“Nexus of European Centers Abroad for Research on EHEA”
The overall aim of the NEAR-EU project is to broaden the field of European integration studies by incorporating the domain of higher education in the research and activities of European Study Centers. The project will develop an inter-regional, collaborative academic space to enhance the study of European higher education policy and academic internationalization.
The project intends to establish Bologna Resource Centers (BRC), for the study and research of European Higher Education (HE), within and outside Europe and to create a nexus among them.
These BRCs will evolve into a network of prominent academic units in the field of European Studies to further deepen the academic discourse on European HE policy. This globally spaced network includes the non-EU partners – Israel, Singapore, Canada and New Zealand, and the EU members – Germany, Slovenia and Greece.
The project's methodology is divided with respect to three spheres of action:
1) Adding the HE domain to the field of the European Studies
2) creation of an epistemic community by the organization of an international network
3) capitalizing on the activity of leading European study centers for the generation of sustainable research in the field of European HE policy.
Project's specific objectives:
To develop the academic field of European HE policy.
To develop research methodologies in the field of EU HE policy.
To strengthen the ability of European research centers to study European educational policy and its role in European integration.
To create a wide inter-regional network of Bologna Resource Centres (BRCs) who will engage in collaborative research, mutual learning and cross-fertilization processes.
To assess the internationalization trends in partner countries.
To enhance awareness in non-EU partner countries of the Bologna Process and familiarity with its practical tools.
To stimulate debate on the implementation of the process and provide a platform for future enhancement of internationalization– being situated in leading and established European study centers, the BRCs are assured of stable and long-term platforms for continued activity and dissemination.
To foster exchange of ideas and sharing of best practices among EU and Non-EU European Study Centers.
To promote cooperation between the partner countries HES's and the EHEA.
