Higher Education in the Council of Europe Katia Dolgova-Dreyer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

MORE INFORMATION Council of Europe higher education web site http://www.coe.int/T/DG4/HigherEducation/default_en.asp ENIC/NARIC web site http://www.enic-naric.net/ Web site on the responsibility of higher education for democratic culture http://dc.ecml.at/ Council of Europe Higher Education Series http://www.coe.int/T/DG4/HigherEducation/Resources/HEseries_en.asp