Modernising higher education: 10 years of the Bologna Process

Ministers responsible for higher education from 46 European countries met in Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, earlier this week, to take stock of the achievements of the Bologna reform process, set a new agenda, and agree priorities for the next decade.

Reflecting the widespread influence of the reforms, they were joined by representatives from 20 other countries, who took part in a Bologna Policy Forum.

European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Ján Figel, said that in the past ten years Bologna 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.”

Bologna has grown from 29 countries in 1999 to 46 now. The latest stocktaking report, presented at the meeting, concludes that good, albeit somewhat uneven, progress has been made in implementing the Bologna reforms. The Commission’s latest report on Bologna confirmed this conclusion, and said the focus should now be on modernising national policies and implementing reform of Europe’s higher education institutions.

Figel acknowledged there is still some work required to meet the objectives that were set out in 1999, saying higher education has a key role in supporting sustainable economic recovery and in stimulating innovation, and universities must modernise if they are to play their part. “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,” Figel said.

The stocktaking report claims that since it was originally agreed in 1999, the Bologna Process has led to the modernisation of European higher education, building upon and strengthening Europe’s intellectual, scientific and cultural dimension. The process has brought about a considerable degree of change, achieving greater compatibility and comparability of the systems of higher education. Major reforms in the structure of higher education have been made with the adoption of a three cycle-structure, quality assurance guidelines have been developed, a European register for quality assurance agencies has been created, and an agreement has been reached at European level on appropriate qualifications frameworks based on learning outcomes.

Furthermore, Bologna has managed to instil a permanent sense of cooperation by encouraging and increasing dialogue between different stakeholders, governments, higher education institutions and others. There has been strong adherence to the principles of promoting compatibility and comparability as well as respecting diversity. And the process has generally avoided creating additional bureaucracy, according to the stocktaking report.

Full implementation of the principles and objectives of the Bologna Process will still require continual momentum after 2010.

In the years up to 2020, the major challenges will be globalisation and demography. European higher education should respond through its contribution to building the European knowledge society and to making it a cohesive society.

The overarching aim of the Bologna Process beyond 2010 should be to equip institutions of higher education to achieve excellence in the areas that are most relevant to their specific mission and profile, the report concludes.