The Bologna Process – reforming universities in the next decade

On 28 and 29 April, Ministers responsible for higher education from 46 European countries will meet in Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, to take stock of the achievements of the Bologna Process, set a new agenda, and agree priorities for the European Higher Education Area for the next decade up to 2020. Reflecting the huge interest from countries outside Europe in the reforms taking place in the European Higher Education Area, for the first time a 'Bologna Policy Forum' will take place between the 46 countries participating in the Process and 20 countries from outside Europe.^[1]

The Bologna process has grown from 29 countries in 1999 to 46 today^[2] – it is a European success story. The latest Bologna Stocktaking Report, which is to be presented to Ministers in Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve concludes that good, albeit somewhat uneven, progress has been made in implementing the Bologna reforms. The Commission's latest report in support of the process confirms this positive conclusion and indicates that substantial progress has been made, including on structural reforms. The focus should now be on modernising national policies and on achieving concrete implementation of the reforms of Europe's higher education institutions.

The main Bologna reforms concentrate on:

the three-cycle degree structure (bachelor, master, doctorate),
quality assurance in higher education, and
recognition of qualifications and periods of study.

Together, these reform efforts have created new opportunities for universities and students. The launch last year of the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education is helping to raise the visibility of European higher education and boost confidence in institutions and programmes within Europe and worldwide.

Commenting on the forthcoming meeting, the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Ján Figel’, said: "The Bologna Process has led to greater compatibility and comparability of systems of higher education. Among other things, it has made Europe a more attractive destination for students from other continents. While there is still some work to meet the objectives that were set out in 1999, we need to continuously move forward to address new challenges, particularly in the current economic crisis. Higher education has a key role to play in supporting sustainable economic recovery and in stimulating innovation. The universities must modernise, and the widespread recognition of this need by governments not only in Europe, but also around the world, gives the Bologna Process the vital support it needs for success."

A recent Eurobarometer Survey among students in higher education shows that students want wider access to higher education and that universities should open up cooperation with the world of work and to lifelong learning. For example, an overwhelming 97% of students believed that it was important to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in the labour market.

A large majority (87%) also agreed that it was important for higher education institutions to foster innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset among students and staff, and that there should be a possibility to undertake work placements in private enterprises as part of a study programme. More students want to study abroad and a majority want more information about the quality of higher education institutions in order to make informed study choices.

The European Commission is working with Member States and the higher education sector to help implement the modernisation agenda for universities in the framework of the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs. Support is provided through the Lifelong Learning Programme (Erasmus actions), the 7^th EU Framework Programme for Research and the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme, as well as the Structural Funds and loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The Commission also supports higher education reforms in the wider world, in concrete terms, through its external policies and programmes; support for the EU's neighbouring countries is available, for example, through the Tempus programme. Relations with other partner countries are supported through a series of bilateral or multilateral cooperation programmes: EU-USA/Canada, EDULINK, ALFA for Latin America and the new Nyerere Programme for Africa. Finally, there is also the Erasmus Mundus programme, which provides scholarships for students from across the world to study on integrated master-level programmes in different European countries. The new phase of the programme also includes doctoral studies. Cooperation with non-European institutions is also provided for in the Commission's support to research activities of higher education institutions through the 7th EU Framework Programme for Research. The Marie Curie Actions offer opportunities to individual researchers to participate in a research team in another country.

To know more:

European Commission: MEMO/09/170 [FAQ on Bologna], 22 April 2009

European Commission: MEMO/09/172 [Eurydice report], 22 April 2009

European Commission: MEMO/09/171 [Eurobarometer], 22 April 2009

European Commission: Higher education

European Commission: Higher education: Bologna

Official website of the Bologna Process

Bologna Ministerial Conference, Louvain-la-Neuve and Leuven, 28-29 April 2009

^[1]The following countries have been invited: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Senegal, Tanzania, South Africa, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico, United States and Canada.

^[2] Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom