Monday, July 30, 2012

"F" - University of Freiburg

University of Freiburg logo
"F" like... University of Freiburg is another German university in our university alphabet. Is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the second university in Austrian-Habsburg territory after the University of Vienna. Today, Freiburg is the fifth-oldest university in Germany, with a long tradition of teaching the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.



University of Freiburg localization
The university is made up of 11 faculties and attracts students from across Germany as well as from over 120 other countries. Foreign students constitute about 16% of total student numbers.

Motto: "Die Wahrheit wird euch frei machen" - "The Truth Will Set You free"


The University of Freiburg has been home to some of the greatest minds of the Western tradition, including such eminent figures as Hannah Arendt, Rudolf Carnap, David Daube, Johann Eck, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Friedrich Hayek, Martin Heidegger, Edmund Husserl, Friedrich Meinecke, and Max Weber. In addition, 19 Nobel laureates are affiliated with the University of Freiburg.
Kollegiengebäude II and central university square.

In university rankings published by German magazines and periodicals (Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, Focus, etc.) the University of Freiburg has established itself as one of Germany's top universities. According to the Webometrics ranking it occupies seventh place in Europe and 57 on the world.

Kollegiengebäude I, erected in 1913 as main building of the university.


University in numbers:
Established 1457
Type: public university
Endowment: 268,3 mio EUR p.a., Medical Center ca. 560 mio EUR p.a.
Admin. staff: 4,578 scientific staff (including Medical Center)
Students: 21,622

Association: EUA, IFPU, EUCOR, LERU

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

"E" - University of Edinburgh

University of Edinburgh logo


"E" like... University of Edinburgh founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland.

Regarded as one of the most prestigious universities in the world, the university is ranked 6th and 7th in Europe according to the 2011 QS and Times Higher Education Ranking and 20th in the world by the 2011 QS rankings.



The university played an important role in leading Edinburgh to its reputation as a chief intellectual centre during the Age of Enlightenment, and helped give the city the nickname of the Athens of the north! Graduates of the university include some of the major figures of modern history, including the naturalist Charles Darwin, physicist James Clerk Maxwell, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown, inventor Alexander Graham Bell, first president of Tanzania Julius Nyerere i wielu innych! The University is also associated with 9 Nobel Prize winners, 1 Abel Prize winner and a host of Olympic gold medallists.

University of Edinburgh localization

The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university. Edinburgh receives approximately 47,000 applications every year, making it the third most popular university in the UK by volume of applicants! Entrance is intensely competitive, with 12 applications per place in the last admissions cycle - really hard, I could forget : P

The universitiy's "Old college"
It is the only Scottish university to be a member of both the elite Russell Group, and the League of European Research Universities, a consortium of 21 of Europe's most prominent and renowned research universities. In addition, the University has both historical links and current partnerships with prestigious academic institutions in the United States and Canada, including members of the Ivy League and U15 - About the above will be written not one post ^^

This university is one of my favorites in the world. Why? - One of the best universities in the world, the beauty and character of Scotland. It is a thing of the Scots can be really proud.


The university in numbers:
Established: 1583
Endowment: £236.512 million
Academic staff: 3,315
Students: 30,377
Associations:
- Russell Group
- Coimbra Group
- LERU
- Universitas 21
- EUA
- Universities UK
- Universities Scotland

Sunday, July 22, 2012

"D" - Technische Universität Dresden

"D" like... Technische Universität Dresden 
(Dresden University of Technology) it is the largest university in the state of Saxony and one of the ten largest universities in Germany with around 35,000 students!

TUD logo

        Motto: "Wissen schafft Brücken" -
           "Knowledge creates bridges"


In 1828, for the preparation of human resources professionals in the field of engineering and construction of ships for the rapidly growing industry, it was "Royal-Saxon Institute of Technology." Founding director of the university was Wilhelm Gotthelf Lohrmann, who built the Institute in one of the pavilions on terraces Brühla.W school reform has become the "Royal Polytechnical School" and therefore can be equated with the "Royal-Saxon Freiberg" (now University of Technology Freiberg Mining Academy ") as the best technical university in Saxony.

In 1961, under the resolution of the GDR government changed the name to "Technical University of Dresden." At that time, worked eight faculties with more than 10 000 students. During this time he fell also intend to run in the GDR on the basis of aircraft production in Dresden developed a prototype aircraft type 152nd. 


In 2003 the University celebrated its 175th anniversary, during which dedicated the new Main Building of the National and University Library at the Main Campus. At the same time was the creation of Dresden International University.

The main auditorium

The university offers a comprehensive spectrum of courses and research. It has a high reputation in technical fields such as electrical engineering, computer science, photo optics, engine construction and traffic logistics.
The university is considered highly underfunded. Until 2020 more than 1,000 jobs are to be cut at Saxon universities, including Dresden University of Technology. As of 2012 there is an annual funding gap of about 50 million Euros. Since March 2012, every single new or extended employment contract needs to be personally approved by the Minister-President of Saxony.
TUD localization

The university is currently developing new strategies to make itself more independent from state funding and decision making. As one of the first universities in Germany it has opened a branch in Hanoi.


The university in numbers:

established: 1828
number of students: 34,993

number of employees: 6,123
number of faculties: 14
approx. total budget:500 Million €
number of foreign students: 3,442 (9.8%)
associated: PEGASUS, TIME

Friday, July 20, 2012

"C" - University of Cambridge



University of Cambridge crest
"C" like... University of Cambridge. This unit no needs introduction to anyone. The second oldest English after Oxford University, founded in 1209. It is located in Cambridge, in central England. Considered one of the best universities in Europe and worldwide. Oxford and Cambridge Universities are defined collectively as Oxbridge.
University of Cambridge consists of several independent colleges, of which the oldest is Peterhouse. Others include the Corpus Christi, King's, Queens', Trinity, Magdalene, Christ's, Wolfson.
Known around the world are racing of eights in the Oxford-Cambridge rowing.
Graduates of Cambridge have won 65 Nobel Prizes, more than any other university graduates in the world!




Motto: "Hinc lucem et pocula sacra" -"From here, light and sacred draughts"

UoC localization

Established: 1209
Endowment :4.3 billion £
Academic staff 5,999
Students 18,448



Associated:
- Russell Group
- Coimbra Group
- EUA
- G5
- LERU
- IARU

Sunday, July 15, 2012

"B" - University of Bologna


"B" like... University of Bologna (Università di Bologna) - one of the largest universities in Italy. The oldest university in the western world (founded: 1088)!

UdB's logo
Motto: "Alma mater studiorum" - "Nourishing mother of [the] studies"


University of Bologna is historically famous for its teaching of canon and civil law.
The University of Bologna has adopted a Multicampus structure in order to permit the diffusion of educational offering and the activation of a stabile research activity on the premises with the intent to better the functionality and quality of university community life. There is also University of Bologna Campus in Buenos Aires which offers interdisciplinary study programmes on different subjects.


 UdB's localization


Founded: 1088
Working now: 924 years
Number of students: ~ 100 000
Membership: Coimbra Group, Europaeum, Utrecht Network

One of the main buildings of the university

University alphabet... "A" - University of Amsterdam


Welcome! Today I begin my university A B C ^ ^. universities will be presented with the European leaders.

Today....
"A" like University of Amsterdam (Universiteit van Amsterdam)
University of Amsterdam (Universiteit van Amsterdam) is a scientific university, located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
University of Amsterdam is one of the largest and most important in Europe.


UvA logo
It consists of seven faculties:

-> humanities
-> social sciences
-> economy
-> right
-> natural science
-> medicine
-> dentistry




This year, we should also make Uva birthday wishes. This year will be celebrated the celebration of 380 years of operations!


                                          

The University is a pretty international, so as many as 85 master's degree courses are offered in English, as well as many of the Dutch language courses and English.

Year of foundation: 1632
Budget: 487 million €
Number of students: 23 thousand.
Number of employees: 5 thousand.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

"Youth on the way"

"Youth on the way" to jeden z przewodnich projektów w strategii UE 2020. This is what interests TKQG9VY5GR27  us is the aim of the project is to improve performance and increase the attractiveness of European higher education arena international and improve the quality of all levels of education and training in the EU, bringing together excellence and equity, by encouraging mobility of students and trainees and to improve the situation youth labor market.
Commission's intention to include:
- Integrate the performance of European cooperation programs
between universities and research (such as Erasmus, Erasmus Mundus, Tempus and Marie Curie) and combine it with
programs and national resources.
- Stimulate the modernization agenda for higher education (curriculum, administration and finance).
- Explore the possibilities of promoting entrepreneurship through mobility programs for
young professionals.
- Launch a policy framework for employment of young people, identifying
strategy to reduce youth unemployment.

At the national level, Member States will need:
- Ensure adequate investment in education and training at all levels (from
pre-school to higher education).
- Improve educational outcomes, using an integrated approach in each segment of the system
(pre-school, primary, secondary, vocational and higher), having regard to core competencies and
seeking to reduce the number of early school leavers.
- Increase the openness and relevance of education systems through the creation of a national qualifications framework and better linking educational outcomes with labor market needs.
- Help young people into the labor market.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Something important... EU 2020 Strategy


Continuing the topic of cooperation and the EU's influence on higher educationcan not forget about very important project of the European Commission which is the EU 2020.


What is the strategy for 2020?


EU 2020 is a new, long-term socio-economic program of the European Union (EU). Three overriding priorities of the EU's new strategy are:

-> Smart growth (development of an economy based on knowledge and innovation);
-> Sustainable development (the promotion of a sustainable economy - effectively using the resources -> more greenand also competitive);
-> Inclusive growth (strengthening economy characterized by high employment and economic, social and territorial).



One of the goals outlined in the EU's new strategy is to achieve a rate of 3% of spending on research and development (the overall level of public and private investment in R & D). At the same time, there is work on an indicator that reflects the intensity of R & D and innovation.


If at any document talks about R & D, knowledge and innovation is becoming an integral part of universities.



One of the main objectives is to reduce the number of early school leavers to 10% from the current 15% and increase the proportion of people aged 30-34 with higher education from 31% to at least 40%.
He has to lead to such programs, one of the flagship strategy - "Youth in the way."
Leading EU's project "Youth on the move" aims to improve the performance of education systems and improve the attractiveness of European higher education internationally.

More about "Youth on the move" project later ^^

Sunday, July 8, 2012

The European Union and higher education

Certainly, most met with the name of the European Commission - Education and Training. EU in the framework of its activities is also dealing with education at all levels from base to higher education. Today a little about the EU's influence on development of higher education in a united Europe.

Higher education plays an essential role in society, creating new knowledge, transferring it to students and fostering innovation. EU-level actions help higher education institutions throughout Europe in their efforts to modernise, both in terms of the courses they offer and the way they operate.

How the European Commission impact on higher education ?...


- By working closely with policy-makers from Member States to help them develop their higher education policies. The Commission published a modernisation agenda for higher education in 2011, identifying five priority reform areas for action.



- The Commission actively supports the Bologna Process, the inter-governmental process which promotes reforms in higher education with 47 countries, leading to establishing a 'European Higher Education Area'.


- By encouraging the exchange of examples of good policy practice between different countries.


- The Erasmus Programme funds around 200 000 students every year to study or work abroad, along with other projects to increase co-operation.


- There are a number of European programmes to promote co-operation in higher education with countries beyond the EU, including Tempus and Erasmus Mundus.

So you see, there is a lot of programs and the system which deals with education in general. About many details, programs will be written later.


Friday, July 6, 2012

Student Associations

It was a bit about associations of universities ... Today a little about colleges and student associations.

What is a college ...?
College - the term related to various forms of higher education in English speaking countries, especially in England and USA, as well as in other Western European countries. Originally meant a place where university students live. Colleges also conducted their courses, especially in the initial system. This was the so-called collegiate system, which is derived from France. Today the college in the above sense operates in England.
(source: wikipedia.org)


EUCA logo
One of these associations is EUEA
EUCA is European Universitys Colleges Association. Formally founded in 2008, represents more than 30 000 students who live in 194 university dormitories, in five different countries (Belgium, Italy, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom). It is based in Brussels.
The main purpose of the organization is professional, scientific, cultural and personal development of students, formed without discrimination and with an individual approach to each person.

Below page EUCA in several different languages:
http://www.euca.eu/

There is no SINGLE consistent student organization in Europe or the world. But exist unions affiliating Student Association. One of such union is ESU - European Student's Union.
ESU logo


The European Students' Union (ESU) is the umbrella organisation of 45 National Unions of Students (NUS) from 38 countries (March 2012). The NUSes are open to all students in their respective country regardless of political persuasion, religion, ethnic or cultural origin, sexual orientation or social standing. Our members are also student-run, autonomous, representative and operate according to democratic principles.
The aim of ESU is to represent and promote the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of students at the European level towards all relevant bodies and in particular the European Union, Bologna Follow Up Group, Council of Europe and UNESCO. Through its members, ESU represents over 11 million students in Europe.

Official ESU's page:

http://www.esu-online.org/