The European Higher Education Sector Observatory, a key action stemming from the European Strategy for Universities (ES4U), will focus on policy monitoring to achieve the following objectives:

• Strengthening the European dimension in higher education and research.
• Supporting universities as lighthouses of our European way of life.
• Empowering universities as actors of change in the twin green and digital transitions.
• Reinforcing universities as drivers of the EU’s global role and leadership.

The newly established Observatory will appear as a new section under the National Policies Platform.  It will combine the best of the current EU data tools and capacities in one single place, while further enhancing their use and relevance for policy makers, universities, students and researchers. 

The European Higher Education Sector Observatory aims to leverage the strengths of existing EU data tools and capacities, including the European Tertiary Education Register (ETER), U-Multirank, Erasmus+ database, Database of External Quality Assurance Results (DEQAR), Eurostudent, Eurograduate, Eurydice higher education data from the Bologna Process Implementation Reports, Mobility Scoreboard, and other relevant data sources. Additionally, the integration of new tools to further enhance their utility and relevance within the context of the strategy will be explored. This holistic approach will yield a wealth of indicators, benchmarks, analyses, and reports specifically designed to satisfy the requirements of policymakers, European higher education institutions, students, academics, and researchers alike.