1. Higher Education in the Council of Europe
Katia Dolgova-Dreyer

2. WHY EDUCATION IN THE COUNCIL PROGRAM?
Support democracy, human rights and rule of law
Essential condition for creating democratic culture
Promote social cohesion and equal opportunities
Improve opportunities for individuals
Develop a “Europe of competence and skills”
Provide a pan-European voice

3. STRUCTURE Steering Committee for Higher Education and Research (CDESR)
49 countries of the Cultural Convention
Observers
Annual plenary sessions
CDESR Bureau
8 members
2 – 3 meetings a year
Secretariat
DG IV – Education Directorate

4. HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Contribution to European Higher Education Area
Recognition of qualifications
Public responsibility for higher education and research
Governance and democratic culture
New project: “The University Between Humanism and Market: Redefining its Values and Functions for the 21st Century”
Council of Europe Higher Education Fora
Publications series
Web page

5. RECOGNITION OF QUALIFICATIONS
Council of Europe/UNESCO Recognition Convention
ENIC Network
Close cooperation Council of Europe – UNESCO – European Commission
Challenges:
More emphasis on learning outcomes
More emphasis on helping learners
Good practice, including reasonable definition of “substantial differences”
Develop “recognition culture” in some 50 countries

6. PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIGHER EDCAUTION AND RESEARCH
Draft recommendation discussed CDESR 2005 and 2006
Forum and publication
Challenge: how to ensure that public responsibility remains a reality in modern, complex societies?
Toward a more nuanced view of what public responsibility means

7. DEMOCRATIC CULTURE
Concept included in Action Plan from Third Summit (2005)
Forum June 2006 on the responsibility of HE for democratic culture, with US partners
Declaration requiring follow up activities by institutions and organizations
Web site

8. UNIVERSITY BETWEEN HUMANISM AND MARKET
New project 2007 – 2010
Main aims:
consider the rationales, functions and values of higher education in modern, complex societies
one-dimensional vision of higher education is not fit to answer the multidimensional needs of complex modern societies
further develop the concept of the four-fold mission of higher education and research
explore the role of higher education in helping modern society cope with and benefit from cultural diversity
further contribute to the development of a European Higher Education Area addressing the full range of rationales, functions and values of higher education

9. COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND BOLOGNA
Consultative member of BFUG and Board
European Cultural Convention institutional framework, with requirement for commitment
CoE/UNESCO Recognition Convention only binding legal text in the Process
Contributes through activities on recognition, public responsibility, governance, QA and new project
Special role in assisting countries that joined the Process recently

10. BILATERAL and REGIONAL CO-OPERATION
Assistance in higher education legislation and reform
Support integration in European Higher Education Area
Focus: South East Europe, Eastern Europe.
Through
Expert advice and support
National seminars and conferences
Regional seminars
2006, among others:
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Serbia
Russia
Two Informal Ministerial conferences (Western Balkans and 5 New countries in the Bologna Process (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine)

11. MORE INFORMATION Council of Europe higher education web site
ENIC/NARIC web site
Web site on the responsibility of higher education for democratic culture
Council of Europe Higher Education Series