Despite a strong university system and a long tradition of research, universities in the European Union (EU) find themselves in a worrying position compared to their counterparts in the United States and China. The report by Mario Draghi, former president of the European Central Bank and former Italian prime minister, highlights the alarming lack of Europe’s leading academic institutions in the world. According to the QS 2024 rankings, only four EU universities are among the top 50 in the world, compared to 21 in the US and 21 in China. These poor educational results raise serious questions about Europe’s capacity to innovate and grow economically.
The report, titled “The university system: the weak link in the innovation chain”highlights how limited interaction between universities and the business sector hinders technology transfer and talent retention. Although there are excellent institutions and research centers in Europe, their ability to achieve levels of excellence in product innovation and commercialization is lower than that of their American counterparts. For example, In 2023, 66% of active unicorns in the world were American, while only 8% were European.
The Nature 2024 Index corroborates this trend, showing that of the 50 most important academic institutions in the world, 21 are in the United States, 21 in China and only four in Europe, none of which belong to the EU. This fact reflects not only a weakness in research, but also in the competitiveness and international relevance of European universities.
Draghi notes that the decline in the labor force, estimated at 2 million people per year until 2040, combined with growing hostility towards immigration, requires a significant increase in productivity to support GDP growth . In this context, proposes a comprehensive strategy that addresses skills gaps at all levels of education. He suggests that the EU takes responsibility for education alongside member states, as well as greater collaboration between industry and academia.
For this strategy to succeed, Draghi also advocates the creation of a common certification at the European level that would allow courses to be easily understood by employers, thus facilitating the placement of graduates. Furthermore, proposes increasing EU funding to close the skills gap, provided that the EU is responsible to Member States for their investments.
However, Draghi’s proposals are not without controversy. The EU’s need to strengthen its higher education competences vis-à-vis member states may face resistance, as many argue that education must remain a national competence. To overcome current challenges and respond to the urgent need for skills across the EU, it will be crucial to establish a constructive dialogue between different levels of government and academia.
The move towards a more qualitative assessment of research performance is a positive step, but the challenge remains: how can European universities increase their representation on the global scene of citations, rankings and recognized awards? The answers to this question are fundamental to defining the academic and economic future of Europe in an increasingly competitive world.
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The report proposes that for Europe to achieve international relevance, it must implement profound reforms to its education system. Mario Draghi highlights the importance of increasing support for basic research through the European Research Council (ERC) and suggests doubling funding for more projects without compromising the quality of grants. It is also proposed to create the “ERC for Institutions” program, aimed at strengthening universities with high development potential to attract talent and improve their capabilities.
To retain outstanding academics, the “European Chair” is recommended, which allows academics to be hired as European civil servants, supported by private funding to improve their remuneration. Despite strong investments in research, Europe faces difficulties in commercializing its innovations: only a third of patents are exploited commercially. It is suggested integrate researchers into innovation hubs and reduce bureaucratic barriers improve the management of intellectual property and facilitate the creation of innovative businesses.
Regarding education, the report highlights the need to align study programs with labor market demands, particularly in STEM fields. Continuous updating of skills and a common certification system in the EU are proposed to facilitate the recognition of skills. Furthermore, industry participation in the educational process and increased investment in technical training and technological skills at European level are recommended.
