“Europe of Knowledge”: Search for a New Pact

The subject of this paper is the institutional dynamics of the European University. How is this key institution affected by ongoing processes of European integration? What attempts are undertaken at the European level to build up institutional capacity in the areas of higher education and research policy? How do these emerging European capacities relate to the traditional national policy making responsibilities and arrangements in these areas? How is the organization and functioning of the European University influenced by the adding of a new governance layer with respect to higher education and research? How do the developments with respect to European higher education and research policy compare to the situation in other countries, especially the USA? The paper discusses five lessons presented as possible starting points for developing analytical frameworks capturing historical and contemporary university dynamics, the core of which is an interpretation of the ongoing dynamics of change in the European University as a search for a new foundational pact This is followed by a presentation of four themes for an empirical long-term research agenda addressing the above questions. The paper is part of a forthcoming book on “University Dynamics and European Integration”.