Professional Higher Education Meets Regions

ended

PHE MEETS REGIONS is proposed as the third and final Single Grant Agreement (SGA) of the three year Framework Programme Agreement called TRANSFORM PHE. Following the themes of skills in 2023 and transnational cooperation in 2024, EURASHE will focus its efforts on one of its core subjects, namely the contribution of Professional Higher Education (PHE) to cities and regions, which stand to benefit most from an increase in quality, innovation and relevance. In the 2023-2024, EURASHE has grown significantly, to more than 80 members. Counting the members of national associations, EURASHE represents over 600 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with 1.7 million students across 32 countries. Founded in 1990, EURASHE is an established stakeholder and consultative partner for the European institutions. It acts as a bridge between policy making and HEIs, providing evidence and disseminating policy. The SGA will achieve the aim of making applied HEIs ever more important for regional development through the following main activities: • Organising the annual conference on the theme of regional engagement and impact • Contributing to building a Union for Skills from a place based perspective • Advocating for the Smart Specialisation approach to regional innovation policy in the upcoming negations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework • Revising the European Standards and Guidelines with a greater focus on societal engagement and employability • Promoting the regional dimension in European University Alliances and Centres for Vocational Excellence, as well as other actions of the Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe programmes. EURASHE will deliver the objectives of PHE MEETS REGIONS through its policy development activities as well its innovative Communities of Practice. The SGA will allow EURASHE to consolidate its recent growth and help the new European Commission achieve its policy priorities, including competitiveness through tackling skills shortages.