Abstract:

The demand for highly trained researchers is now higher than ever and the EU increasingly knowledge- based society needs its people trained to the highest level in order to maximize their abilities. Such personal, and institutional development is only achieved by means of cooperation between the EU countries, and Higher Education Institutions.

Given the knowledge flow, research and teaching experience, and nevertheless, promoting friendly connections (e.g. sharing literature) has forced Universities to cooperate with each other in order to achieve those that will, in the future be minimum quality standards. Moreover, Horizon 2020’s has set as a goal the fostering of Europe’s global competitiveness.

Studies have come to show (HEFCE 2011) that UK Universities attract 500+ Law PhD students per year alone and, that this number presents a constant growth of 35% per year. This growing number of students’ flow originates from EU, Asian and African countries; The growth in the number of PhD students, in the UK, originating from Africa and Asia has been growing at a steady and constant path between 30% and 38% per academic year, whereas the number of students from the EU has been growing around 18% per academic year. These numbers have lead some Continental Europe Universities to start their own programmes in English, Maastricht University being the paradigmatic example.

Internationalization and the development of cycles of study fully lectured in English is, in our view, the correct path for all Universities.

The obstacles EU non-English speaking, small countries, Universities face to enter this global advanced training and research market are enormous. The type of resources, especially human, required to compete globally are hard to assemble, if synergies are not found. This fact is even more accurate when looking at the Legal Sciences advanced formation and research cluster.

If Europe is to be the flagship in the knowledge society, EU universities must be able to attract international students, especially at a post-graduate level. Whenever those universities are located in non-English speaking countries, they must deliver their degrees in English to try to compete with the English speaking countries universities.

Keywords:

Higher Education, Joint Programmes, Globalisation, Research.