On Monday 10 June at 1pm the Royal Irish Academy Social Sciences committee organised a half day seminar. The event explored shifting principles, aims and values in higher education, such as academic freedom, impact, peer review and open innovation, against the backdrop of current economic challenges. Speakers considered the effective 're-visioning' of education and the values–open and hidden–at play. Contributions included a look at higher education in Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe. More details: https://www.ria.ie/about/our-work/committees/committees-for-the-humanities-and-social-sciences/social-sciences-committtee/news.aspx

1. i i liFrom Practice into Policy
Inscribing Educational Values into the Horizon 2020
PProgramme
Dublin 10 June 2013
Declan Kirrane
Managing Director
Dublin, 10 June 2013
CONFIDENTIAL

2. State of International EducationState of International Education
• Academic institutions are currently operating within a
particularly difficult financial climate (widespread austerity
measures and national deficit)measures and national deficit)
• A growing gap between higher education and the business
communitycommunity
– Employers claim graduates are not prepared, skill wise,
for a professional entrepreneurial environmentfor a professional entrepreneurial environment
• A need for a paradigm shift across the education landscape
taking into account new schools of thought (post‐taking into account new schools of thought (post‐
industrialism, post‐competitive—pre‐ post democratic!!)
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3. MOOCs – Massive Open Online Courses
• A digi‐centric approach to the traditional mode of learning and higher education
– A hyprid learning experience that can offer high quality distance education to a much
wider student community
MOOCs Massive Open Online Courses
wider student community
– Large‐scale interactive participation via online user forums (providing traditional course
materials and open licensing of content)
– The option of proctored exams and certificates (to be paid for by the student)
• MOOCs offer the following positive outputs
– A low cost online learning platform (e.g. edX, Coursera, and Udacity)
Hi h lit li l t d hi h t h kill t ht b t th fi ld f– High quality online lectures and high‐tech skill courses taught by experts the field of
science, technology, engineering, math (STEM)
– Some courses are affiliated with reputable universities (e.g. University of Pennsylvania,
University of Colorado, MIT and so forth)y , )
– An education system that is aligned with employer needs (e.g. potential recruitment of
talented students, CV workshops and exposure to the business community)
EU ( H i 2020) ill b i t t i f ilit ti th• EU programmes (e.g. Horizon 2020) will be important in facilitating the
adoption of new paradigms and theories in education in a post‐
industrialist and post‐competitiveness “MOOCs age”
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4. Horizon 2020
Higher Education in Open Innovation
P t f th E 2020 t t d th I ti U i• Part of the Europe 2020 strategy and the Innovation Union
– Horizon 2020 will replace the FP7 as the EU’s new framework for research and
innovation.
– Horizon 2020 as a structural catalyst for innovation in Europe.
• With a time frame set from 2014 through to 2020, Horizon 2020’s strategic policy
objectives are threefold:objectives are threefold:
– Elevating Europe’s level of excellence and competitiveness in scientific research;
– Maximising competitiveness impacts of research and innovation and Europe’s industrial
leadership in these sectors;
– Tackling the Union’s major societal challenges, such as unemployment, climate change,
renewable energy, health.
• The value of higher education is addressed primarily under Horizon 2020’s first
pillar, excellence in science
– Education is addressed less directly in the other two pillars, although it is still privileged
as an important EU agenda throughout the Framework.
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5. Pillar I
Excellence in Science
• Creating a genuine single market for knowledge, research and innovationg g g g ,
– Collaboration between higher education institutions, members of industry and the science
community (interdisciplinary “cross‐pollination” or “information exchange”; a knowledge
triangle)
• Open and Simplified access to Horizon 2020 funding and programme participation for all
companies, universities and institutes in the EU and beyond
– The role of higher education institutions in Horizon 2020 expert groups
• Increased funding for EU innovation under Horizon 2020 legislation (COM(2011)809 Final)
– €24 598 million of Horizon 2020 (anticipated) budget towards top‐level research in Europe
• Increased support of EU post‐docs through innovative higher education programmes including:Increased support of EU post docs through innovative higher education programmes including:
• Innovative Training Networks; Marie Curie Actions (“Innovative Doctoral Programmes” and
the new “European Industrial Doctorate”) and ERC grants
• A new Individual Fellowship Scheme (combining the existing Intra‐European Fellowships for
Career Development, International Incoming Fellowships, International Outgoing Fellowships p , g p , g g p
and Career Integration Grants programmes )
• European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will bring a “fully fledged educational
dimension” to Horizon 2020 (by offering anew and interdisciplinary EIT‐labeled degree)
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6. Pillar II
Industrial Leadership
• Horizon 2020 will develop Europe’s Leadership in enabling and developing
technologies
N l €6 billi i i K bli h l i ( h i d i– Nearly a €6 billion investment in Key Enabling Technologies (e.g. Photonics and micro‐
and nanoelectronics, nanotechnologies, advanced materials and advanced
manufacturing and processing, and biotechnology).
– This investment will also require a robust and specialised approach to higher education
th U i d b dacross the Union and beyond.
• EU higher education institutions will play a key role in supporting industrial
innovation on an EU and international level
• Under Horizon 2020, higher education institutions will supply bright and pro‐active
graduates who are willing to take risks and create new knowledge and innovation.
• Horizon 2020 will revive EU level education and training directed towards• Horizon 2020 will revive EU level education and training directed towards
industry
– A new “Research and Innovation Staff Exchange programme” (involving Industry
Academia Partnerships and Pathways and International Research Staff Exchange
Scheme)Scheme).

7. Pillar III
Improved Society
• Horizon 2020 will develop the European Institute of Innovation to address major
societal challenges facing Europe
– E.g. sustainable energy, climate change mitigation and adaptation and the
future information and communication society.
• Horizon 2020 and Knowledge Innovation Communities (KICs)
– The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will create KICs
across Europe by bringing together top‐level academic and business partnersacross Europe by bringing together top level academic and business partners
around major innovation challenges.
– KICs will complement other European initiatives in the areas of education,
research and innovation will be an integral part of the new Horizon 2020research and innovation will be an integral part of the new Horizon 2020
Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

8. Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks
H i 2020 li k b t d ti l• Horizon 2020 as a link between educational
institutions and research centres and
businesses (knowledge triangle)( g g )
• ..but where is the (IE/EU) policy????
• (New) role for Ireland globally:
outward/inward…
• Leadership….
S i d ti / i i d t EU• Science-education/science-industry: EU v
National…
• Competing can be destructive!!• Competing can be destructive!!
• No input = No policy = no…

9. Declan Kirrane
Managing Director
Rue du Trône 4Rue du Trône, 4
Brussels 1000
Belgium
Tel: +32 (0) 2 8888 100Tel: +32 (0) 2 8888 100
Fax: +32 (0) 2 5138 114
declan.kirrane@iscintelligence.com
www.iscintelligence.com
9CONFIDENTIAL