CESAER Universities for Easy Ways Abroad

The future of science and technology was discussed by around 50 universities in the European science network CESAER at their annual meeting in October in Bucharest. KIT is a member of the Association, President Holger Hanselka is a member of the Board of Directors.

In workshops and lectures, the approximately 200 participants from 25 countries highlighted aspects such as the career paths of young academics or the opportunities for universities to use their research infrastructures to promote talent.

A major topic was greater effort and new ideas to make more students spend time abroad. An important step, many participants agreed, is the more uniform and transparent recognition of study achievements abroad. The proposal to make mobility as flexible as possible for the students, among other things by allowing very short stays to gain access to experience abroad, also met with great approval. Practical implementation was part of the program: several universities, including the KIT, presented their courses to students of the Technical University of Bucharest in talks and with informational materials.

The member universities also dealt with the fact that from 2019, the European Union will support the creation of European universities with 30 million euros. Existing models for close cooperation between universities also came into focus. Dr. Klaus Rümmele, Head of the International Communication Department in the International Affairs Service Unit at KIT, presented the structure and plans of EUCOR - The European Campus, the association of Upper Rhine universities.

At their general assembly, CESAER universities decided to increase their annual membership fees to 12,000 euros. Among other things, this should help to finance the work of the office in Leuven and to strengthen the workload and the effectiveness of the various working groups in the network.

The annual meeting took place at the Politehnica University in Bucharest (UPB), which celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2018.