A future European degree must not favour studies in ¡°critical technology areas¡± at the expense of the humanities, sector leaders have .

In March, the European Commission unveiled a ¡°blueprint¡± for the creation of an international European degree, proposing that the qualification take one of two forms: students completing joint degree programmes could receive an additional ¡°European degree label certificate¡±, or multiple universities could jointly award a new qualification known as a European degree.

The degree should be ¡°based on a set of common criteria agreed at European level¡±, the commission advised, listing among those criteria an emphasis on student mobility, relevance to the labour market and the promotion of ¡°European values¡± including democracy, multilingualism and inclusivity.

In a response to the blueprint, the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities cautioned that the European degree should not become a funding mechanism for programmes in ¡°critical technology areas¡±, but must also support study in social sciences and humanities, while participating universities must ¡°retain institutional autonomy in the choice of disciplines and curricula design¡±.

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¡°The European degree needs to put more emphasis on the interlinkage between new technologies and social sciences, arts and humanities,¡± the guild said.

Addressing the commission¡¯s reference to ¡°European values¡±, the umbrella body commented, ¡°We should insist on the idea that values are global, as is the quest for new understanding and insight.¡± This perspective, the guild said, is ¡°especially relevant when attracting global talent to Europe¡±.

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The university group raised questions about the two proposed routes to a European degree, noting that it was ¡°not obvious¡± how the qualification could exist as both an additional certificate and as a degree in its own right.

The guild also touched on the commission¡¯s emphasis on student mobility, calling for increased funding for the Erasmus+ programme in order to realise this goal. ¡°If this is to become reality, we must avoid a situation where universities compete for the already limited Erasmus+ budget,¡± the group said.

In a statement, Ole Petter Ottersen, the guild¡¯s acting secretary-general, said a European degree could result in ¡°more seamless cooperation at the European level¡±, while stressing that ¡°a more tightly knit European academic community should not detract from our global engagement but rather serve as a springboard for an even stronger engagement with global partners.¡±

Jo Angouri, deputy pro vice-chancellor for education and internationalisation at the University of Warwick, a guild member, described the creation of European degrees as ¡°a chance to bring real value added for the sector by simplifying process and cutting red tape in [quality assurance] frameworks¡±.

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¡°The European degree agenda offers a rare prospect to accomplish objectives beyond the reach of existing designs. We should not let this chance slip away,¡± Professor Angouri added.

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com