Roadmap 2020-2025 :
Renewing the Strategic Alliance between Liverpool Hope University and Les Facultés de l’Université Catholique de Lille

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 The partnership goes back to 2016. It was intended to do two things: to foster cooperation between our two universities, and to promote study of Europe and European issues (see section 3). The first Roadmap, establishing the Lille-Liverpool European Institute, was signed in 2016. It is due to expire in 2020, and this revised Roadmap puts in place an enhanced framework for cooperation.

 

1.2 The key successes of the partnership to date are set out in section 5 and in the appendix. In particular, exchanges have increased, several joint degrees have been launched, research collaboration has led to several joint conferences and publications, and an extensive programme of public engagement has been established.

 

1.3 There are also challenges. At a practical level, it has proven difficult to operate the organisational system envisaged in the original Roadmap, as it was quite demanding in terms of time and resources. At another level, Brexit poses a significant threat. It jeopardises our access to funds and finances, and it risks making the whole enterprise of encouraging connections and cooperation between the UK and the EU more awkward.

 

1.4 The programme for development of the Lille-Liverpool European Institute and partnership is set out in section 6 below. We envisage:

  • No changes to the aims and objectives
  • Maintaining existing areas of successful cooperation
  • Encouraging expansion to new subjects and colleagues
  • Particular focus on widening the suite of joint degrees (Psychology, Law, Criminology)
  • Particular focus on applying for funding for joint research projects
  • Streamlining of the organisational structure

1.5 Structure of Revised Roadmap

  • Section 2 Our Partnership
  • Section 3 Aims and Objectives
  • Section 4 Organisational Structure
  • Section 5 Major Achievements to Date
  • Section 6 Action Plan 2020-2025

1.6 Summary of proposed amendments in the Revised Roadmap

  • Clarification of the roles of the Co-Directors (sections 4.2 and 4.3)
  • Procedures for having a single Lead Director (section 4.4)
  • Revision of function of the Liaison Group (section 4.5)

 

OUR PARTNERSHIP

2.1 A SHARED VISION

Universities have a core duty to pursue, promote and advance knowledge, and fostering cross-border academic collaboration is of vital importance in fulfilling that duty. That is why Liverpool Hope University and the Catholic University of Lille chose to establish our unique partnership, and to create a joint European Institute to lead the partnership. History teaches us that cooperation is essential in achieving peace, growth and progress, and European history demonstrates this even more intensely. The European Institute works in that spirit.

The common heritage of our two church-founded universities inspired a shared vision of international collaboration in top-quality education.We seek to create opportunities for collaboration for students and staff “in the service of a positive vision of the world” and to form graduates who “see themselves as citizens of the world” (Université Catholique de Lille, 2019). Our goals include enabling “students and staff to become truly global citizens” and be “a difference for good in the world” (Liverpool Hope University, 2016).

We have developed a thriving partnership in which we share resources, experiences, methods and ideas to build new and innovative ways of delivering that vision. We now seek to build on that successful foundation with a plan to further expand and enhance our strategic alliance.In the current global climate, international collaboration and cooperation matters more than ever. This renewal of our shared vision affirms that internationalisation is “an ethical imperative” (Gould, 2018).

2.2 ESTABLISHEMENT OF THE PARTNERSHIP

In October 2014, an initial project map for a strategic alliance between Liverpool Hope University and Les Facultés de l’Université Catholique de Lille was signed. This was a significant framework document setting out a blueprint for cooperation. Three key action points emerged in the discussions as planning objectives: the creation of a joint European Institute; the development of a community of scholars between the two universities; and the promotion of bilateral cooperation.

Considerable progress in the early years of the partnership led to the drafting of a revised and enhanced framework, the Roadmap for the Strategic Alliance 2017-2020. The two Rectors, Prof Gerald Pillay and Prof Pierre Giorgini, signed this in Lille in June 2016. The strategic roadmap created aims and a structure for the partnership, and set out plans for collaboration in research, teaching, and the development of joint degree programmes. This led in turn to the establishment of the Lille-Liverpool European Institute in September 2016.

The initial cycle of the Roadmap is due to end in 2020. This revision is intended to renew the partnership between our two universities and set out further objectives for the strategic alliance. In particular, it responds to the potential changing circumstances created by Brexit. This is undoubtedly a challenge for our partnership, but it also makes our commitment to cooperation even more vital. We need to work together, now more than ever.

 

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

3.1 Through the Lille-Liverpool European Institute, the partnership aims to do two things. First, it is a vehicle for supporting and fostering all forms of cooperation between Liverpool Hope University and Les Facultés del’UniversitéCatholique de Lille. These can be in the form of staff and student exchanges, research collaboration, joint degrees and other projects.

Second, it is intended to promote greater knowledge and awareness of Europe and of European issues. It is multi-disciplinary, and operates with a broad definition of Europe – it is not confined to the study of the European Union (although that is, naturally, one of a number of topics with which the Institute’s members engage).

 

3.2 The activities of the Institute can be grouped under five main themes:

  1. Research collaboration, promoting research projects that link our two universities or that analyse European issues, in line with our two aims;
  2. Teaching collaboration, particularly through staff exchanges between the two universities and through shared research on pedagogy;
  3. Joint degree programmes, led by the flagship joint PhD programme supported by the Vice-Chancellor’s scholarships and including a range of Masters programmes;
  4. Student exchanges at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and involving a range of exchanges from study visits to semester-long and year-long visits;
  5. Public engagement to promote wider public knowledge about Europe and European issues, which involve participants from both our universities.

Section 5 summarises the main achievements to date under each of these themes; the accompanying Appendix gives full details of these

 

3.3 Activities of the Institute are organised around seven identified interdisciplinary research clusters, though activities that fall outside these areas may also be undertaken and supported. These seven research clusters (and their principle associated disciplines) are :

- Future of Europe (law, politics, economics, sociology)
- Enterprise and sustainability (business, marketing, economics)
- Teaching innovation (education studies)
- Health care, society and policy (social work, policy studies, psychology)
- Literature and popular culture (literature, media, drama studies)
- Hermeneutics (theology, philosophy)
- Ecology and environment (geography, ecology)

 

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

4.1 Overall direction of the partnership is in the hands of the Strategic Committee. The Strategic Committee is expected to meet biennially, alternating between Lille and Liverpool. It should receive an annual report from the European Institute summarising activities and progress. As of October 2019, the membership of the committee is as follows :

 

UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LILLE LIVERPOOL HOPE UNIVERSITY

Président-recteur

Prof. Pierre Giorgini Vice-chancellor Prof. Gerald Pillay
Vice-doyenne de la Faculté des Lettres et des Sciences humaines Prof. Natalia Sulikashvili Head of School of Humanities Dr Guy Cuthbertson
Vice-President, vice-Rector in charge of Research Prof Nicolas Vaillant Head of Research Prof.Atulya Nagar
Directrice des Relations internationales Anne-Marie Michel Associate Dean for International Relations Ms Wendy Bignold
Doyen délégué à l’international, co-directeur Prof. Ioannis Panoussis Senior Lecturer in European Politics, co-director Dr Michael Holmes

 

4.2 There are two co-directors of the Lille-Liverpool European Institute, one from each university. Nomination of each co-director is the responsibility of the relevant head of the university, the President-Rector in the Catholic University of Lille and the Vice-Chancellor in Liverpool Hope University. The two co-directors are responsible for the day-to-day management and operation of the Institute.

 

4.3 The co-directors are expected to meet at least twice a year. Each co-director may nominate an advisory group to help organise Institute events in their own university. The co-directors are expected to produce an annual report of activities and achievements and to develop regular plans for the development and enhancement of the partnership.

 

4.4 The co-directors may, if they choose, agree that one will act as Director of the European Institute. This agreement should be notified to the President-Rector in ICL and the Vice-Chancellor in Hope, and should be reviewed and renewed annually.

 

4.5 There will be a Liaison Group in each university that will meet at least annually. The co-directors will keep the Liaison Group informed on a regular basis of events and development pertaining to the partnership. As of October 2019, the LG membership is as follows :

Université Catholique de Lille

Liverpool Hope University

Prof Ioannis Panoussis

Dr Michael Holmes

Anne-Marie Michel

Dr Wendy Bignold

Prof Natalia Sulikashvili

Dr Guy Cuthbertson

Sophie Ledermann

Dr Louise Wilson

/

Dr Natalia Vibla

 

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE 

 

For a detailed list of activities, please see accompanying appendix

 

 

 

5.1 Research collaboration

 

              Conferences organised under the auspices of the European Institute or with participation from both universities :

 

  • ‘Theorising the Popular’conference series (Liverpool, annually since 2015)
  • ‘Future of Europe’conference(Lille, October 2016)
  • ‘Europe after Brexit’ conference (Lille, November 2017)
  • ‘Centenaire pour la Paix’(Lille, April 2018)
  • Objets de désir’ conference (Lille, May 2018)
  • Le corps et le sacré’ conference (Lille, January 2019)

 

              Publications :

 

  • ‘Theorising the Popular’(Michael Brennan, 2017)
  • ‘Reporting the road to Brexit’ (Anthony Ridge-Newman, 2018)
  • ‘Le defi de la paix’ (Philippe Diest, 2019)
  • ‘The European Left and the Financial Crisis’ (Michael Holmes and Knut Roder, 2019)
  • ‘European foreign policy after Brexit’, special issue (2020)

 

              Research funding :

 

  • award of Senior Visiting Professor Fellowship from the ConseilRégionalHauts-de-France to ESPOL for Dr Michael Holmes, 2017
  • award from UACES (University Association for Contemporary European Studies) for Future of Europe conference, 2017
  • application for Jean Monnet module funding, Lille-Liverpool joint MA programme in International Marketing, 2018
  • application for Jean Monnet funding for entrepreneurship in Europe project, FGES and Business School, 2018

 

 

 

5.2 Teaching collaboration

 

  • 37 teaching visits to Hope from ICL staff since 2016
  • 35 teaching visits to ICL from Hope staff since 2016
  • appointment of Dr Michael Holmes as Visiting Professor at ESPOL, 2018
  • establishment of a Lille-Liverpool Community of Practice (CoP) group in Hope, 2019
  • appointment of Dr Lisa Walters as Visiting Professor in FLSH, 2017

 

 

 

5.3 Joint degree programmes

 

  • four of the seven Lille-Liverpool PhD scholarships have been filled to date
  • joint MA in International Marketing launched in 2018
  • joint International MBA degree launched in 2018
  • joint MA in Contemporary European Affairs validated in 2019, launch in 2020
  • discussions started in 2019 about a possible joint MSc Psychology

 

 

 

5.4 Other exchanges

 

  • École 360 programme with two week-long teaching visits to Liverpool Hope commenced in 2018/19
  • Erasmus student exchanges continue every year, with a new link to be added in 2020 between Medical Faculty and Health Sciences
  • Students from ICL have provided French classes for Hope staff since 2016
  • Study visits were undertaken to Lille by Liverpool Hope students in 2016 and 2017, including collaborative projects with ICL students
  • Joint participation in international business strategy game (also including University of Ghent) since 2017
  • Semaine anglaise visits to Liverpool for ICL administrative staff, 2017 and 2019, with a reciprocal visit to Lille planned for 2020

 

 

 

5.5 Public engagement

 

  • Programme of public talks on Europe in Hope since 2016
  • TV and radio appearances by Institute members commenting on Brexit
  • Establishment of European Institute twitter page  (@eurinstlivlille)
  • Hosting of European elections events in Lille and Liverpool, 2019
  • Appointment of European Institute Visiting Professor in Liverpool Hope, June 2019

 

 

 

5.6 Summary table of main activities by research cluster

 

 

 

 

Research collaboration

Teaching collaboration

Joint degrees

Other exchanges

Public engagement

Future of Europe

Enterprise and sustainability

 

Teaching innovation

 

 

Health care, society, policy

 

Literature and popular culture

 

 

Hermeneutics

 

Ecology and environment

 

 

 

 

 

ACTION PLAN 2020-2025

 

6.1 Research collaboration

 

  • Submit funding applications to :
    • French Embassy, London, for seed meetingfunding
    • EU Commission for Jean Monnet module funding
    • EU Commission for Jean Monnet chair
  • Submit an application to host the UACES European Studies annual conference in Lille
  • Promote more publications with a joint Lille-Liverpool dimension
  • Exploring paths of research collaboration in the performing arts area
  • Proposal for the Andrew Walls Centre for the Study of African and Asian Christianity to organise a conference on “The European dimension for African and Asian Christianity”,held jointly between Lille and Liverpool in 2020

 

6.2 Teaching collaboration

 

  • Further develop the École 360o programme in Liverpool Hope
  • Establish a Lille-Liverpool Community of Practice with participation from both sides
  • Develop new teaching exchanges in Psychology, Law, Criminology, Social Science
  • Explore a Liverpool Hope contribution to ICL’s undergraduate césure structure

 

6.3 Joint degrees

 

  • Further develop the PhD scholarship programme
  • Launch MA Contemporary European Studies (September 2020)
  • Promote joint MA programmes in Psychology andLaw
  • Explore the possibilityfor joint undergraduate Criminology courses

 

6.4 Other exchanges

 

  • Establishan exchange programme to Liverpool for FMM students
  • Continue to develop the programme of administrative exchanges

 

6.5 Public engagement

 

  • Promote our partnership to raise the profile and standing of the two universities
    • Particularly through parallel ‘European Issues’ public seminar programmes
  • Develop a joint Lille-Liverpool European Institute website
  • Develop suitable publicity materials to promote the Institute

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

 

REFERENCES

Burnett, K (2015) “Why are international students so important to our universities?” Times Higher Education Supplement, 17 July 2015

 

Gould, R (2017) “Why internationalisation matters in universities” The Conversation, 6 March 2017,

 

Liverpool Hope University (2016) Liverpool Hope UniversityCorporate Plan Key Goals 2016-2020.

 

Université Catholique de Lille (2019) Mission.