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

2. EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA Process toward 2010 (Bologna Process) Process toward 2010 (Bologna Process) Actors: Actors: –Ministries of Education (currently 40 countries) –Higher education institutions –Students –International organizations

3. MILESTONES 4 Ministerial meetings: 4 Ministerial meetings: –Sorbonne 1998 –Bologna 1999 –Praha 2001 –Berlin 2003 –Bergen 2005 Academic Conventions Academic Conventions Student Conventions Student Conventions

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

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

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

7. MAIN POINTS BERGEN? Social dimension Social dimension Stocktaking Stocktaking Emphasis on implementation Emphasis on implementation New areas for stocktaking New areas for stocktaking New members? (5 applications) New members? (5 applications) What about 2010? What about 2010?

8. REQUIREMENTS NEW MEMBERS Party to European Cultural Convention Party to European Cultural Convention Apply in writing and affirm commitment to Bologna goals Apply in writing and affirm commitment to Bologna goals National reports National reports More information: More information: –http://www.bologna-bergen2005.no/ http://www.bologna-bergen2005.no/

9. BOLOGNA 2010 – WHERE ARE WE? Stocktaking Stocktaking –Degree structure –Quality assurance –Recognition Social dimension Social dimension Relations with the rest of the world Relations with the rest of the world Relationship HE policies/other areas of public policy Relationship HE policies/other areas of public policy Structure for 2010 and beyond? Structure for 2010 and beyond?