LERU Groups
LERU’s policy development activities are undertaken at the request of the Rectors’ Assembly. Policy Groups, Thematic Groups, Network Groups and Ad Hoc Groups consisting of LERU Vice-Rectors or other senior members of staff, are established as needed to help elaborate LERU policy positions and are key to producing papers, notes, statements or round tables.
The various activities of these groups are coordinated by the LERU Office. Additional activities such as the Doctoral Summer School are organised in collaboration with an organising member university.
Policy groups
Policy groups bring together representatives from all member universities to work on LERU policy issues in certain areas. Typically their work results in public policy papers used for advocacy, but internal papers, reports and other kinds of output are possible too. The groups maintain good links with each other, as topics may overlap or be relevant across groups. There are presently 13 LERU Policy Groups. Policy groups usually meet twice a year as a plenary.
Network groups
The main function of these groups is to optimise communication and information management of LERU business inside, between and outside of LERU universities, and to maintain close links with the LERU Office. They focus on maintaining a comprehensive understanding of LERU’s goals and activities, and communicating inside and outside of the LERU network. They may also engage in mutual learning and exchange of good practice activities.
Ad Hoc groups
Ad Hoc groups can be created as needed for the purpose of undertaking a specific piece of work in LERU that does not fit into the work of existing groups for reasons of scope or time. Their work is time-limited and leads to a specific output, for example a report, paper, workshop, etc. When the work is finished, the Ad Hoc group ceases to exist.
Thematic groups
Thematic groups are primarily responsible for contributing their expertise on specific topics related to their remit. They operate on an activity-driven, self-organising and voluntary basis. The choice of activity is up to the thematic groups themselves: it could be to examine a particular topic for identifying good practice, for mutual learning and exchange of information or people, or for contributing to policy development focused on their specific expertise or discipline(s), to organise a workshop on a specific topic of interest, etc. There are five Thematic Groups: