In our latest article, just published in the Journal of Education Policy, we explore the ways in which the idea of Europe was alluded to by the ‘policy influencers’ we interviewed, in relation to their understandings of higher education students. We argue that the idea of Europe constitutes an important ‘spatial imaginary’ for higher education within the continent, and helps to frame the ways in which students are conceptualised. However, this is not played out in the same way for all respondents. For some, we suggest, Europe act as a distinct place or idealised space; for others, it constitutes an important site of spatial transformation. We explore how these understandings are related to nations’ political and historical contexts, and their contemporary positioning within Europe.
The full article can be accessed here.