Dangerous Words and Dangerous Silences: Positioning Europe at the Edge of War

Speeches/Talks (2022)

Wars never happen ‘just like that’ or ‘out of the blue’. They are the culmination of complex processes that span years and sometimes even decades. In his art, Maxim Kantor has addressed the threat ... [more ▼]

Wars never happen ‘just like that’ or ‘out of the blue’. They are the culmination of complex processes that span years and sometimes even decades. In his art, Maxim Kantor has addressed the threat embodied by the apparently seamless transition from Soviet Union to the Russian Federation and guided democracy, and his position has always been unmistakeable: Vladimir Putin and the system that produced him are, and always were, dangerous. Now more than ever, choosing the right words matters, and speaking them in situations where we would rather be silent endows the statements we make with a renewed and uncomfortable sense of moral and political weight. Understanding the circumstances that led to the Russian invasion of Ukraine requires a thoughtful engagement with historical narratives and the perspectives they present. Words are central to this process. As we choose what to say and what not to say, we contribute to the discourses that will shape the political order of tomorrow. The discussion will be centred around a selection of paintings by Maxim Kantor, each illustrating or addressing themes or aspects of the current war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine and its impacts on human rights in Eastern Europe and beyond. Students will prepare and present discussion questions. [less ▲]

Luxembourg and the European Union

in Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics (2021)

Taking Stock of the Bologna Process at 20: The Possibilities and Limits of Soft Law Governance

in Curaj, Adrian; Deca, Ligia; Pricopie, Remus (Eds.) European Higher Education Area: Challenges for a New Decade (2020)

Taking Stock of the Bologna Process at 20: The Possibilities and Limits of Soft Law Governance

Scientific Conference (2019)

The Bologna Process stands as both an exemplar of regional cooperation in the higher education policy sector and as a comparatively successful instance of the use of so-called ‘soft law governance’ policy ... [more ▼]

The Bologna Process stands as both an exemplar of regional cooperation in the higher education policy sector and as a comparatively successful instance of the use of so-called ‘soft law governance’ policy instruments. Yet, as this pan-European process now marks two decades of existence, questions are increasingly being posed as to its direction and purpose. Against this background, the present paper seeks to take stock of Bologna as it enters adulthood, drawing on both the substantial body of scholarship that has emerged on the process and practitioner insights to examine its past achievements and current challenges. The paper specifically focuses on recent debates surrounding the (non-)implementation of key commitments; on the functioning of the EHEA as a policy forum in relation to both its own membership and the wider international higher education policy landscape; and on the manner in which the EHEA may respond to increasingly serious challenges to the fundamental values that underpin the process. An overall balance sheet is finally drawn, suggesting the likely direction(s) of the process going forward. [less ▲]

Higher Education Systems and Institutions, Luxembourg

in Shin, J.C.; Teixeira, P. (Eds.) Encyclopedia of International Higher Education Systems and Institutions (2018)

Bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany, Luxembourg is one of the three main seats of the European Union’s institutions. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg sits at the crossroads between Europe’s Germanic and ... [more ▼]

Bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany, Luxembourg is one of the three main seats of the European Union’s institutions. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg sits at the crossroads between Europe’s Germanic and Francophone language communities. The country has experienced remarkable migratory flows, resulting in an ethnically hyper-diverse and multilingual population. Reflecting this cultural diversity, the educational system at all levels emphasizes language learning. Historically an agrarian society, a century ago it developed a very strong steelmaking industry and over the past decades has witnessed extraordinary growth in its financial services sector. Established to broaden the economic bases of the country, thus reducing overreliance on the steel and banking industries, yet against considerable pecuniary and ideological resistance, the national flagship University of Luxembourg (UL) was founded in 2003 upon initiative of a small group of elite decisionmakers. As a private, government-dependent institution (établissement public) directed by a Board of Governors (Conseil de Gouvernance), the university’s major funding is provided by the state, although its third-party funding has increased rapidly and substantially. Ironically, while spatial mobility is everywhere supported, Luxembourg has invested considerable capital and strategic planning in establishing its own national university. It aims to compete globally by concentrating its intellectual and financial resources and by building on the country’s strengths and priorities. The state took this ambitious step in scientific capacity-building in founding a research-oriented university, in so doing also providing a stay-at-home alternative for Luxembourg’s youth, traditionally educated abroad. The long-standing custom of educating elites in other countries was ostensibly justified by the establishment of cosmopolitan, Europe-wide networks. Today, rising international competition and supranational coordination have increased pressure on Luxembourg to grow its higher education system and thus also foster educational and scientific innovation. The University provides a means to diversify the economy and to integrate citizens from diverse cultural background, while the polity remains dominated by local elites. Oriented towards the Grand Duchy’s unique context—small size, but simultaneously flourishing center of European governance and international business—the University was founded upon the principles of internationality, multilingualism, and interdisciplinarity. [less ▲]

A "Flagship University" for Luxembourg?

Article for general public (2017)

The Governance of Post-Secondary Education Systems in British Columbia and Ontario: Path Dependence and the Provincial Policy Process

Scientific Conference (2016, June 02)

This paper examines the coordination of post-secondary education systems by provincial governments in British Columbia and Ontario as an area of “pure” provincial policy-making. The argument is developed ... [more ▼]

This paper examines the coordination of post-secondary education systems by provincial governments in British Columbia and Ontario as an area of “pure” provincial policy-making. The argument is developed in two broad stages. First, developments in the 1960s are examined as representing a “critical juncture” in which differing system architectures are shown to have taken shape in response to similar demographic pressures for a major expansion of post-secondary provision. Second, later attempts at reform are examined, demonstrating in both cases the relatively “sticky” character of the institutional settlements established in the 1960s. An interlocking pattern of institutional and intra-provincial local/regional resistance has created strong path dependent logics of development in both provinces. The paper concludes with a discussion of recent reform efforts in Ontario, potentially marking a new “critical juncture” in contrast to a relative quiescence in the case of BC. [less ▲]

The OECD and Higher Education Policy: Bureaucratic Politics and the Dynamics of Agenda-Setting

Scientific Conference (2015, July 08)

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) appeared poised, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, to assume a significant role on the international higher education policy landscape ... [more ▼]

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) appeared poised, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, to assume a significant role on the international higher education policy landscape. The Paris-based international organisation, deploying its classic mix of governance instruments privileging cross-national comparison and the forging of a shared policy understanding, seemed to be strategically positioning itself in response to the growing internationalisation of the sector. Many in the higher education community, indeed, saw it as one of the major drivers of a neo-liberal agenda. Yet, in recent years, the OECD appears substantially to have withdrawn from the sector. Its flagship AHELO (Advanced Higher Education Learning Outcomes) initiative has failed to progress, while the organisation has also not proven able to sustain a broader portfolio of activities in the area. The present paper seeks to understand this paradoxical retrenchment, using a ‘bureaucratic politics’ approach that focuses on the understanding of organisational structures and processes. Both the organisation’s general policy drift in the higher education area and the more specific case of the apparent failure of AHELO are examined in detail. Lessons are drawn in terms of the dynamics of agenda-setting within the organisation, as well as in relation to the framing of policy issues by wider higher education stakeholder communities at the international level. [less ▲]

Europeanisation

in Lambert Abdelgwad, Elisabeth; Michel, Hélène (Eds.) Dictionary of European Actors (2015)

Europeanization, Internationalization and Higher Education Reforms in Central and Eastern Europe

in European Journal of Higher Education (2015), 5(1),