Higher education has been central to the European project since the beginning. The establishment of the European University Institute in Florence was first advocated at the Hague Conference in 1948. The Sorbonne Declaration (1998) promoted “a Europe of knowledge”, while the Bologna Declaration (1999) affirmed the importance of the free movement of students, faculty and workers across national boundaries.

On 18 January, the EU went even further when it published the European Strategy for Universities and the Council Recommendation on Building Bridges for Effective European Higher Education Cooperation, along with the Staff Working Document. Today the European Higher Education Area and the European Research Area comprise close to 5,000 higher education institutions, 17.5 million students, 1.35 million academics and 1.17 million researchers.

At a time when many parts of the world are embroiled in civil and political unrest – and intellectual and scientific endeavour and academic freedom are being challenged – the EU has put European values and European universities at the heart of its future. No more powerful statement – with its wide-ranging geopolitical implications – has been or can be made today.

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