At a seminar discussing the European university reform, on 18 July 2006, former Commissioner for education, science and research, Ralf Dahrendorf, said that European universities have no higher education culture. "Everyday relations between research people are very formal and researchers tend more to compete with each other than to co-operate. University hierarchy is very strict and there are no research councils in the universities to stimulate innovation through co-operation," he said. According to him, a completely opposite situation and atmosphere prevails in the US and, to some extent, in the UK universities, with direct results on innovation.
A recent report on the state of European universities, authored by the Centre for European Reform, was discussed in the seminar, held at the British Council. The future of European universities: Renaissance or decay? pamphlet states that Europe's higher education institutions are slow-moving and under funded. Its recommendations to change the situation are in line with the Commission's communication on the issue: need for more money to R&D, improved quality of teaching, development of centres of excellence, closer links between education and business and more autonomy for universities.
Speaking at the seminar, Education Commissioner Figel identified lack of differentiation between European universities as a problem to be remedied. "Europe has no specialised universities dedicated, for example, to research on information technologies, environmental and climate change issues or alternative energy sources," pointed out the chairman of Centre for European Reform, Nick Butler.
Commissioner Figel also called for more debate on how to best improve financing of universities, which welcome ever increasing numbers of students with no increased budget. Generalised student fees was raised as a possible remedy to improve the situation. "We need to get the fees-debate to cross the channel from the UK and get the idea accepted elsewhere in Europe," said Professor Luc Soete from the Maastricht University. From September 2006 on, UK universities and colleges will be able to charge new students up to 4 400 euros a year for their courses.
