Bologna Process: An Overview
The adoption of the Bologna Process has shown "the desire for reform of higher education by the governments of many European countries, the desire to have a pan-European system and the strong belief that, if we didn't, we would probably lose out in the global competition"
Professor Tessa Blackstone, Times Higher Education, 2nd October 2008 -
"The long and the short of it" - Hannah Fearn.
The aim of the Bologna Process is to create a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and to promote the European system of higher education worldwide. The aspiration for achieving this is 2010, although the transformational Bologna Process will continue in some form after that date. The key areas the process is focusing on to achieve its aim are:
- to remove obstacles to student and academic mobility - within Europe and to students from outside
- to adopt a three-cycle European HE system - at Bachelor, Masters and Doctoral level - to simplify comparison between qualifications across Europe to achieve greater transparency. This would be aided by the establishment of a European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and the adoption of the Diploma Supplement
- to improve quality and ensure standards of higher education in Europe by cooperating in quality assurance at European level
Ministers have formalised these objectives into ten 'Action Lines' over the course of a number of summits since 1999 and a series of ongoing initiatives. Higher education institutions and students themselves have an important role to play in the Bologna Process and Ministers have called upon them to become involved in forming a diverse and adaptable European Higher Education Area.
The Bologna Process demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning in Europe, essential to help meet the challenges of increased global competition and the use of new technologies. Institutions have been urged to develop courses and curricula with significant European content, to increase the European dimension of higher education. This also entails the promotion of partnership activities and curriculum development between institutions in Europe, and the establishment of joint degrees.
"Building on our rich and diverse European cultural heritage,we are developing an EHEA based on institutional autonomy, academic freedom, equal opportunities and democratic principles that will facilitate mobility, increase employability and strengthen Europe's attractiveness and competitiveness."
Ministers responsible for Higher Education in the countries participating in the Bologna Process, London Communique May 2007
Bologna Process and the UK
...while most countries have had to carry out a radical overhaul of their systems, introducing three-year degrees and new types of Masters, the UK has been required to do very little, being already overwhelmingly Bologna-compliant.
The UK has played an active part in the development of the Bologna Process but its implementation has not been as transformational as in other European countries. Where higher education is state controlled, the Bologna Process has been implemented through legislative reform. In Germany, for example, higher education is undergoing a complete restructure to conform to the three cycle model (up to degree, masters and doctorate) of the Bologna Process. Implementation has been piecemeal in the UK given that its qualification structure broadly matches (and has in fact formed the basis of) the three-cycle system.
However, there have been significant implementation issues for the UK particularly regarding the length of Masters degree programmes, the use of ECTS and the development of the Diploma Supplement. The Europe Unit and other agencies and departments such as QAA and DIUS are working at a policy level to address these issues. A key problem throughout the Process has been a lack of awareness about Bologna in many areas of the sector and a general lack of engagement with the principles behind the EHEA. This is not to say that many institutions have not wholeheartedly embraced the process and have exemplified good practice.
UK Europe Unit Survey 2007
JISC infoNet was pleased to host the UK Higher Education Europe Unit 2007 survey on the sector's involvement in the Bologna Process and European higher education issues. The survey covered the implementation of the Diploma Supplement, credit, joint degrees, Masters' degrees and their recognition, and institutional strategies. Further background about the survey and analyses of the results are available.
It is important to note that Bologna is not an EU process although the EU supports its aims through a number of policy frameworks and funded programmes.
Benefits of the Bologna Process
This resource aims to focus on the broader benefits of the Bologna Process and help identify how some of the mechanisms that have been put in place to support the Bologna Process (such as the Diploma Supplement) can assist institutional efforts in meeting broader strategic objectives in areas such as internationalisation, lifelong learning and employability.
The Bologna Process "has sufficient momentum to become the dominant global model of higher education within two decades" according to Institute for Higher Education Policy report
"Learning Accountability from Bologna: A Higher Education Policy Primer" by Clifford Adelman, July 2008.
"Increased mobility of high-level skills and labour can contribute to increased employment, productivity and growth. This is a major benefit of the Bologna Process that should be helping to drive it forward".
The Bologna Process: Government Response to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2006-07
