The seven Expert Team members participating at the meeting were: Jon File, Anete Veidemane, Don Westerheijden (CHEPS); Thomas Farnell and Ninoslav Šćukanec Schmidt (Institute for the Development of Education); Bojana Ćulum Ilić (University of Rijeka); and Davide Dusi (University of Ghent, Centre for Higher Education Governance Ghent).
The objectives of the meeting were to consider the future scenarios for the use and uptake of the TEFCE Toolbox and of the project and as well the potential policy impact of the TEFCE project at the level of EU policy. The specific questions discussed during the meeting were:
1) What would be the realistic preconditions for community engagement to take root in European higher education? Although the objective may seem like a mission impossible in the current HE context in Europe, what obstacles would need to be removed and what enablers could help achieve this objective?
2) What concrete policy levers could be used at the European, international, national and HEI levels to further support community engagement? Could community engagement be better integrated into existing policies and better joined-up with policies in other areas (e.g. research,regional development, etc.)?
3) In what way(s) could we use the TEFCE Toolbox fit into such policy levers? Could we use the Toolbox to create a feasible trans-national European tool showing different institutions’ levels of community engagement and their good practices? Could we do this without falling into the trap of ranking and bench marking? Or should we stick to using the Toolbox as a qualitative tool for institutional review only, with no comparative aspects?
The meeting also involved a brainstorm session with other members of the CHEPS team to discuss the preliminary conclusions of the Expert Team. The CHEPS members consulted were: Barend van der Meulen (head CHEPS of department), Harry de Boer, Frans Kaiserand Katharina Lemmens.
A photogallery of the meeting is available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tefce/albums/72157713007333797
