European Universities Must Reverse the Brain Drain, and This is How

The President of Maastricht University (Former Vice President of the World Bank and Minister of Education of the Netherlands) Jo Ritzen Outlines a Recovery Plan in A Chance for European Universities (Published 16 June)

AMSTERDAM, June 15, 2010 - Europe is losing the battle for talented minds. Given the
conspicuous absence of European universities from the top spots in the global
higher education rankings (with the exception of a handful of UK ones),
Europe's best and brightest are leaving in droves for the US. This trend
exacerbates Europe's increasing shortage of top-rank graduates in the labour
market, while threatening stagnation in academic research and teaching, all
essential in a globalised, knowledge-based economy.

In order to regain its competitive edge, Europe needs to be
the vibrant and creative place which attracts talent from all over the world.
This can be achieved through economic innovation, increased social cohesion
and political support and a more vibrant cultural dynamism. In A chance for
European Universities, Ritzen outlines changes that will help achieve this
goal:

    - An increase in private finance to meet the public budget cuts
    - More autonomy and less bureaucracy to boost innovation in research
      and teaching
    - Denationalisation of the Bologna process with emphasis on
      European-wide accreditation and quality control

Presentation of A Chance for European Universities

Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education,
Culture, Multilingualism and Youth will receive a copy of the book on
Wednesday 16 June in Brussels, Belgium. A High-level expert meeting will be
held in Brussels on 15-16 June with the purpose of drawing up a Manifesto on
Higher Education Reform aiming to boost Europe-wide commitment to educational
reform.

Jo Ritzen has published widely on the economics of education,
public finance and public policy.

"Jo Ritzen has written one of the most important recent books on the
structure and financing of universities, on the Bologna process, on the
challenges facing the 21st century university."

Yehuda Elkana, former President of Central European University, Hungary

"Ritzen's book is a must-read for students and scholars
of higher education and those that take a deep interest in Europe's future in
the world."

Detlef Mueller-Boeling, former Director of the Centre for Higher
Education Development, Germany

             Amsterdam University Press - ISBN 978 90 8964 229 5 -
                  paperback, 224 pages - www.aup.nl

For more information or to request a review copy: marketing at aup.nl; Ebisse Wakjira-Rouw, +31-20-530-7186