HIGHER EDUCATION REFORM IN EUROPE – AN OVERVIEW Sjur Bergan Head, Higher Education and Research Division Council of Europe

EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA Process toward 2010 (Bologna Process) Actors: Ministries of Education (currently 45 countries) Higher education institutions Students International organizations

MILESTONES Ministerial meetings: Academic Conventions Sorbonne 1998 Bologna 1999 Praha 2001 Berlin 2003 Bergen 2005 London 2007 Academic Conventions Student Conventions

MAIN POINTS BOLOGNA Increase attractiveness Increase transparency Increase mobility Facilitate recognition Adapt HE to labor market Reform degree system Role of HE in democratic societies, especially SE Europe

MAIN POINTS PRAHA Democratic values Diversity of cultures and languages Diversity of higher education systems Higher education as a public good and public responsibility Student participation Lifelong learning Quality assurance

MAIN POINTS BERLIN New countries Change access criteria Stock taking Cultural Convention Requirement: outline reform policies and commitment Stock taking Research Qualifications framework

MAIN POINTS BERGEN Overarching qualifications framework Standards for quality assurance Social dimension External dimension Stocktaking Relationship HE policies/other areas of public policy Emphasis on implementation What about 2010?

TOWARD 2007: WORKING GROUPS Stock taking Qualifications framework “External dimension” Social dimension and academic mobility [London communiqué drafting group] Portability of student loans?

TOWARD 2007: BOLOGNA SEMINARS European dimension: academic heritage and values (Holy See, March 2006) Preparing students for the labor market (UK, summer 2006) External dimension (Norway, September 2006) Joint degrees (Germany, September 2006) Doctoral programs (France/EUA, December 2006) Recognition (Latvia/Council of Europe, early 2007) Staff mobility (EI pan European Structure, early 2007)

TOWARD 2007: NATIONAL LEVEL I Qualifications framework Elaborate national QF by 2010, launch work by 2007 Quality assurance Implement guidelines adopted in Bergen Social dimension Commitment to equal access Mobility Intensify efforts to lift obstacles

TOWARD 2007: NATIONAL LEVEL II Recognition Ensure full implementation of the principles of the Lisboa Convention National action plan Joint degrees Stock taking National report

TOWARD 2007 – AND BEYOND Participate in the Bologna Follow Up Group Participate in some seminars Elaborate national strategy for the implementation of the Bologna Process Establish national Bologna group National events? Cooperation Ministry, higher education institutions and students