The Bologna Process:On the road to the open

European Higher Education Area(EHEA)?

MPhil/HEEM Programme in Higher EducationIntroductory semester, Unit 3, lecture 4Peter MaassenOslo, 27 September 2007

1998-2000: • 1998: Sorbonne declaration: intention of four large countries(France, Germany, Italy, UK) to create an open HE Area. Partly a reaction to EUs ambitions. EU not invited, not even as observer.

1998-2000:

• 1999: Bologna Declaration: intergovernmental (Ministers of Education) agreement to enlarge the Sorbonne declaration and accept all European countries’ involvement in development of a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) by 2010.

For the text of the Bologna Declaration and an explanation of it from the side of the European Rectors’ Conference, see:

http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/bologna/bologna.pdf

1998-2000:

• 2000: EU Lisbon summit (Heads of state). Supranational agreement on strengthening EU’s economic competitiveness and social cohesion through the implementation of a joint (Lisbon) Agenda. By 2010 Europe should be the no. 1 knowledge economy in the world. Consequence: emphasis of joint interests, also in education and research, instead of differences.

2003-2004: • Publication of EUs education white paper: Education and Training 2010. Represents integration of Bolognaprocess; Lisbon Agenda, and Copenhagen process (which isBologna process for vocational education)

EU in many ways formally involved in intergovernmentalBologna process

Tension between cultural focus of original Bologna Declarationand economic focus of Lisbon agenda. Consequence: adaptationof Bologna process in a more economic direction

1999-2007:• Implementation of Bologna process evaluated and adapted by biennial Minister of Education meetings

• Tension between cultural focus of original Bologna Declarationand economic focus of Lisbon Agenda. Consequence: adaptationof Bologna process in a more economic direction

• EU sees Bologna process as a success and has started to export it

Bologna issues continued:

Bologna and the EU’s HE modernisation agenda: strong convictions, weak evidence

Innovation/economic competitiveness/’lagging behind USA (China, India)

Vs

Social cohesion, democracy, basic research, critical/cultural aspects

Bologna issues continued:

EUAs Trend V report: Main challenges1. Communicate results and implications of the structural and curricular Bologna reforms, esp. with employers (organisations)2. Further develop process of quality assessment and enhancement3: HEIs should develop institutional strategies wrt lifelong learning4. Further improve access to HE without reducing quality5. Bologna after 2010, incl. handling problems wrt staff and student mobility; link to research and innovation

Finally:

- One EHEA, or many….

- Employability or mobility….

- European isolation or openness…

- Lagging behind or….

- Institutional equality or hierarchy…