Tenth Annual Conference, 22 to 24 November, 1998
Stockholm, Sweden
The EAIE celebrated its 10-year anniversary this year by organising the biggest EAIE Annual conference to date. The 'International education; Interactions with the wider community' theme was very fitting as almost 2000 international educators participated. The theme linked the institutions of higher learning to the surrounding changing world.
One of the main results of the conference was the new dialogue the EAIE and its membership were able to initiate with new partners and organisations. The conference theme also interested students, who were especially active this time in organising several sessions and acting as speakers. One of the central messages and discussions of the conference centred on the role of knowledge and competence development after formal education. Regional cooperation naturally became one of the focal points of the conference.
Co Berggren, chairman of the Federation of Swedish Industries, gave the keynote speech at the Opening Plenary. He talked about the challenge of available knowledge saying, 'the most important factor for competition will be efficiently making use of available knowledge and that learning should be looked upon as an ever-ongoing part of working life'. Willebrord Sluyters, European Commission DG XXII, gave a keynote speech about the future of European education programmes. He talked about opening up, continuity, and transparency for higher education institutions. Linda Johnson, Hogeschool Haarlem, gave the Presidential Address about diversity and the role as international educators to use this diversity, brought about by multiculturalism, as a source of creativity and a catalyst for positive change.
A special event during the conference was the guided tour and magnificent buffet that the EAIE participants were able to enjoy at the famous Vasamuseet (Vasa Museum). Of course one of the highlights of the conference was the EAIE Dance in the spectacular stadshuset (City Hall).