Le fil d'actualité : News Tank Academic

Over a quarter of young students in the EU worked in 2024

Over a quarter of young EU citizens worked and studied at the same time in 2024, according to a study by the EU's statistical office, Eurostat. An analysis published on 19/01/2026 showed that 25.4% of young Europeans aged 15–29 were employed while enrolled in formal education in 2024. During this period, 71.4% remained outside the labour force, while 3.2% were unemployed (i.e. they were...

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Macron says Draghi report on EU competitiveness is "already obsolete"

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that the Draghi report, widely seen as a blueprint for boosting the EU's competitiveness, is "already obsolete". Speaking at the annual French Ambassadors' Conference taking place on 08/01/2026, Macron said that in the face of "Chinese aggressiveness and American tariffs, the Draghi report, which we did not fully apply, is already obsolete, partly because...

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EU member states split over size of share of research budget for widening measures and allocation key

EU member states remain divided over how much money to allocate to measures to build capacity in countries with poorer research performance under the next medium-term budget for 2028-2034. Member-state officials responsible for research policy have discussed the issue of so-called widening measures 13 times over the past few months as part of a broader debate on the EU’s next Horizon Europe...

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UK to contribute £570 million to Erasmus+ in 2027 for its first year back as an associated partner

The United Kingdom will contribute approximately £570 million (€648.97m) to the EU mobility scheme Erasmus+ in 2027 for its first year as an associated partner, after leaving the scheme in 2020 following Brexit."The UK has negotiated financial terms that strike a fair balance between our contribution and the benefits offered by the programme, including a 30% discount on the default terms set...

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European Commission working on longer-term support for university alliances

A member of the cabinet of the Commissioner for Education, Roxana Mînzatu, has said the Commission is working on a new model to provide longer-term support to European universities alliances as part of the EU budget for 2028 to 2034.During an event organised by the YUFE universities alliance in Brussels on 28/11/2025, Vanessa Debiais-Sainton, a member of the Executive Vice-President for Skills'...

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EU member states express doubts about Commission's proposal for Erasmus+ for 2028-2034

EU member states are continuing to ask questions about the European Commission's proposal for the Erasmus+ programme for 2028-2034, despite several sessions to discuss it. They have also criticised the absence of a programme committee in the proposal and the focus on the Union of Skills rather than the European Education Area. Denmark, which holds the six-month rotating presidency of the EU's...

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British Council unveils new transnational education strategy focused on quality, partnerships and SDGs

The British Council has released its Transnational Education (TNE) Strategy for 2025–2027, outlining a roadmap to support the continued growth and diversification of UK TNE globally. It will focus on quality, partnerships and alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).The strategy, published on 28/10/2025 during the Council's Going Global 2025 conference in London, is...

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EUA calls for institutional autonomy and adequate funding to play its role in European competitiveness

The European University Association (EUA) has set out its conditions for universities to make their contribution to the EU's focus on competitiveness. In a report published on 29/10/2025, entitled "Universities and competitiveness: A big picture view on the EU’s new policy paradigm and the implications for universities", the EUA says that there should be "adequate level of institutional autonomy...

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Research organisations set out conditions for Horizon Europe simplification

Representatives of research organisations in Brussels have identified three fundamental conditions for successful simplification of the European R&I framework programme Horizon Europe. The group, meeting as Iglo (Informal Group of RTD Liaison Offices), called for "clarity, reliability and stability" in a report published in October 2025. The document sets out the conclusions of the main...

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[To our readers] News Tank Academic: One year on – Key insights, what’s new, and what’s next

Launched in May 2024, News Tank Academic is starting its second academic year. Over the past year, our editorial development has grown steadily. We have published nearly 600 articles: original English-language content including news stories, interviews, appointments, policy reports and event coverage, designed for teams managing international and European affairs within institutions. Among the key...

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MFF : "We must preserve the synergy between education and research and aim to simplify it" (L. Thilly)

"Our message to political decision-makers is as follows: whatever mechanisms are put in place (ECF, Erasmus+, FP10, etc.), we must preserve the fundamental synergy between education and research and aim to simplify it, which we have been talking about for years. If mechanisms such as the ECF can make things smoother and simpler, why not? But they must remain faithful to the founding principles of...

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Worldwide, economic results uncorrelated with the rate of access to higher education (Paxter study)

"Public policies based on the idea that more access to higher education means a better economy are disconnected from empirical results", says Pierre Tapie, Chairman of Paxter, on 02/07/2025.He presents the study he conducted alongside Pierre Aliphat, Scientific Director of Paxter, and Nikola Damjanovic, Doctor of Mathematics, on the correlations between economic development, employability (overall...

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