EUA activities are characterised by a focus on peer-to-peer learning and the promotion of innovative practice. With over 850 member institutions in 47 countries, EUA is best placed to bring together institutional leaders and other higher education and research professionals to offer a truly unique European perspective (http://www.eua.be/eua-membership-and-services/Home/join-eua.aspx).
As a centre of expertise in higher education and research, EUA supports universitiesby:
- promoting European policies that will strengthen universities’ role in the development of Europe’s knowledge society,
- influencing key decision makers at all levels,
- informing members about policy debates impacting their development,
- developing universities’ knowledge and expertise through projects that involve and benefit individual institutions while also underpinning policy development,
- strengthening the governance, leadership and management of institutions through mutual learning, exchange of experience and the transfer of best practices, and
- enhancing the international dimension of undergraduate and graduate programmes and research training through improved cooperation among its members and in particular by establishing dialogue with partner organisations in other world regions.
The principles to determine the research and innovation strategies to meet the demands of European universities and Europe of Knowledge are as follows:
Universities should;
- have basic research,
- give special importance to researcher education, ,
- be aware of the fact that they are research institutions that stand as an integral line between education and research,
- have disciplinary research and create an interdisciplinary work environment,
- be the knowledge centres that create, keep and transfer knowledge for social and economic prosperity,
- have an active role in knowledge transfer with an innovative approach,
- Have a tendency to collaborate and communicate intensively with other universities and sectors.