Investing in Education - Spending more, and smarter, on education

The future of Europe's ailing higher-education sector is at the top of political agendas these days. EU President Barroso is pushing to create a European Institute of Technology. Berlin is breaking with decades of tradition and selecting a few "elite" universities to create a German Ivy League. Britain is debating tuition fees. And all EU nations are in the process of reforming their masters and doctoral programmes, under the Bologna process. Is it enough? Not unless money is invested wisely and competitiveness is placed squarely on the academic agenda. That's one of the conclusions of a new report on education released Nov. 20 in Brussels by software company SAS. On the occasion of the release, Science|Business organized a luncheon-debate on this hot-button topic - so vital to the technological competitiveness of Europe, now and in the future.