Schools and organizations not seeking accreditation, can become part of the EEAA network through membership. Membership in the European Evangelical Accrediting Association is of two kinds.
There are many advantages to a European network of theological schools: within the network members become acquainted and confident in each other, overcoming cultural and theological barriers in order to enrich each other and stimulate their schools. The bonding and peer friendships within a network also create a forum where problems can be faced together, and solutions elaborated while avoiding the dangers of isolation.
The human resource “multiplier effect” that occurs within a network of higher education is also of great value and the influence of many schools together is much greater than the sum of all participating schools. Many projects (ie. investments in e-learning technology) that cannot be managed by a single school, may well be jointly sponsored within the network and made available to all members. Networking students in theology in exchange programmes (i.e. Erasmus) can also contribute to creating future Christian leaders with a European mind-set that will be able bear a positive influence beyond their national borders and interact significantly in a unified Europe with a greater sense of European evangelical identity.
Many other advantages have been found by higher education networks in Europe and worldwide, such as curriculum innovation and development, student mobility, shared intensive short courses, summer schools, training periods, double diplomas or multinational diplomas, postgraduate activities, mutual knowledge of partners in specific areas of competence, PhD joint supervision, research co-operation and formation of faculty research clusters where members list their areas of interest to collaborate in trans-national research, mobility of teaching staff and course sharing, common alumni databases and placement services for alumni and faculty.
The EEAA network also aims at providing specific services to its members. These could include seminars and upgrading tools for staff and faculty in the areas of management and teaching or contact with other evangelical organizations, foundations, missions and resource providers in Europe and worldwide on behalf of its members. Theological schools that network with other schools and with the European evangelical world at large can benefit from many opportunities of ministering and being ministered to within a healthy and learning community of like-minded men and women with similar dreams and goals.
The following steps are necessary to become a member of the EEAA:
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