So how will the Trans Pacific Partnership, or TPP, impact higher education? The truth is that the details of the trade deal have been shrouded in such secrecy that we simply don’t know.

But if you would like to get some idea of what might be involved, you should take a look at a series of reports prepared by the European University Association (EUA) on the central issues for higher education related to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, agreement.

The main issues related to higher education involve such things as (1) market access to higher- and adult-education providers, (2) mutual recognition of professional qualifications, (3) public procurement, (4) E-commerce and data protection, (5) protection of intellectual-property rights, and (6) investor-state dispute resolution.

The issues related to the TTIP agreement would seem a starting point for assessing the complexities involved in the TPP agreement.

The four EUA reports are available at:

TTIP Background Paper: http://www.eua.be/Libraries/Higher_Education/TTIP_background_paper_jan_2014.sflb.ashx

TTIP Update No. 1: http://www.eua.be/Libraries/Higher_Education/TTIP_Update_no_1_apr_2014.sflb.ashx

TTIP Update No. 2:

http://www.eua.be/Libraries/Higher_Education/TTIP_Update_no_2_aug14.sflb.ashx

TTIP Update No. 3:

http://www.eua.be/Libraries/Higher_Education/TTIP_Update_3_december_2014.sflb.ashx