• The ALCUE Common Area of Higher Education
• Objectives
• The Follow-Up Committee

The ALCUE Common Area of Higher Education

The ALCUE Common Area of Higher Education is an initiative that was originally             set up by European Union, Latin American, and Caribbean countries. Its  fundamental aim is create a Higher Education platform for interaction and bilateral/multilateral cooperation. The origin of the initiative stems from the ‘Conferencia de la Cúpula de Río de Janeiro‘,  (The Third  Session of the Summit of Heads of State and Governments of Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union), which was held June 29, 1999. It was during  this meeting that the Heads of State and Government  pledged  their ‘political will’  with the aim of enhancing regional cooperation. Furthermore, Higher Education was viewed as  a  key priority for future action.

The main aims and objectives of the ALCUE Common Area of Higher Education for countries in the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean were later established at the Ministry of Education Conference in Paris on November 2-3, 2000. In the Declaration  prepared for this event, Higher Education is perceived as a public good that that is essential for human, social, and technological development. Moreover, it is also considered an essential factor in overcoming inequality among people, educational institutions, and national societies. In sum, it is a fundamental concept in maintaining a consistent level of interdependence.

The action that will be carried out in the field of ALCUE Higher Education should therefore take into consideration the principles of common cultural heritage, that is, for the countries in the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean. These principles should  contribute to the promotion of reciprocal knowledge in the corresponding countries and also promote the interaction of  Higher Education Institutes, non-university and university students, and develop their respective educational systems.

The Objectives of ALCUE:

• • To promote  reciprocal knowledge of national systems of Higher Education
  • To disseminate information related to academic institutions and national systems of Higher Education
  • To hold debates and thematic discussions ; to share experiences related to the improvement of Higher Education, especially those related to the accreditation and the evaluation of HE institutes, courses, and programs.
  • To promote and facilitate the exchange of students, professors, researchers, technical staff, and management personnel from Higher Education systems in the corresponding  countries.
  • To enhance the process of reciprocal knowledge and  develop interaction among Higher Education Institutions.
  • To stimulate, promote, and foster discussion about questions of common interest   related to ALCUE, that is, on both a regional/inter-regional level at  higher education institutions and also among university and non-university students.
  • To identity specialists, managers, and other parties interested in the processes of institutional accreditation and quality assessment in Higher Education.
  • To create virtual and on-site contracts between specialists and managers.
  • To promote the training of groups of observers for the follow-up and analysis of discussions, documents, proposals, projects and experiences.
  • To provide a selection of documents related to  topics of interest, thereby facilitating the accessibility  and  dissemination of information.
  • To provide a means of promoting activities and events for the ALCUE Higher Education Area.

Follow-up Committee

The Follow-Up Committee for the ALCUE Area of Higher Education is  basically a group comprised of political decision makers that coordinate various activities related to its development. Their operational practices are stipulated in the Follow-Up Committee Regulations.

The country members of the Follow-Up Committee are designated by the Conference of Ministers responsible for Higher Education in European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean . Moreover, the national authority representative of each country member of the Follow-Up Committee is selected by the Minister responsible for Higher Education in their respective country. The length of his/her mandate  is four years. At present, the following countries and regions form part of the Follow- Up Committee

Follow-Up Committee Country Members:

For further information, please visit: www.alcue.net