bologna training warsaw

The Bologna Process and studying with a disability

esdon [email protected] +32 485/376 434Gasmeterlaan 134 B-9000 Gent Belgium

Gilles VerschooreCoordinator esdon

The BP in a few words

• Intergovernmental process• From 29 to 46 countries (Cultural

Convention of the CoE)• The Bologna Declaration• 1999-2010-2020• Creation of a European Higher Education

Area (EHEA)• A process to harmonise European HE

Start and evolution

• 1998: Sorbonne• 1999: Bologna• 2001: Prague• 2003: Berlin• 2005: Bergen• 2007: London• 2009: Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve

Sorbonne

• Celebration 800 years Sorbonne• France, Germany, Italy and the United

Kingdom• Sorbonne Joint Declaration• More cooperation in the field of HE

Bologna

• 29 countries• Harmonisation of HE

o Comparabilityo Compatibilityo Promotion of mobility

• Not a binding international treaty• 3 dimensions

o Comparabilityo Employabilityo Attractivenesso Social cohesion??

The Bologna Declaration

• Easily readable & comparable degrees (+ implementation of DS, to promote employability & international competitiveness)

• Two main cycles (undergraduate (min 3 years) & graduate)

• System of credits, such as ECTS• Promotion of mobility• European cooperation in quality assurance• Promotion of the necessary European dimension

in HE

Structure of the BP (1/2)

Bologna Follow-up Group & Board of the Bologna Process• Bologna Follow-up Group: 46 signatories and the

European Commission + 8 consultative members (CoE, UNESCO-CEPES, EUA, EURASHE, ESU, EI, ENQA en BUSINESSEUROPE)

• Board: EU-troika, country that hosts the next MC, 3 countries elected by and amongst the Bologna Follow-up Group and the European Commission + 4 consultative members (CoE, EUA,EURASHE, ESU)

Structure of the BP (2/2)

• Working groups

• Seminars and conferences

• MC every 2 year

• Stocktaking

Stocktaking (1/2)

Stocktaking (2/2)

Action lines (1/14)

Qualifications Frameworks / Three-Cycle System Joint DegreesMobility RecognitionQuality Assurance Social DimensionEmployability Lifelong LearningEHEA in a global context StocktakingBologna Beyond 2010

Action lines (2/14)

• Qualifications Frameworks / Three-Cycle System o 3-cycle systemo ECTSo DSo QF-EHEA (2005) – EQF (2008)

Action lines (3/14)

• Joint Degreeso At least 2 institutionso At least 6 months at each institutiono Degree from all the participating institutions

Action lines (4/14)

• Mobilityo Both an entire cycle as a period of study

2007: some work has been done, but still a lot of obstacles

issues relating to immigration, recognition, insufficient financial incentives and inflexible pension arrangements

Also they can’t do it alone: “We recognise the responsibility of individual Governments to facilitate the delivery of visas, residence and work permits, as appropriate. Where these measures are outside our competence as Ministers for Higher Education, we undertake to work within our respective Governments for decisive progress in this area.”

Action lines (5/14)

• Recognitiono Qualifications/degreeso Periods of study (abroad)o RPLo Formal non-formal and informal

o LRC (CoE/UNESCO)

Action lines (6/14)

• Quality Assuranceo 3-fold system

Self-assessment External review Accreditation

o ESGo ENQAo EQAR

Action lines (7/14)

• Social dimensiono 2001: in draft communiqué, out in discussions,

back in thanks to studentso Bergen, 2005: importance reaffirmed, WG

establishedo London 2007: definition approved:

We strive for the societal goal that the student body entering, participating in and completing higher education should reflect the diversity of our populations. We therefore pledge to take action to widen participation at all levels on the basis of equal opportunity.• Leuven 2009: report on the participative equity in HE by

Eurostat and Eurostudent

Action lines (8/14)

London 2007:“We therefore continue our efforts to provide adequate student services, create more flexible learning pathways into and within higher education, and to widen participation at all levels on the basis of equal opportunity.”

Action lines (9/14)

“We share the societal aspiration that the student body entering, participating in and completing higher education at all levels should reflect the diversity of our populations. We reaffirm the importance of students being able to complete their studies without obstacles related to their social and economic background.”

Action lines (10/14)

• Employabilityo the ability to gain initial employment, to

maintain employment and to be able to move around within the labour market

o Target 2009: develop partnerships and cooperation with employers in the ongoing process of curriculum innovation based on learning outcomes


• Lifelong Learningo 2007: some elements of flexible learning exist

in most countries, but a more systematic development of flexible learning paths to support lifelong learning is at an early stage. We therefore ask BFUG to increase the sharing of good practice and to work towards a common understanding of the role of higher education in lifelong learning


• EHEA in a global contexto = Competitivenesso Biggest report: 242 pages


• Stocktakingo 2007: shift to data collectiono We recognise the need to improve the

availability of data on both mobility and the social dimension across all the countries participating in the Bologna Process


• Bologna beyond 2010

• Ghent seminar May 2008: rankings, typology and diversification of funding, including the introduction and raise of tuition fees

• BFUG Sarajevo 24-25 June 2008: LLL, Social Dimension, Student-centered learning and Mobility

Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve (1/10)

What now? How must the BP proceed? 2 options:

We continue with the current action lines and implement these until grass root level

We search new challenges and problems and tackle those

What students want: Implement the current action lines until grass root

level with a reconsideration if the implementations benefit the students

But also be open to new challenges, without endangering the progress of the process

A pedagogical revolution?

• Teaching => Learning• Tutor-oriented => Student-centered

• Year => Semester

• Class hours => ECTS

• Class content => Learning outcomes

Troubles in paradise?

• The social dimension• Financing• BP in 2 speeds• European Commission weighs too much• Integration of the Lisbon Strategy in the

Bologna Process


• “The objectives set out by the Bologna Declaration and the policies developed in the subsequent years are still valid today. Since not all the objectives have been completely achieved, the full and proper implementation of these objectives at European, national and institutional level will require increased momentum and commitment beyond 2010.”


• Action lines:– Social dimension: equitable access and completion, LLL– Employability– Student-centred learning and the teaching mission of HE– Education, research and innovation– International openness– Mobility– Data collection– Multidimensional transparency tools– funding


2009

• mobility becomes a hallmark– Target of 20% by 2020

• …it increases cooperation an competition between HEIs.

• Mobility windows


• Social dimension– Set measurable targets for widening overall

participation and increasing participation of underrepresented groups in HE, to be reached by the next decade.

– Also focus on other parts of the educational system


• Employability– Focus on work placements embedded in study

programmes and on-the-job learning

• LLL– Subject to the principle of public responsibility

• NQF delayed from 2010 to 2012

• Data collection for mobility and social dimension + refined stocktaking


• Multidimensional transparency tools = ranking

• Funding– “Within a framework of public responsibility we

confirm that public funding remains the main priority to guarantee equitable access and further sustainable development of autonomous HEIs. Greater attention should be paid to seeking new and diversified funding sources and methods.”


• Change of structure:– 1 non-EU member as co-chair– BFUG working groups– Introduction of networks– Conferences: shift from policy development to

communication and dissemination


• Overarching working group on the implementation of the BP– Subgroups on

• Social dimension, including employability (Spain)

• Mobility, including balanced mobility (Luxembourg)

• Refined stocktaking (Latvia)

– To define the indicators used for measuring and monitoring mobility and the SD in conjunction with the data collection

– To prepare an integrated report by 2012

How does studying (and working) with a disability links

to the Bologna Process?

BP and disability (1/8)

• 3-cycle system and ECTSo Flexibilisation => flexible and individual

pathways

REMARK: Is this inclusive for all? Maybe some students like ex cathedra classes?=> Yes, both systems can exist in a parallel way


• Mobilityo Disabled students (and staff) must be able to

be mobile as wello Should focus on a free choice of institution and

be based on the educational opportunities an institution can offer a disabled student, not just based on the availability of specialised services

=> Study abroad without limits => HEAG => ESN


• Quality assuranceo Embed student services in general and

services for disabled students in the quality assurance review process

o Monitoring of the impact of the quality assurance system

o Continuous professional development of staff (‘teaching the teachers’, ‘training the trainers’)


• Lifelong learningo Flexible, individual and alternative pathways to

enjoy higher education


• Employabilityo HE must prepare students to function properly

in a working environment => disabled students as well

o Raising awareness amongst employers, empowerment of people with disabilities and provision of specialist career and guidance services


• Social dimensiono => start to act, clear goals and benchmarks

regarding accessibility, services, guidance and counseling, reasonable adjustments and non-discrimination legislation


• Stocktakingo => put accessibility, services, guidance and

counseling and reasonable adjustments in the stocktaking under the social dimension

• Data collection!


• NAP– Very diverse: from very detailed to no

underrepresented groups– Follow-up?– www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna

A missed opportunity

The memorandum:

“From Bologna to Bruges and far beyond.Equal opportunities for people with disabilities.”

Thank you for your attention!

www.esdon.org