UNICA ACTIVITY REPORT

Transcription

1 President s Report UNICA ACTIVITY REPORT ACADEMIC YEAR UNICA YEAR IN NUMBERS o 11 UNICA meetings and workshops brought together more than 340 participants o UNICA website has on average attracted 11,000 different visitors per month (an increase of 5,000 from the previous year) and counted more than 3,700 page views per day o 7 UNICA member universities hosted conferences & study visits in the framework of the Higher Education Reform III EC Service Contract o Virtual Community for Higher Education Experts brings together more than 1,000 users o UNICA Secretariat hosted 5 trainees from 4 UNICA member universities

2 CONTENTS 1. UNICA AS A EUROPEAN ACTOR page 3 2. UNICA AND INTERNATIONALISATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION page 9 3. UNICA MEETINGS: JOINED-UP THINKING FOR A JOINT SUCCESS page UNICA GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS page GETTING THE MESSAGE THROUGH page CONCLUSIONS & THANKS page 18 Editors: Contributions: Stavros A. Zenios, UNICA President Kris Dejonckheere, UNICA Secretary General Marta Wasowska, Communication Officer Eva Reina, Project Manager Giorgio Marinoni, Project Manager Layout: Marta Wasowska, Communication Officer Contact: UNICA Secretariat, C/o University Foundation, Rue d Egmont 11, B-1000 Brussels, BELGIUM 2 UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013

3 1. UNICA AS A EUROPEAN ACTOR Our responsibility as a Network is to make sure that the views and recommendations voiced by member Universities are given prominence in the process of shaping policies and programmes for European higher education and research. Acknowledging the importance of communication and the mutual exchange of knowledge and experience with other key higher education stakeholders on the European level, UNICA attaches great importance on the cooperation with other European HE institutions, such as European University Association (EUA) and EUA Council for Doctoral Education. We seek to foster the visibility of the Network on the European scene by participating in and implementing EC-funded projects. UNICA develops new projects together with its member Universities and supports the dissemination of the results of projects coordinated by its members. EC PROJECTS Recap on the Higher Education Reform III > Information Project on Higher Education Reform III (Europe 2020 and Bologna Process) - Service Contracts signed with the Directorate-General for Education and Culture (DG EAC) and the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Consortium: UNICA and Brussels Education Services. Project period: EAC : 15/12/ /06/2013, EACEA : 20/12/ /12/2013. Total grant: ,74, UNICA share: ,04, Aim: Assisting institutional implementation of reforms in Higher Education through materials, case studies, Virtual Community website and training seminars for National Teams of Bologna Experts and HE Reform Experts as well as other professionals involved in the modernisation of HE such as: Heads of Institutions, Institutional Bologna Coordinators, Teachers, Student Unions, Policy Makers and other interested parties. Website: Within the framework of Contract, UNICA organised 3 Higher Education Reform Conferences (180 participants each), 4 TEMPUS Thematic Seminars and 4 University Study Visits for HER experts from TEMPUS countries. UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013 3

4 3 UNICA member universities hosting HER III Conferences: 1. Putting Bucharest's Conclusions on Track: the Experts' Role, Vilnius University, Lithuania, 4-6 June 2012 ( 2. Research-based Education: Strategy and Implementation, Eötvös Loránd University Budapest, Hungary, 5-7 November 2012 ( 3. Cross-border Education, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, April 2013 ( 4 Study visits at UNICA member Universities for Higher Education Reform Experts from TEMPUS countries: 1. Diversification of Funding, Autonomy and Strategic Planning at Universities, University of Vienna and University of Applied Sciences FH Campus Wien, Austria, April 2012 ( 2. University-Business Cooperation, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, 2 3 October 2012 ( 3. Student Support Services, King s College London, UK, January Developing Academic Programmes in English: The Key to Internationalisation? Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, May 2013 ( 4 Thematic seminars in TEMPUS countries with the participation of experts from UNICA member universities: 1. University Business Cooperation, Holon, Israel, May 2012 ( 2. Research-Based Education at BA, MA and PhD level, Yerevan, Armenia, 9 10 July 2012 ( 3. Organisation and Profile of Doctoral Studies, Jounieh, Mont Liban, Lebanon, 4 5 March 2013 (kaslik2013.bolognaexperts.net) 4. Diversification of Funding, Autonomy and Strategic Planning at Universities, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, September 2013 (bishkek2013.bolognaexperts.net) 4 UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013

5 Completed EC Projects (UNICA as Partner) >UMEI: "Universités du Maghreb: Enseignement inclusif" (Maghreb Universities: Inclusive Education) under Tempus programme; Project period: October 3, October 2, 2013, 2 years); Aim: Improving the access to universities in the Maghreb for 3 target groups of students with special needs (related to economic insecurity, geographical origin or disability); Consortium: Erasmushogeschool Brussel (Coordinator), UNICA, Vrije U. Brussel, Comenius U. Bratislava (both UNICA members), U. Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Erasmus Student Network, U. de Santiago de Compostela, Compostela Group, U. Paul-Valéry (Montpellier III), European Access Network, Fontys/ Opleidingscentrum Speciale Onderwijszorg, U. Hassan II Mo Hammedia Casabalanca, U. Ibn Zohr, Association de développement local méditerranéen, Association Louis Braille, U. de Sousse, U. de Sfax, U. Mentouri Constantine, U. de Béjaïa, U. Aboubekr Belkaid; UNICA s role: Dissemination & Quality Assessment; Website: sumei/ Ongoing EC Projects (UNICA as Partner) > EGRACONS: European GRading CONversion System Practical Approach to Improving ECTS Implementation in Europe; under Lifelong Learning: Erasmus Multilateral Projects; Project period: 1/10/ /9/2014 (2 years); Aim: Developing a user-friendly web-based tool for grade conversion that will be made available to all European HEIs on a voluntary basis enabling a transparent interpretation of students' accomplishments; Consortium: U. Ghent (Coordinator), UNICA, Sapienza U. of Rome, U. of Lausanne, Vilnius U., U. of Warsaw (all 4 UNICA members), Santander Group, U. de Liège; U. of Rouen, U. of Leon, U. of Gothenburg, U. of Essex, Justus Liebig U. Giessen, Stichting Hoger Onderwijs Nederland, Den Haag; UNICA's role: WP leader: Dissemination; UNICA share: 13,813 (Total grant: 400,000); Website: UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013 5

6 >EM-ACE: Promoting Erasmus Mundus Towards European Students: Activate, Communicate, Engage under Erasmus Mundus Action 3: National Structures; Project period: 01/09/ /08/2015 (3 years); Aim: By tailoring the promotion of Erasmus Mundus towards European students, the project has as its final objective an increase of both quantity and quality of received applications for Erasmus Mundus study programmes; Consortium: Sapienza U. of Rome (Coordinator), UNICA, Campus France, The Knowledge Partnership, Erasmus Mundus Alumni Association; UNICA's role: Coordinator of WP 2: Developing Promotional Material and WP4: Promotional Campaign; UNICA's share: ,63 EUR Website: www. em-ace.eu >Be-Twin 2: ECVET-ECTS - Building Bridges and Overcoming Differences, continuation of the Be-Twin project under Leonardo da Vinci: Multilateral Projects for the Transfer of Innovation (TOI); Project period: 01/10/ /09/2014 (2 years); Aim: Adapting the methodology developed previously within the Be-Twin project; Consortium: Centro Produttivita Veneto (Coordinator); UNICA, Regione Veneto Direzione Formazione, Ufficio Scolastico Regionale per il Veneto, FONDAZIONE CRUI per e Università Italiane CCIP, Chambre de commerce et d industrie de Paris, 3s research laboratory, Fachhochschule Technikum Wien Höhere; Technische Bundeslehr- und Versuchsanstalt St.Pölten; Albeda College; KCH Services; UNICA's role: Coordinator of WP3: Adaptation of Methodology (together with experts from Charles University in Prague); UNICA share: EUR 11,968; Website: >GENOVATE: Gender Equality Action Plan (under FP7) Project period: 4 years; Aim: Ensuring equal opportunities for women and men at universities by encouraging a more gender-aware management in research and scientific bodies of HE institutions; Consortium: U. of Bradford (Coordinator) U. Complutense de Madrid, Ankara U. (both UNICA members), Federico II U. of Naples, U. College Cork, Trnava U. UNICA s role: Dissemination; Member of International Advisory Board. Website: 6 UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013

7 UNICA AND EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATION UNICA, member of the EUA s Council for Doctoral Education organizes UNICA PhD MASTER CLASSES: Prof. Melita Kovačević, Vice-Rector, University of Zagreb and Chair of the EUA-CDE, has been Member of the UNICA PhD MASTER CLASS Organising Committee. Mrs Alexandra Bitusikova, EUA-CDE Senior Adviser, was part of the Experts Team at the 2013 MASTER CLASS edition: How Does Globalisation Affect Supervision?, CAAS University of Zagreb, Dubrovnik, 1-4 September Informal UNICA Rectors meeting took place in the framework of the EUA Annual Conference: European Universities Global Engagement, Ghent University, Belgium, April Elizabeth Colucci, EUA Programme Manager, presented the outcomes of the project "Access to Success: Fostering Trust and Exchange between Europe and Africa" at the 4th UNICA-Santander Group-Compostela Group Workshop: Exploring academic collaboration between European and Sub-Saharan Universities, University of Kent - Brussels Campus, 4 June Lesley Wilson, EUA Secretary General, gave a keynote speech at the UNICA Rectors Seminar: The balance of responsibilities: University and Society in securing financial stability of higher education, in the framework of the 125th founding anniversary celebrations of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, September During a meeting organized by UNICA in Brussels, 2 July 2013, Lesley Wilson (EUA Secretary General), Inge Knudsen (Secretary General, Coimbra Group), Sinead O'Gorman (Director, Scholars At Risk Europe), and Kris Dejonckheere (UNICA Secretary General) discussed possible joint efforts in promoting academic freedom. Luciano Saso (Deputy Rector for International Mobility Sapienza University of Rome, Member of UNICA Steering Committee and Chair of the UNICA-MED group) and Kris Dejonckheere (UNICA Secretary General) attended the Euro-Arab Conference on Higher Education, organized by EUA together with the Association of Arab Universities (AARU), University of Barcelona, May Luciano Saso and Eva Reina (Project Manager, UNICA Secretariat) took part in a planning meeting for AECHE (a new platform for EU-Arab cooperation driven by University UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013 7

8 of Barcelona and supported by AARU and EUA), Boğaziçi University, September PARTICIPATION IN OTHER ORGANISATIONS' ACTIVITIES UNICA Secretary General Kris Dejonckheere attended ACA 20th Anniversary Conference: Internationalisation and international mobility. Where do we stand, where are we heading?, The Hague, 9-11 June 2013 Katerina Nikolaidou (Head of Communications, University of Cyprus, Chair of UNICA PR & Communication Group) and Marta Wasowska (Communication Officer, UNICA Secretariat) chaired a workshop Looking beyond the corporate identity manual helping to create ambassadors of goodwill at the EUPRIO Conference: Students, alumni and staff the best university brand ambassadors, U. of Kent, June. The workshop presented the main conclusions of the 2 nd and 3 rd UNICA PR & Communication Workshops. UNICA at the 25 th EAIE Conference: Weaving the future of global partnerships, Istanbul, September representatives from 12 UNICA universities gathered at an informal UNICA meeting during the 25th EAIE Conference. As in previous years, the meeting provided an occasion to brainstorm about the topics and format of the next IRO meeting and discuss UNICA's current activities. The programme of the 2013 EAIE Conference also 3 UNICA sessions: Session How to promote the mobility of students with disabilities: Perspectives from Europe and the USA European Higher Education institutions and networks promoting academic freedom The uneven path to a joint degree: how to correctly pave the way Speakers & Chairs Chair: Eva Reina, UNICA Secretariat Speakers: Trine Kvernmo, University of Oslo International Education Office, Norway; Michele Scheib, Mobility International USA; Agnes Sarolta Fazekas, Erasmus Student Network Hungary, Hungary Chair: Antoinette Charon Wauters, University of Lausanne, Switzerland Speakers: Marit Egner, University of Oslo, Norway; Sinead O'Gorman, Scholars at Risk, New York University, USA; Herbert Grieshop, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany Chair: Raimonda Markeviciene, Vilnius University, Office of International Relations, Lithuania Speakers: Trine Kvernmo, University of Oslo International Education Office, Norway; Mattea Capelli, Università di Roma la Sapienza, Italy; Hsiao-Wei Yuan, National Taiwan University, Taiwan (ROC) 8 UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013

9 Luciano Saso (Deputy Rector for International Mobility Sapienza University of Rome, Member of UNICA Steering Committee) and Antoinette Charon- Wauters (Head of International Relations, Université de Lausanne) represented UNICA at the Magna Charta Observatory Annual Conference (in the framework of the 25th anniversary of the Magna Charta Universitatum) Universities, Students and Societies - Connecting Academic Freedom and Creative Cities, Bologna, September 2013 and took part in the session Universities and cities: fostering creative learning environments. 2. UNICA AND INTERNATIONALISATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION One of the key messages of the European Commission's Communication "European higher education in the world" is that "European universities have to think global". UNICA seeks to support its members in developing comprehensive international strategies and international partnerships and provide a forum for discussion on internationalisation of Higher Education. In this context, through Higher Education Reform III Service Contract and other European-funded projects, we began to involve UNICA members in activities aimed at building institutional capacity and orienting education systems of the third countries to the best practices of the European Higher Education Area. At the same time, UNICA endeavours to meet the needs of UNICA members to exchange experiences and best practices in collaboration with third countries. The recent meetings are a response to these demands. "A comprehensive internationalisation strategy should cover key areas (...): international student and staff mobility; internationalisation and improvement of curricula and digital learning; and strategic cooperation, partnerships and capacity building. These categories should not be seen as isolated but as integrated elements of a comprehensive strategy." EC Comunication: European higher education in the world International cooperation & promotion of European HE through European schemes - Higher Education Reform III Service Contract, projects EM-ACE: Promoting Erasmus Mundus Towards European Students: Activate, Communicate, Engage and UMEI: Maghreb Universities: Inclusive Education (see pages 3-6) UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013 9

10 UNICA meetings addressing international cooperation (see pages 11 & 13) - 4th UNICA-Santander-Compostela Joint Workshop: Exploring academic collaboration between European and Sub-Saharan universities, Brussels, 4 June 2013 (see page 12) - 4th UNICA PhD MASTER CLASS: How Does Globalisation Affect Doctoral Supervision?, Centre for Advanced Academic Studies of the University of Zagreb, Dubrovnik, 1-4 September Gilles Breton, former Vice-Rector for International Relations (University of Ottawa, Canada), was one of the 4th UNICA PhD MASTER CLASS Experts (see page 12) - UNICA IRO meeting 2013, Université Libre de Bruxelles/Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 7-8 May 2013 (see page 11) - 7th UNICA meeting for EU Research Liaison Officers, Tallinn U./Tallinn U. of Technology, November 2012 with a training Getting Ready for Horizon 2020 by Dr Sean McCarthy from Hyperion Ltd (see page 13) - 8th UNICA meeting for EU Research Liaison Officers, University of Warsaw, October 2013 (see page 13) - UNICA-MED Working Group seeks to develop new cooperation policies and strategies for internationalisation and modernisation of university research, education and administration in the Southern Mediterranean area. Following the discussions at the UNI- CA General Assembly 2012 and the parallel discussion meeting on UNICA-MED, UNICA organised a 1-day working meeting on 15 March in Brussels which aimed at the further development of the UNICA-MED initiative and the preparation of the Rectors Seminar "UNICA and the Southern Mediterranean: Sharing, Learning, Cooperating" (in the framework of the UNICA General Assembly, Sapienza University of Rome in cooperation with University of Rome "Tor Vergata" and Roma Tre University, 7-9 November 2013) UNICA-Scholars At Risk Together with Scholars At Risk, UNICA organised the 1 st UNICA-SAR Workshop on Academic Freedom, Freie Universität, Berlin March 2013 (see page 14). The experiences of UNICA members engaged in promoting academic freedom were also presented at the session "European Higher Education institutions and networks promoting academic freedom" during the 25th EAIE Conference: Weaving the future of global partnerships, Istanbul, September 2013 Preparation of the Criteria for engagements outside the European area Following the trends reflected in the Erasmus Plus objectives and clearly articulated in the EC Communication "European Higher Education in the World", the UNICA Steering Committee prepared the Criteria for engagements outside the European area, policy document on UNICA s international outreach. After consultations with UNICA members, the document is presented at the UNICA General Assembly UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013

11 3. JOINED-UP THINKING FOR JOINT SUCCESSES: UNICA MEETINGS & ACTIVITIES In the past year, UNICA organized a wide range of events within the UNICA clusters of activities. The majority of them were initiated by UNICA members. UNICA greatly appreciates these initiatives, which help the Network enhance its added value and to tailor the events' programmes according to the specific interests and concerns of the university communities. In the academic year 2012/2013, evaluation surveys have been conducted for 10 UNICA events. On average, 86,6% of respondents appreciated the quality of the meetings' content, and 80% declared that they would use the gained knowledge in their institutions. INTERNATIONALISATION & MOBILITY UNICA CP/IRO meeting 2012 in the framework of the UNICA General Assembly 2012, U. of Cyprus, 26 October 2013 UNICA IRO meeting 2013, U. Libre de Bruxelles/Vrije U. Brussel, 7-8 May 2013, brought together 54 representatives of from 28 UNICA universities. It focused on updates on Erasmus+, university internationalisation strategies and innovative ways of international cooperation of UNICA universities. Preparation of the IRO meeting 2014, Ankara University, 5-6 May UNICA at the 25 th EAIE Conference: Weaving the Future of Global Partnerships, Istanbul Congress Centre, September 2013 (see page 8). Preparation of the UNICA Student Conference 2014: Make it Happen! Student Action Plan, Université de Lausanne, 8-11 October International PR and Communication The 3rd UNICA PR & Communication Workshop: Added Value of a University PR & Communication Officer, University of Cyprus, April 2013, offered 17 participants from 12 UNICA member universities diverse forms of interaction (poster session, keynote presentations, case studies, master class training and working groups). It discussed the success factors for a university PR & Communication team, university marketing campaigns and science communication. The workshop was fantastic. Lots of very bright, creative and inspiring speakers, interesting sessions and a very wide variety of helpful perspectives. I very much appreciated the opportunity to build new and valuable networks. Emma Leech, Director of Marketing, Communications & Recruitment, University of Nottingham, UK's IOC Public Relations Director of the Year 2012, Workshop's keynote speaker UNICA Activity Report 2012/

12 4th UNICA-Santander-Compostela Joint Workshop: Exploring academic collaboration between European and Sub-Saharan universities, Brussels, 4 June 2013, explored the tertiary education landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa and provided hands-on examples of Europe-Africa academic cooperation initiatives, presenting different funding opportunities, challenges faced during the projects' implementation, as well as activities aimed at ensuring the sustainability of initiatives. It also offered a forum for discussion on how can European higher education networks facilitate the Europe-Africa academic cooperation. UNICA traineeships Professional experience abroad for students and "internationalisation at home" for the UNICA office: in the academic year 2012/2013, 5 students from UNICA member universities took up internships at the UNI- CA Secretariat in the framework of Erasmus Placement programme. We warmly thank Marta Rachlewicz and Monika Olszak (U. of Warsaw), Tajana Dzudovic (U. of Ljubljana), as well as UGAF trainees Liisi Lees (Tallinn U. of Technology) and Kasia Janusz (U. Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3/KU Leuven) for their substantial support! UNICA TRAINEESHIP IN NUMBERS UNICA Secretariat has received 20 trainees since trainees - Leonardo, 17 - Erasmus Placement or other student internship schemes The trainees represented 10 UNICA member universities University of Ljubljana highest number of trainees (5) "At UNICA I learned the basics of project management & accountancy, improved my language & social skills, and saw how to organize an international conference! No country borders will exist for me when I'm looking for a job after my studies. I think of Europe as of one big ocean of opportunities." Marta Rachlewicz, student of the University of Warsaw, UNICA trainee August-December 2012 EDUCATION The 13 th Bologna Lab Coordinators Meeting: The Journey Towards Quality: Steps To Be Taken, Tor Vergata University (Rome), 6-7 December 2012, addressed new approaches to lifelong learning, quality of teacher education & training, as well as doctoral education and the outcomes of the 3 rd UNICA PhD MASTER CLASS 2012 Preparation of the 14 th UNICA Bologna Lab Coordinators Meeting on teacher training and research on education, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 5-6 December UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013

13 How to Set Up a Successful Summer School? 1 st UNICA Summer Schools Organisers meeting, Tallinn University, November The 1 st UNICA Summer Schools Organisers meeting discussed different models of summer schools run by the UNICA member universities and the multitude of tasks involved in the setting up of a summer school. As a conclusion of the meeting, the participants prepared a road map for joint activities related to summer and winter schools organisation. The UNICA Summer & Winter Schools portal proposed by the participants is now being designed in cooperation with the meeting participants. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT The 7 th UNICA meeting for EU Research Liaison Officers, Tallinn University/Tallinn University of Technology, November 2012, featured a training on Getting Ready for Horizon 2020 by Dr Sean McCarthy (Hyperion Ltd). It also addressed issues related to benchmarking of European research offices and errors in financial reporting. Preparation of the 8 th UNICA meeting for EU Research Liaison Officers, University of Warsaw, October The 4 th UNICA PhD MASTER CLASS: How Does Globalisation Affect Doctoral Supervision?, Centre for Advanced Academic Studies of the University of Zagreb, Dubrovnik, 1-4 September 2013, aimed to help the participating Heads of Doctoral Schools/Programmes, doctoral supervisors and policy makers from UNICA and non-unica member universities to develop new strategies to support doctoral supervision in a global context. "I just wanted to write a note from my office to say how much I enjoyed the Dubrovnik meeting and to thank you all for putting on such a great event! It is really such a good opportunity for meeting new people and being exposed to new ideas. As always I found it such an uplifting experience." Ray Wallace, Professional Placements Manager, School of Science & Technology, Nottingham Trent University UNICA Green Academic Footprint (UGAF) - 3 rd UGAF Workshop: Universities as change agents for the cities' environmental sustainability, U. of Lisbon, 6-7 June, examined cityuniversity interactions and innovative cooperation opportunities for promoting environmental sustainability, as well as informal education as a sustainability bridge between the university and the city. "Universities have to be elements which, through their own example, promote more responsible and sustainable lifestyles, and ultimately, more liberty for all of us" Diogo Abreu, Director of the Centre for Geographical Studies, University of Lisbon UNICA Activity Report 2012/

14 - The 1 st UGAF School on Green IT, University of Oslo, 7-11 October, provided IT managers and administrators from UNICA universities with comprehensive understanding of the planning and implementation of Green IT strategy and practice. The course was based on the programme of the Green IT Certificate offered by University British Columbia (UBC) Continuing Studies and the University of Washington Professional and Continuing Education. - Further content development of the UGAF website and the creation of the "You've Got UGAF Mail" bulletin (see also page 16) - UGAF traineeship for students of UNICA member institutions (see also page 12). POLICY & STRATEGY UNICA Scholarly Communication Seminar - The 6 th UNICA Scholarly Communication Seminar 2012: Libraries As Drivers For Change, Université libre de Bruxelles/Vrije Universiteit Brussel, November 2012 addressed the evolving role and place of the library in the University and looked at how libraries redesign their services to meet the users changing needs. - Preparation of the 7 th UNICA Scholarly Communication Seminar (2014). UNICA Rectors Seminar 2013: The balance of responsibilities: University and Society in secur ing financial stability of higher education, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, September 2013, brought together representatives of UNICA universities' academic leadership to examine the complex processes and interactions between the universities and their economic and social environment. The Seminar took place in the framework of the 125 th founding anniversary celebrations of Sofia University. MISSION & LINK WITH SOCIETY 1 st UNICA-SAR Seminar on Academic Freedom, Freie Universität Berlin, March 2013, organised jointly by the UNICA and Scholars At Risk Networks, brought together 34 participants from 10 UNICA member universities and organisations such as Magna Charta Observatory, Scholar Rescue Fund and the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF, Netherlands). The Seminar was designed as a workshop providing a reflection on and an insight into the notion of academic freedom, its rationale and principles, as well as the state of academic freedom around the world; it explored different ways of promoting academic freedom and show how universities' efforts in this field can be expanded and intensified. 14 UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013

15 4. UNICA GENERAL ASSEMBLY & STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2012 & 2013 UNICA General Assembly 2012 University of Cyprus, October 2012 UNICA General Assembly 2013 Sapienza University of Rome in cooperation with the University of Rome Tor Vergata and Roma Tre University, 7-9 November 2013 STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS March 2013, Freie Universität zu Berlin 12 June 2013, Université Pierre et Marie Curie 26 September 2013, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski 7 & 9 November 2013, Sapienza University of Rome UNICA Activity Report 2012/

16 5. GETTING THE MESSAGE THROUGH Given the increasing diversity of events and undertaken projects, there is a growing need to strengthen the visibility of activities of the Network. One of UNICA s major attempts is to communicate the outcomes of UNICA activities via its websites, targeted mailings, social media, and a number of publications disseminated among the members of the UNICA community as well as stakeholders: representatives of the European Commission, European Parliament, Ministries of Higher Education, student associations and peer university networks. UNICA e-newsletters: UNICA e-newsletter Since 2006, UNICA sends 4 (quarterly) e- newsletters to the UNICA member Universities and partners; each newsletter represents the 3 months of UNICA activities in a nutshell. UNICA database (currently in the final development stage) provides an online access to each UNICA Contact Person and allows to easily modify and add university's data. Both the database and the online registration component provide a quick data overview for the UNICA Secretariat. The number of people visiting the UNICA website ( grew from 6,000 visitors/month in the academic year 2011/2012 to 11,000 in 2012/2013. All member Universities are welcome to send us the news about the organised conferences, achievements and awards as well as project and recruitment calls; your summer/winter schools and staff mobility weeks can also be announced in special sections of the UNICA website. Created in early 2012, UGAF website ( now attracts more than 2,000 different visitors per month. Apart from information about UGAF itself, the website contains news on conferences and new initiatives in environmental sustainability, a green media library containing articles, book reviews, movies, and podcasts, and a database with best green practices from UNICA member universities. 16 UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013

17 Created in Ferbauary 2013, the "You've Got UGAF Mail" bulletin presents the latest UGAF news and announces forthcoming events. UGAF brochure introduces the aims of the UNICA Green Academic Footprint initiative and gives an overview of ongoing activities. Other websites: - Higher Education Reform III website and the Virtual Community of Bologna Experts (in the framework of the HER III Service Contract); at present, Virtual Community counts more than 1,000 users. UNICA PhD MASTER CLASS Proceedings: Publication of the Proceedings of the 3 rd UNICA PhD MASTER CLASS (2012) UNICA Participation Charts : Mapping Member Universities' Activity Every year, each UNICA member University receives a UNICA Participation Chart : a comprehensive overview of its participation UNICA activities during the last 4 academic years. The Participation Charts evaluate the quality of the conducted activities, but also analyse the interests and priorities of UNICA members. It is recommended that the Contact Person and Rector/President organize a meeting at their institution with all colleagues that have participated in UNICA activities. We greatly appreciate your feedback: your comments and suggestions allow us better fulfil the needs of our member Universities, and improve the quality of our activities. The Participation Charts contain new features and statistics, such as participation in UNICA activities by clusters. UNICA Activity Report 2012/

18 6. CONCLUSIONS & THANKS All of the initiatives envisaged in the Work Programme were undertaken. Some of them are still in the process of development and will be continued in the current academic year, either through new project proposals, or UNICA meetings. Overall the network sets ambitious goals and is able to fulfil them through cooperative hard work, careful planning and strong commitment by its members. The success of the UNICA events that took place in the academic year reflects greatly on the hosting Universities: we extend our sincere appreciation and thanks for their engagement and efforts. UNICA warmly thanks all the Rectors/Presidents, Vice-Rectors/Vice-Presidents, members of the UNICA Steering Committee, International Relations Officers, UNICA Contact Persons, members of the UNICA Working Groups and other members of the UNICA community for your ongoing active support. 18 UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013

19 UNICA SECRETARIAT Contact: C/o University Foundation (4 th floor) Rue d Egmont 11, B-1000 Brussels, BELGIUM Tel: +32/(0)2/ Fax: +32/(0)2/ office@unica-network.eu Public transport connections: Metro lines 2 and 6 (Trone) Bus line 21 (Brussels Airport Line) Bus lines 27, 95, 71, 38 (Trone) Visit the Brussels-based UNICA Secretariat and make use of the UNICA meeting room: the room can be booked for the activities of the UNICA members (maximum capacity ca 10 people). The guests have free access to wireless Internet, projector, flipchart, and coffee & tea facilities. WE RE HERE Traineeship at the UNICA Secretariat Students from the UNICA member Universities are encouraged to apply for a traineeship at the UNICA Secretariat: it is a great opportunity to work in a small but multinational office, learn about the recent developments in the EHEA & ERA, and gain hands-on experience in varied activities and projects of the Network. UNICA Activity Report 2012/

20 20 UNICA Activity Report 2012/2013 Brussels, October 2013