Insights from the first edition of the Scoreboard 

The conference unveiled the inaugural edition of the European Higher Education Sector Scoreboard (EHESS), which provided valuable insights into trends and dimensions shaping European higher education. In four thematic panels some of the main EU higher education policy objectives were analysed on the basis of comparative data at European level.

The first panel explored "Future-proof skills and cooperation with industrial ecosystems," highlighting both progress and challenges in preparing graduates for evolving labour markets, with presentations on Eurograduate 2022 survey findings and the relationship between human capital and regional innovation.

The second panel addressed "Transnational cooperation in Europe," analysing the evolution of European Universities Initiative (EUI) alliances from 2019 to 2024, with examples and reflections from Una Europa on successfully engaging in transnational collaboration.

The third panel on "International cooperation" examined Europe's global engagement in higher education, featuring data on international research collaboration and methodological challenges in measuring cooperation impact.

Finally, the fourth panel discussed "EU values: institutional autonomy, academic freedom, and inclusiveness," presenting insights from the Academic Freedom Index, which revealed concerning global trends despite improvements in many EU member states, and research on institutional characteristics affecting student mobility rates.

In all panels, speakers highlighted the importance of championing EU values, such as transnational cooperation, institutional autonomy, academic freedom, and inclusiveness, underscoring these principles as the foundation for a resilient and vibrant higher education sector.

Stakeholder expectations for EHESO and EHESS 

Part of the agenda was dedicated to exploring the needs and expectations of the Observatory’s key stakeholders: universities, students and policy makers. This was done in three parallel breakout sessions.

The universities session revealed positive initial reception of EHESO, with participants valuing its multidimensional approach whilst expressing concerns about potential gaps in coverage and data validation. Universities identified valuable applications for strategic planning and partnership development, though they cautioned against using the tool directly for political steering.

The students’ session emphasised the value of a one-stop shop for higher education information, advocating against a ranking-based system in favour of highlighting comparative institutional strengths. Students stressed the importance of including information on mobility costs to mitigate social inequality and recommended direct involvement of student organisations as ambassadors for EHESO.

The policymaker’s session clarified that EHESS is not designed as a ranking tool but rather as a platform for data exploration and cross-country comparisons. Participants suggested enriching the Scoreboard with clearer indicator definitions and methodological transparency, whilst welcoming the development of business intelligence tools and the upcoming benchmarking tool for higher education institutions. 

What is next for the Observatory and the Scoreboard? 

The conference concluded with a forward-looking panel discussion that brought together key representatives from EU institutions, academia, and student organisations to reflect on the day's insights and explore future directions for EHESO and EHESS. Panellists celebrated the Observatory's launch on the EACEA’s National Policies Platform as a significant milestone in democratising access to higher education data, whilst emphasising how quality data serves as a crucial foundation for developing effective policies. A key theme that emerged was the delicate balance between user-friendliness and depth of information, with participants stressing the need for a well-designed interface that accommodates both novice and expert users. The discussion underscored how EHESO's continuous evolution aims to meet the diverse needs of the higher education sector through improved data access and presentation. 

An eventful agenda 

The conference featured an engaging agenda, which included:

All presentation slides and a summary report from the event can be accessed via the event page: Launch Conference of the European Higher Education Sector Scoreboard.

Looking ahead 

The conference concluded with a shared sense of optimism and a commitment to fostering a more inclusive, sustainable, and innovative future for European higher education. The launch of EHESS marks a significant step forward in advancing evidence-based policymaking in European higher education, and this conference set the stage for refining the Scoreboard and Observatory. The exchange of ideas and shared ambition for positive change reinforced a commitment to a transparent and collaborative education landscape, and the insights and discussions from this conference will play a crucial role in shaping the future of European higher education.