A Commission Communication of 10 May 2006 urges Member States to press on with the modernisation of Europe's universities. The aim is to increase our universities - contribution to the Lisbon Agenda for more growth, and more and better jobs. Europe's 4000 universities have enormous potential, much of which unfortunately goes untapped because of various rigidities and hindrances. The Commission is urging Member States to free up the EU's substantial reservoir of knowledge, talent and energy with immediate, in-depth and coordinated change: from the way in which higher education systems are regulated and managed, to the ways in which universities are governed. This Communication is the fruit of joint work by the Directorates-General for Education and Culture and Research, and covers all the activities of Europe's universities, from their delivery of education, their research activities, through to their potential as drivers of innovation.

http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/lisbon_en.html