” “” “Delegates from 53 countries will meet in Brussels tomorrow "to strengthen international cooperation in the area of higher education". The event is promoted by the EU Commission, which is going to launch the next step of the Tempus program, through which the EU allocates funds to this educational area. "Tempus IV" covers the period 2007-2013 and has been allocated 50 million euros a year: as well as the 27 EU member states, it covers another 26 countries in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, northern Africa. The Executive "will be represented at the conference by Benita Ferrero-Waldner, commissioner for external relations and neighbourhood policies, Ján Figel’, commissioner for education and youth, and Olli Rehn, commissioner for EU accession". According to the EU Commission, the goal of Tempus IV "is to promote cooperation between European universities and their counterparts in the partner countries". Items on the agenda include syllabi and reforms of university systems. Over the last 17 years, explains a note from Brussels, "Tempus has funded 6,500 projects, joined by two thousand universities". The first call to submit projects under the Tempus IV program to have access to the EU funds should be launched mid-year.” “
