The network of Higher Education Reform Experts (HERE) was created in 2007 with the aim to provide support to the modernisation of higher education in Partner Countries neighbouring the EU1. The initiative that started during the Tempus IV programme proved to be successful and was therefore continued under the Erasmus+ Programme.
In order to further enhance the network’s expertise and provide centralised training and network opportunities, the European Commission continues to fund the ‘SPHERE’ Initiative (Centralised Support to the Network of Higher Education Reform Experts). This is currently managed by the SPHERE Team, a consortium consisting of OBREAL Global (Coordinator) and the European University Association (EUA), acting as a service provider for the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). It offers focussed activities such as seminars, study visits, technical assistance missions and communication and dissemination for the HERE Network and national HERE Teams.
The partner countries, each of which has a national HERE Team, targeted by this initiative are:
- Central Asia: Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
- Eastern Partnership: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
- Southern Mediterranean: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine* and Tunisia
- Western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo** and Montenegro
*This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.
**This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.