Study, research and work in 2030.

Perspectives for the European Higher Education Area
François Biltgen, Judge at the European Court of Justice

In the framework of the MCI Alumni & Friends lecture series, an interesting talk was given at the Entrepreneurial School® by François Biltgen on Monday, October 27.

Luxembourg’s former Minister for Higher Education, Justice, the Civil Service and the Media started off by pointing out that research is the key to improvement, that it is the means to the end of moving the economy forward, and that there should therefore be no cutbacks in research at times of economic crisis.

He also said that research had to be promoted not only in technical fields but also in the arts, and that it was particularly important to address social challenges. For such activities, the countries of the EU need money and above all researchers, which is why we have to invest in and train young scientists.

With regard to study at a university, François Biltgen said that the Bologna process was facilitating student mobility because it made it easier to compare national systems in spite of differences between the various countries at the level of implementation. The ECTS system of precisely quantified credits offers a measure of the work involved for students taking a given class so that credits can be awarded for classes taken abroad. For Biltgen, this is a positive step, which needs to be developed further.

The presentation was followed by a lively discussion, which rounded off a highly successful event. It was moderated by Professor Markus Frischhut, head of the EU Law Department.

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