Associations and networks

• The European University Association (EUA)
• International Association of Universities (IAU)
• The Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe (NISPAcee)
• International Network of Universities
• The Baltic University Programme

 

 

The European University Association (EUA)

The European University Association (EUA) represents more than 870 universities and national rectors’ conferences in 49 European countries. EUA plays a crucial role in the Bologna Process and in influencing EU policies on higher education, research and innovation. Through continuous interaction with a range of other European and international organisations, EUA ensures that the independent voice of European universities is heard.

EUA provides unrivalled opportunities for members to share best practices by participating in projects, events and other mutual-learning activities involving a wide range of universities. The Association also provides members with unique opportunities to shape European policies and initiatives affecting higher education and research.

Universities in Europe and around the world are crucial to global sustainable development. Therefore, the Association supports the worldwide agenda for achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Universities contribute to the goals through research and education in a wide array of disciplines that can potentially contribute to a better future.

EUA supports its members in the achievement of the SDGs through advocacy and project work and serves as member of SDG Watch Europe. EUA also recognises the importance of the SDGs in its Strategic Plan.

 

International Association of Universities (IAU)

Founded in 1950, under the auspices of UNESCO, the International Association of Universities (IAU) is the leading global association of higher education institutions and organisations from around the world.

IAU is an independent, bilingual (English and French), non-governmental, membership organization. IAU membership is open to higher education institutions (HEIs) and organisations.

As a global forum for leaders of institutions and associations, IAU convenes and connects almost 600 Members from more than 130 countries to identify, reflect and act on common priorities. It acts as the global voice of higher education to a wide range of international and inter-governmental organizations, in particular to UNESCO. Members avail of a wide range of services on a priority basis, but these extend also to other HE stakeholders, such as organisations, institutions, higher education authorities, policy and decision-makers, specialists, administrators, teachers, researchers and students.

IAU is funded primarily through its membership fees and depends on these to effectively carry out its wide portfolio of activities encompassing its series of online webinars and thematic debates, events and conferences, publications, projects and other initiatives.

IAU is an official partner of UNESCO (Associate status) and has been given special consultative status by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
IAU was granted the participatory status with the Council of Europe.

Vision

As the global voice of higher education, IAU will be the most influential and representative global association of diverse higher education institutions and their organisations, advocating and advancing a dynamic leadership role for higher education in society. Articulating the fundamental values and principles that underpin education and the pursuit, dissemination and application of knowledge, the Association will lead and advocate the development of higher education policies and practices that respect diverse perspectives promote social responsibility and contribute to the development of a sustainable future. IAU will be a think tank and forum for the development of new approaches, the sharing of best practice and the undertaking of joint action, encouraging and facilitating innovation, mutual learning and cooperation among higher education institutions around the world.

Mission

To contribute to peace and human development by promoting and enhancing the power of higher education to transform lives, build capacity, connect diverse peoples, generate and disseminate new knowledge, create insights and find sustainable solutions to local and global challenges.

Values

IAU promotes core values among its members and the wider higher education community including:

• Academic freedom, institutional autonomy and social responsibility locally and globally
• Cooperation and solidarity based on mutuality of interests and shared benefits
• Tolerance of divergent opinions, freedom from political interference
• Equity in access and success in higher education and open access to knowledge
• Scientific integrity and ethical behaviour as cornerstones of conduct for all stakeholders in higher education
• Higher education and research in the public interest
• Quality in learning, research and outreach

 

 

The Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe (NISPAcee)

The Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe (NISPAcee) was established in 1994 and legally registered under the Slovak legislation as an international, nongovernmental, nonprofit organisation in October 1995 with the Headquarters located in Bratislava Slovakia.

The mission of NISPAcee is to promote and strengthen effective and democratic governance and modernisation of public administration and policy throughout the NISPAcee region.

Functions and Objectives

The major NISPAcee strategic issues in the present era are the following:

• NISPAcee is an academic association/community. Its first priority is to contribute to the improvement of teaching and research in the NISPAcee region in the field of public administration and public policy.
• NISPAcee provides forum for academicians sharing their results among themselves and with practitioners. The main venue for sharing the results and experiences are the annual conferences and the journal.
• NISPAcee – as an academic community – aspires to increase the cooperation with the training centres even by providing programmes and teaching materials for practitioners when it is needed and resources are available.
• NISPAcee supports democratic governance and public administration modernisation with practice-oriented research and the involvement of practitioners in its activities. The involvement of practitioners can, among other possibilities, take the form of membership and special activities for practitioners, e.g. thematic panels within the framework of the annual conference, training programmes, thematic workshops, consultancy projects etc.

Therefore, the major NISPAcee Functions and Objectives are:

• Facilitating training and education
• Fostering research
• Promotion of public administration and policy as distinct fields

NISPAcee Region

NISPAcee region covers 5 geographic areas:

1. New EU member countries (Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia).
2. Non-EU member countries in Eastern Europe (Belarus, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Turkey).
3. Countries in the West Balkans (Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro).
4. Countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan)
5. Countries in the Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan). 

Activities

• NISPAcee Conferences
• Working Groups
• NISPAcee Summer Schools
• Training Programmes
• Study tours
• Projects
• Awards
• Internships
• CEE Reports on PA Programmes
• Translations
• NISPAcee Publications
• NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy
• Other publications (no NISPAcee)
• European Accreditation

Offers and Opportunities

 As an Institutional Member of NISPAcee (The membership agreement was signed in 2021), TSNUK obtains from NISPAcee the following benefits:

• Receive copies of all NISPAcee e-publications.
• Receive regularly NISPAcee e-Newsletters, circulars and Annual Reports.
• Has the right to use the NISPAcee membership logo on the member’s website.
• May apply for EAPAA Accreditation services.
• May participate in the NISPAcee Annual Conferences and other activities at a reduced rate.
• May participate in the NISPAcee General Assembly and vote on all relevant NISPAcee matters during the General Assembly meeting.
• May nominate candidates from own institution for the Steering Committee, elect members of the Steering Committee and confirm NISPAcee policies.
• May initiate new projects and activities under the NISPAcee umbrella and propose new activities of interest for the benefit of academics and practitioners e.g. high-level meetings, roundtables, workshops, trainings, study tours, applied research, policy papers, etc.
• May utilise the capacities of all other NISPAcee members (associate, governmental and individual) for advisory, consultancy services and joint activities and projects.
• May develop within NISPAcee a special community of academics and practitioners interested in innovations, experience sharing and learning from each other.
• May utilise the NISPAcee database service.
• May maintain and publish own institutional data on the NISPAcee web page.
• May publish and promote own news, events and publications on the NISPAcee web page, social networks and in the Newsletter.
• May publish in the NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Public Policy and other NISPAcee publications.
• May take the opportunity for Public Administration and Policy professionals in own institution to cooperate with NISPAcee as experts in various NISPAcee activities.
• May become an active part of the prominent international public administration and policy community.

NISPAcee Coordinator at TSNUK: Viktoriia Tkachenko, e-mail: