic under discussion at an international and interdisciplinary conference of the ‘Identities in Transformation’ College Research Theme in conjunction with the Coimbra Group Social Sciences and Humanities Working Group, taking place in Dublin, 9-11 March 2017. For more information please click here.

CG interim evaluation of Horizon 2020

The Coimbra Group has submitted a response to the European Commission’s interim evaluation of the Horizon 2020 programme: CG interim evaluation of Horizon 2020

Coimbra Group research policy seminar

On 27-28 October, the Coimbra Group held its third research policy seminar at the Venice International University on the island of San Servolo. The seminar was opened by President Yves Jean, the Honorary President of the Coimbra Group, and Rector Rosario Rizzuto on behalf of the University of Padova, one of the founders of the […]

Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Groningen

Professor Ben Feringa has won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Feringa has been a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Groningen since 1988 and his 1999 discovery of the ‘molecular motor’ – a light-driven rotary molecular motor – is widely recognized as a spectacular scientific breakthrough. Feringa has been awarded with many prizes […]

Coimbra Group expresses support for the statement issued by EUA on the situation in Turkey

The Executive Board of the Coimbra Group would like to express its support for the statement issued by the European University Association (EUA) on 19th July 2016 about the situation faced by the higher education community in Turkey: EUA Statement Following Friday’s coup attempt in Turkey the education sector, including the higher education sector, has been targeted, as […]

Poitiers Declaration signed by Rectors and Mayors

The Coimbra Group Rectors and Mayors met June 9 at Poitiers City Hall in order to discuss and sign the “Poitiers Declaration”. This document defines a collaborative framework for Coimbra Group Universities and their Municipalities, including a set of objectives and accompanying initiatives to be pursued in the coming years. Download the Poitiers Declaration

2016 Arenberg-Coimbra Group Prize awarded

On 10 June 2016 the Laureate, Ting-jung Chen, received her certificate from the Duke of Arenberg, during the Coimbra Group General Assembly. The award ceremony was hosted by the University of Poitiers. Read more

Coimbra Group signs Prague Declaration

The Chair of the Executive Board of the Coimbra Group Dorothy Kelly signed earlier this month the Prague Declaration, a document highlighting the importance of education in the current world, and the necessity to maintain and honour humanistic and democratic ideas and principles. Representatives of UNICA and EUROPAEUM have also gathered in Carolinum, the headquarters […]