(fw) The IDEA League (1), based on a close co-operation agreement between Imperial College London, the Technical University of Delft, ETH Zurich and RWTH Aachen, is five years old. It would have been a good opportunity to look back on what has been achieved and indulge in self-centred celebration. But the representatives of the four technical universities who met last week for the annual general assembly, which, according to the roster, took place this year at ETH Zurich, had a different agenda. Rather, their energy was invested in looking forward and concentrating on the future of this association.

Excellence as a criterion

At this year's meeting the four universities reached a fundamental decision, as Christoph Niedermann, from the Rector's Office of ETH Zurich, explains. Namely, the IDEA League is considering the admission within the next few years of a French university as the fifth member of the league. As to which school it will be is something that will be looked into by ETH rector Konrad Osterwalder. The reasons for the expansion are mainly strategic. With a member from a Latin country, the IDEA League would be a real European institution and could exercise more political influence. This is vital, for example, when it comes decisions on how research budgets are to be divided at the European level. For obvious reasons, the four members of the IDEA League are of the opinion that funds should not be granted according to regional political criteria, but in line with applicants' proven degree of excellence.

How to effectively improve political influence will be the subject of a secluded retreat, which the four heads of the member institutions will hold next summer in the monastery of Einsiedeln. During this "IDEA League Forum" they will discuss concrete proposals and develop strategies. In a second step–probably in 2006–commonly agreed positions will then be discussed in a "Future Forum" with the participation of political decision-makers.

The heads of the four IDEA League universities: Burkhard Rauhut (RWTH Aachen), Sir Richard Sykes (Imperial College London), Hans van Luijk (TU Delft) and Olaf Kübler (ETH Zurich). large

Together to India

Something that the IDEA League is already agreed on is the decision to strengthen their co-operation in the areas of public relations, recruitment and international collaboration. In future the four universities plan to co-ordinate their activities in India and proceed in step with one another. In doing so, however, it was not just a question of recruiting the best people, emphasises Niedermann; the league aims to promote exchange, at various levels, with highly reputable education and research institutions in India. The three non-British members of the IDEA League hope that the high profile, which Imperial College already enjoys in India, will benefit them, too. Nor does Niedermann conceal that the European universities could also benefit from current policy in the US, as it is increasingly difficult for scientists from India to work in the USA (2).