The Danube is one of Europe's main arteries. It belongs to the oldest trade routes of humanity. Today, the river connects people in ten countries, creating a network of culture and commerce. The universities along the Danube also have a close traditional connection. 2 and 3 November see the 1st Danube Conference for Higher Education at Ulm University, with the purpose to strengthen this academic bond. Presidents, chancellors and other high-ranking representatives from six countries and nine Danube universities discuss matters of higher education institution and science management. The Danube conference is supported by the Péter Horváth Foundation and Sparkasse Ulm, which also serves as conference venue.

The conference participants come from Ulm, Regensburg, Wien, Krems, Budapest, Bratislava, Belgrade and Russe (Bulgaria) - all cities on the Danube. 'The European Higher Education Area has already become a reality in terms of teaching. It is a worthwhile next step to learn from each about the various traditions in science management. Our conference is dedicated to such an exchange,' says Mischa Seiter, Professor at the Institute of Technology and Process Management at Ulm University and host of the conference.

Items on the agenda are the professionalisation of management structures and administrative processes for higher education institutions. How can university management processes be adapted to today's challenges? How can controlling instruments help generate scientific value? Up for discussion are also the conflicts that sometimes arise between chancellors/chief financial officers and presidents, as their offices at times pursue quite different goals and perspectives. Other topics range from accreditation as instrument of governance and crisis management to good scientific practice. Further items are the social responsibility of universities and scientific quality criteria. The participants also discuss concrete matters of business administration, for example, practical controlling mechanisms for universities. They will, of course, also want to take a look into the future and get a feeling for what the next ten years might bring.

Professor Péter Horváth - who comes from Hungary and began his university studies in Budapest - feels that this conference contributes greatly to the relations among the Danube nations: 'The topic of the conference corresponds with the mission of my Péter Horváth Foundation in two regards: It fertilises both the communication between the universities in the Danube region and the knowledge of higher education institution management.'

Further information: www.danubeconference.org