IP/10/1109
Brussels, 10 September 2010
EU steps up academic co-operation with the USA and Canada
The European Commission and the governments of the USA and Canada will jointly invest €15 million on new transatlantic education partnerships involving 160 universities and training institutions and thousands of students on both sides of the Atlantic. The European Union will contribute €7.5m for the initiative, with €6m coming from the US and €1.5m from Canada. The funding will support student exchanges, joint degrees and better policy co-operation. The partnerships focus on a range of fields including energy efficiency, computing robotics, climate change, forestry management, languages and cinema studies. For the first time a transatlantic degree programme is established between the EU and Canada.
Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, said: "In today's globalised world, investment in education with an international dimension is more important than ever if we are to equip young people with the skills they need to succeed in the knowledge economy. I am delighted that we are taking our long-standing academic co-operation with the United States and Canada to an unprecedented level. This will enable us to support more joint projects which will benefit academics and students in both Europe and North America."
EU-US Atlantis Programme
The European Commission and the US Department of Education have launched 26 new projects under the Atlantis programme. These involve 105 universities and training institutions from the EU and the US. The European Commission and the US Department for Education each contribute €6m – an increase of 5% compared to last year.
The Atlantis Programme supports transatlantic joint or double degrees, with a new focus on entrepreneurship. This year's selected projects comprise:
Ten 'excellence in mobility' projects. Similar to the EU's Erasmus higher education exchange programme, these allow students to spend a term in a partner university.
Nine transatlantic degrees. Students spend a full academic year on the other side of the Atlantic.
Seven projects aimed at enhancing transatlantic collaboration through studies, seminars, working groups, and benchmarking exercises addressing higher education and vocational training.
New EU-Canada projects - first ever transatlantic degree
The European Commission and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) have jointly launched 10 new co-operation projects. These involve 55 universities and training institutions from the EU and Canada. The European Commission and HRSDC each contribute €1.5m – an increase of about 40% compared to 2009 and the most the EU has invested in joint academic projects with Canada.
These funds will support curriculum development and joint study or training programmes. Exchange students benefit from recognition of academic credits.
In 2010, for the first time, the EU and Canada have established a joint Transatlantic Forestry Master degree, which focuses on sustainable environmental management. It will involve universities from Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Finland as well as three universities from Canada.
To find out more:
Project factsheets: EU-Canada; EU-US
Google Maps showing current projects: EU-Canada; EU-US
European Commission: International co-operation in education and training: http://ec.europa.eu/education/international-cooperation
Annex:
ATLANTIS PROJECTS 2010 | ||
Transatlantic Degree Projects | ||
EU PARTNERS (* = lead institution) | US LEAD INSTITUTION | PROJECT TITLE |
UNIVERSITY OF PARMA (IT)* | NEW JERSEY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY | EU/US International Bachelor Degree in Engineering Management |
CZECH TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, PRAGUE (CZ)* | THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS | Transatlantic Dual Masters Degree Program in Transportation and Logistics Systems |
POLITECNICO DI MILANO (IT)* | DREXEL UNIVERSITY | Engineers As Global Leaders for Energy Sustainability |
UNIVERSITY OF MESSINA (IT)* | VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY | Transatlantic Degree Cinema and Language |
UNIVERSITY PIERRE-MENDES-FRANCE, GRENOBLE II (FR)* | CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHICO - CHICO RESEARCH FOUNDATION | A Transatlantic Dual Masters Degree in ICV |
HERTIE SCHOOL OF GOVERNANCE BERLIN (DE)* | SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY | Transatlantic Master in International Security & Development Policy |
UNIVERSITÉ DE STRASBOURG (FR)* | UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | International Dual Degree in Computing Robotics and Imaging for Surgery Platform Computer, Robotics for Surgery |
UNIVERSITY DEGLI STUDI DI CAGLIARI (IT)* | GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY | Geographic Information science for Environmental and Spatial Planning |
WARSAW SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES (PL)* | CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY STANISLAUS | Dual Master degree in Psychology with emphasis on Behaviour Analysis |
Excellence in Mobility Projects | ||
EU PARTNERS (* = lead institution) | US LEAD INSTITUTION | PROJECT TITLE |
UNIVERSITÀ DI MODENA E REGGIO EMILIA (IT)* | EL CAMINO COLLEGE | Globally Focused Inclusive Early Education |
MANAGEMENT CENTER INNSBRUCK (AT)* | SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY AT CARBONDALE | International Human Rights Certificate for Social Work |
UNIVERSIDAD DE JAÉN (ES)* | UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA | Engineering a New Global Environment |
HOCHSCHULE BREMEN (DE)* | THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON | Mobility Project to Advance the Transatlantic Business School Alliance |
JOHANN WOLFGANG GOETHE-UNIVERSITÄT FRANKFURT/M. (DE)* | UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-LA CROSSE | Sports Medical Athletic Therapist International Exchange |
MALMÖ UNIVERSITY (SE)* | GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY | Developing Globally Literate Teachers through Excellence in Mobility Projects |
ASTON UNIVERSITY, ASTON BUSINESS SCHOOL (UK)* | SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY | Cross Cultural Training for US and EU Students |
UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA PORTUGUESA (PT)* | UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO | International Mobility Program in Atlantic Citizenship Trends |
INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE LASALLE BEAUVAIS (FR)* | FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL & MECHANICAL UNIVERSITY | Meeting Consumer Needs for Safe High Quality Food Products |
KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN (BE)* | PARSONS THE NEW SCHOOL FOR DESIGN | Urbanisms of Inclusion: a Transatlantic Education Program |
Policy-oriented Measures | ||
EU PARTNERS (* = lead institution) | US LEAD INSTITUTION | PROJECT TITLE |
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF CORK (IE)* | SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY | Harmonizing Pharmacy Clinical Competency for Students and Professionals |
UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE (UK)* | NEW YORK CITY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY | Integration of Self-management and Palliation: Implications for Health policy and nursing education |
UNIVERSITY OF THE AEGEAN (EL)* | UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AT AMHERST | Policy Analysis for Complex Transport Systems |
UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND, BRISTOL (UK)* | VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY | Educating Planners for the New Challenges of Sustainability, Knowledge, and Governance |
TEESIDE UNIVERSITY (UK)* | IOWA UNIVERSITY | Evaluation and Modernisation of VET in Digital Creative Industries |
UNIVERSITATEA DUNAREA DE JOS DIN GALATI (RO)* | IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY | Tuning and Upgrading the Food Safety Education Curricula for BSc |
EU-CANADA PROJECTS 2010 | ||
Transatlantic Degree Partnerships | ||
EU PARTNERS (* = lead institution) | CANADIAN LEAD INSTITUTION | PROJECT TITLE |
ALBERT LUDWIGS UNIVERSITÄT FREIBURG (DE)* | UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK | Transatlantic Forestry Master |
Transatlantic Exchange Partnerships | ||
EU PARTNERS (* = lead institution) | CANADIAN LEAD INSTITUTION | PROJECT TITLE |
FREIE UNIVERSITÄT BERLIN (DE)* | UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO | Transatlantic Business Process Management Education Network |
OTTO VON GUERICKE-UNIVERSITÄT MAGDEBURG (DE)* | UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO | A Multicultural Exploration into Research and Education for Surface Computing |
HANZE UNIVERSITY GRONINGEN, UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (NL)* | NOVA SCOTIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | Energy Efficiency in the Built Environment |
UNIVERSITATEA TRANSILVANIA DIN BRASOV (RO)* | UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA | Managing and conserving forests for multiple values |
WATERFORD INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (IE)* | FANSHAWE COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY | Tradewinds Exchange Programme |
POHJOIS-KARJALAN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU (FI)* | COLLÈGE COMMUNAUTAIRE DU NOUVEAU-BRUNSWICK | BIO POWER: Transatlantic empowering the skills, knowledge and know-how in teaching and learning bio energy entrepreneurship |
UNIVERSITE DE BRETAGNE SUD (FR)* | UNIVERSITE DE MONCTON | Cross Atlantic Partnership in Network Systems and Information Management |
UNIVERSITY OF ORADEA (RO)* | UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA | Trans-Atlantic Network Established for Converting Brownfields Into Community Assets |
UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA (ES)* | UNIVERSITÉ LAVAL | Canadian and European Cities in Mega Regions: Planning for the Global World |
