Universities and institutes of higher education play an important role in the formation, education and provision of engineers, technologists and scientists. At the same time, they possess a considerable capacity for performing research, both fundamental and applied, to support aeronautics and aeronautics related activity. As such, universities form an important part of the European aeronautics supply chain. Moreover since every country in the EU has many institutions of higher education, these provide a truly pan European resource for aeronautics. This is in contrast to the situation in the aeronautics industry, where the larger part of the activity is concentrated in a small number of countries.
However, the academic environment is, by tradition, one in which competition is very important. There is competition between institutions, between departments and even between individuals. Consequently, the university system is highly fragmented and communication between institutions is not well developed. There is at present no collective voice even for those universities who have capability in the same areas e.g. for universities with aeronautics capability. This presents a problem when organisations such as industry or the European Commission wish to obtain the views of the university “sector” or wish to find partners for participation in projects. In the past this inability to share information, to be involved in planning and to be recognised as a potential partner for research has produced a sense of alienation in certain areas. In the field of aeronautics, the fragmentation and the frustration that stems from poor communication and awareness is in sharp contrast to the situation in industry and the national research establishments. These sectors are well aware of each others capabilities and each has a collective voice through AECMA (industry) and EREA (research establishments).
There is much to be gained by improving this situation. As an important player in common European RTD activities, the universities are collectively the “third force” in European aeronautics. This force needs to be recognised and a way should be found to give it a collective voice. If this can be achieved, the three major forces – industry, research establishments and academia can then be organised and linked more effectively. The focusing of pan European aeronautics capability in universities would bring added value to European aeronautics programmes and to the individual players.
It is also important to note that those European countries with little, or no, aeronautics industry all have universities that can train engineers, technologists and scientists for the aeronautics industry. They have staff and students who could perform valuable aeronautics related research. Better communication and interaction would lead to greater participation in European aeronautics programmes this, in turn, would lead to increased mobility of the European high technology labour force.