HIGHER EDUCATION REFORM EXPERTS TEAM
The main goal of the national teams of Higher Education Reform Experts is to provide a pool of expertise and act as a think tank promoting and participating in the development policies and reforms of higher education, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education. The National Erasmus+ Office in Libya is Responsible for the management of the HEREs events and provide assistance to the team for carrying on their mission , studies, etc.
The Main Objectives and mission of the HEREs
The purpose of the National Teams of Higher Education Reform Experts is to provide a pool of expertise in order to promote reforms and enhance progress in Higher Education in the countries concerned and therefore participate in the development of policies and reforms in Higher Education in their respective country.
The mission of the HEREs is threefold:
– support policy development in their respective countries by supporting modernisation reform processes and strategies in Higher Education, in close contact with the local authorities concerned and in particular as regards for instance curriculum development, modernisation of governance, management and functioning of higher education systems and institutions, strengthening relations between the higher education sector and the wider societal and economic environment, etc.
– support policy dialogue with the EU in the field of Higher Education possibly in synergy and coordination with the various policy platforms established under the Erasmus+ programme or other potential initiatives established by, and under the guidance of, the European Commission.
– support Erasmus+ and former EU programmes projects by disseminating their results and outcomes, notably best practices and innovative initiatives and exploiting them for modernisation and development purposes.
Geographical scope – HERE teams will be established in some of the Partner Countries eligible for participation in the Higher Education Capacity Building actions, in particular in the neighbouring area (Eastern Europe and Southern Mediterranean), the Western Balkans and Central Asia and Russia.
Tasks at international scale
- National institutions which have need of specific counseling or expertise which is not available from the National Higher Education Reform Team of its own country may, via the National Office Erasmus+, request advice or in-situ assistance from Higher Education Reform Experts of another country.
- From time to time the Commission may invite the national authorities to national level training courses intended for other Experts who are actively involved in the promotion of Higher Education reforms in their own country. Such courses may be undertaken as plenary meetings involving members from all Higher Education Reform National Teams, or for specific groups of National Teams where synergies or logistics make such an approach preferable.
Tasks at national level
Higher Education Reform Experts will participate in the development of policy and reforms deriving from the Lisbon and Bologna agenda in their country. They may also be invited to devise Lisbon or Bologna development strategies with non-academic bodies such as industrial, cultural or social organizations as long as they are in line with national strategies.
The Erasmus+ Higher Education Reform Experts Network
The network of Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs) was established in the framework of the Tempus programme and continues to be supported through Erasmus+.
These experts, appointed by the national authorities in the former Tempus Partner Countries, constitute a pool of expertise to promote and enhance the modernisation of higher education. They participate in the development of policies and reforms in their countries and contribute to the training of local stakeholders. Their activities consist, for example, in organising and participating in seminars, writing articles and reports, or providing advice to individual institutions and policy makers.
The current network includes around 250 experts, whose activities are managed at the local level by the National Erasmus+ Offices, in cooperation with the relevant national authorities. International meetings and training events for the network are coordinated by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), in cooperation with the DG Education and Culture of the European Commission and with the support of a service provider, the SPHERE team.
The SPHERE team
The University of Barcelona (Coordinator) and the European University Association (EUA) currently comprise the consortium ‘SPHERE’ (Support and Promotion for Higher Education Reform Experts), an initiative steered by the European Commission and implemented by its European Education and Culture Executive Agency. SPHERE will provide training and networking for Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs) and National Erasmus Plus Offices (NEOs) in countries neighbouring the EU (former Tempus partner countries) between January 2015-December 2020.
Activities:
The objectives of this initiative are:
- Capacity building of the nationally selected HERE teams to actively contribute to higher education reform at national level in their countries and at the level of organisations and higher education institutions.
- Awareness raising in particular about EU higher education policy – namely the EU Modernisation Agenda – and policy developments in the EHEA, and how these policies could potentially impact partner countries.
- Enhancing networking between HERE of different countries through a variety of regional and international activities.
- Peer learning to allow HERE teams at different levels of knowledge and experience to learn from each other.
The themes being explored are:
- Enhancement of learning and teaching with regards to methods and approaches
- Degrees and degree systems
- Mobility and internationalisation
- Governance, management and funding of higher education institutions and systems
- Quality assurance (institutional, external and regional)
- Graduate studies/doctoral education
The following activities will be organised on an annual basis:
- An international conference, usually towards the end of the year, linking different themes and topics.
- Two thematic seminars in different partner countries and European countries.
- Two study visits to universities, organised as a means to provide hands-on experience and peer-learning for the HERE.
- Around 50-60 technical assistance missions, as a means of providing targeted, hands-on support and consultancy to the HERE and the academic community and government in their respective countries.