Former president Mary McAleese is in Brussels today to launch a high-level European group on improving third level education in Europe.
Mrs McAleese will launch the group with EU Commissioner for Education Androulla Vassiliou at a news conference in the European Commission headquarters.
The High Level Group on the Modernisation of Higher Education was mandated by EU education ministers in 2011 to explore ways to improve the third level sector in order to better suit the needs of students, teachers and employers.
The group will spend three years examining various aspects of third level education, including learning in the digital age.
It will make recommendations to the European Commission, governments and universities.
It will consult with teachers, students, experts and employers.
Mrs McAleese will chair the group and will focus on the role of teachers in the first year of its mandate.
"Our group will examine how to nurture excellent teaching in our universities so that our young people receive the best education and the best possible employment prospects," Mrs McAleese is quoted as saying in a European Commission news release.
