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Policy

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Organisations

European organisations with interest in the development of both postgraduate researchers and research staff.

Bologna Process Follow-up Group

The Bologna Process Follow-up Group is one of the groups involved decision making within the Bologna processes. Their role is to follow up on the recommendations made at the ministerial meetings. It produces a work programme of events, projects and working group activity on specific aspects of the Bologna Process. Countries are also free to pursue their own follow-up activities according to the ministerial communiqué.

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Eurodoc

Eurodoc is a Europe-wide federation of national researcher associations established in 2002 and represents doctoral researchers and early career research staff at a European level ‘in matters of education, research, and professional development.' The UK National Postgraduate Committee is a member.

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European Commission (EC)

One of the cornerstones of the European Union is the creation of a knowledge-based society across Europe. The European Commission is working jointly with member states, the scientific community and industry towards the creation of a "European Research Area" (ERA). Several themes relate to researchers.

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European Research Council

The European Research Council (ERC) supports investigator-driven frontier research.

Its main aim is ‘to stimulate scientific excellence by supporting and encouraging the very best, truly creative scientists, scholarsand engineersto be adventurous and take risks in their research. The scientists are encouraged to go beyond established frontiers of knowledge and the boundaries of disciplines.'

The ERC complements other funding activities in Europe such as those of the national research funding agencies, and is a flagship component of the 'Ideas Programme' of the European Union's Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7). 

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European Science Foundation

The European Science Foundation provides a common platform for its Member Organisations in order to:

  • advance European research
  • explore new directions for research at the European level.

Through its activities, the European Science Foundation serves the needs of the European research community in a global context.

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European Students Union (ESU)

European Students Union (ESU) (the new name for ESIB) is the national unions of students in Europe, an umbrella organisation of 49 national unions of students from 38 countries representing over 10 million students. The aim of ESU is to represent and promote the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of students at a European level.

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European University Association (EUA)

The European University Association, as the representative organisation of both the European universities and the national rectors' conferences, is the main voice of the higher education community in Europe.

The European University Association's mission is to promote the development of a coherent system of European higher education and research. It aims to achieve this through active support and guidance to its members as autonomous institutions in enhancing the quality of their teaching, learning and research as well as their contributions to society.

The European University Association has been active in looking at the issues for doctoral programmes wthin Europe.

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EUA Council for Doctoral Education (January 2008)

In January 2008, the European University Association formed the Council for Doctoral Education (EUA-CDE) in response to the growing demand from universities in Europe for a more structured approach to promote cooperation and exchange of good practice between doctoral schools and programmes in Europe.

The objectives of the new council include:

  • enhancing the quality of doctoral education in Europe by fostering debate and promoting the exchange and dissemination of good practice
  • encouraging and supporting the development of institutional policies and strategies as well as the introduction of effective leadership and management practices
  • strengthening the international dimension of doctoral programmes and research training through improved cooperation among its members and by establishing dialogue with partner organisations in other world regions
  • identifying and monitoring emerging trends in doctoral education inside and outside Europe
  • promoting the doctorate as a key professional qualification and underlining the importance of young researchers for a knowledge-based society.

Membership is open to all full members of EUA and also to non-member universities awarding doctoral degrees.

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Marie Curie Fellowships Association

Marie Curie Fellowships Association is the association of scientists who have once been awarded a Marie Curie fellowship or other European Community research training grant selected through a selection procedure.

A Marie Curie fellowship is a grant within a harmonised scheme under one of the European Research Directorate-General framework programmes to stimulate the training and mobility of researchers in the European Community.

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UUK Higher Education Europe Unit

UUK Higher Education Europe Unit is a sector-wide body that to raise awareness of the European issues affecting UK higher education and to coordinate the UK's involvement in European initiatives and debates. It was launched in January 2004 and is jointly funded by:

The aim of the Europe Unit is: "to strengthen the position of the UK higher education sector in debates on the Bologna Process and EU policy."

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UK Higher Education International Unit

The UK HE International Unit has been established to coordinate, promote and undertake activities designed to support UK higher education institutions in a globally competitive world.

The unit is funded by:

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UK Research Office

The UK Research Office (UKRO) is the UK's leading information and advice service on European Union funding for research and higher education. It is jointly funded by the Research Councils and receives subscriptions from over 150 research organisations, principally in the UK.

UKRO's mission is to promote effective UK participation in EU-funded research programmes, higher education programmes, and other related activities by:

  • supporting sponsors and subscribers through early insight and briefing on developments in European programmes and policies
  • disseminating timely and targeted information on EU funding opportunities
  • providing high quality advice, guidance and training on applying for and managing EU projects
  • exchanging information between the UK research and higher education community, the Institutions of the European Union, and other countries participating in EU programmes.

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FP7 Marie curie Actions (January 2007)

In 2007, UK GRAD and UKRO produced a briefing paper that highlights the opportunities of the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme(FP7)

The new framework programme started on 1 January 2007 will run for seven years and has a total budget is EUR 50.521 billion.

The programme of most interest to the vitae network is the People programme - the ‘Marie Curie Actions' (MCA), dedicated to researchers' career development. This programme has a budget of more than EUR 4.7 billion over the seven-year period, a 50% rise compared to the sixth Framework Programme.

See 'European policy publications' to download FP7 Marie Curie Actions Jan 07.

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