The impact of European developments on professional accreditation & recognition and on HE QA processes Howard Davies Senior Adviser European University Association IHEQN, Dublin, October 2006

‘never the twain shall meet?’ – … a Greek dentist delivering professional services in Poland to Irish clients; holding a qualification awarded by a Romanian HEI, validated by a British university accredited by UK and US agencies…

Multiple discontinuities the inter-governmental Bologna Process and the EU the European Higher Education Area [EHEA] and the European Research Area [ERA] the segmentation of the European Commission the location of HE at all levels of EU legal competence the three qualifications frameworks

4 Recent EU legislation Directive 2005/36/EC on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications Decision 2241/2004/EC on a single Community framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (EUROPASS) Recommendation 2006/143/EC on further European cooperation in quality assurance in higher education Proposal for Recommendation on the establishment of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (COM[2006]479)

5 The three qualifications frameworks Bologna Process: Bachelor, Master, Doctorate European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning [vocational education and training + higher education] Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications 2005/36/EC [three categories of profession: sectoral, transitional, general]

6 The Bologna QF Bachelor, Master, Doctor: a three-tier QF facilitating recognition, transparency and mobility Bergen 2005 adopted the ENQA standards and guidelines: the principle of peer review; agreement on process at institutional and agency levels Bergen also mandated E4 [ENQA, ESIB, EUA, EURASHE] to explore the concept of a register of QA agencies current debates: independence from government, ENQA membership, exclusion of rogue operators, location and management

7 Involvement of EU in the Bologna quality assurance regime [1] 1998 the first Recommendation on cooperation [98/561/EC] 2000 the establishment of ENQA 2004 the draft second Recommendation on further cooperation: free choice of primary accreditation agency 2005 the Bergen inter-ministerial meeting 2006 the second Recommendation: free choice of supplementary agency, if allowed by national legislation

8 Involvement of EU in the Bologna quality assurance regime [2] 2004 the draft Recommendation proposed accreditation agencies in the fields of chemistry, engineering, music … a proposal now resurfacing as European Quality Labels: see - chemistry htm - engineering htm – music

9 The European Qualification Framework for lifelong learning a framework of eight levels, to which national frameworks are to be referenced by 2009: levels 6-8 are congruent with Bologna, but specified in a manner which is not coterminous with the Dublin Descriptors no specification of course duration; no precise linkage to ECTS full articulation with Diploma Supplement to be in place by 2011 recent call for proposals to test national and sectoral QFs against EQF, with decision in October 2006 EQF ‘does not apply to situations covered by Professional Qualifications Directive’ – but progressive alignment implied

10 The Professional Qualifications Directive [1] 1.to facilitate mobility of established and temporary service providers; 2.to progress the Lisbon Agenda by contributing to the integration of the market in services; 3.to guarantee high standards of health, safety and consumer protection; 4.to clarify the rights and responsibilities of home and host countries vis-à-vis migrant professionals; 5.to streamline the acquis

11 The Professional Qualifications Directive [2] Three categories of professional qualification: 1. the sectoral: doctor, dentist, general care nurse, midwife, veterinary surgeon, pharmacist, architect recognition via agreed minimum training conditions 2. the transitional: craft professions recognition by duration and recency of professional experience 3. those in the general system: not covered elsewhere recognition by reference against a 5-level grid and by disparity management (adaptation periods, aptitude tests)

12 Current trends The Lisbon Agenda and the completion of the internal market in services by 2010 Pressure from the Commission to dismantle protectionism in the liberal professions The Commission’s agenda for the modernisation of HE Increasing transparency of costing and pricing in HE Increasing portability of grants, loans and debt Growth of for-profit private HE sector, joint ventures, PPPs

13 The Services Directive Derogation of professional qualifications from country of origin principle The historic compromise: ‘a balance between market opening, public services and social and consumer rights’ Second Reading by European Parliament now in train Healthcare services excluded from scope of Directive Education also excluded – by virtue of case law [263/86] Is sectoral legislation possible in the field of education?

14 Services of general economic interest The definitions of ‘service’, ‘service of general interest’ and ‘service of general economic interest’ lack consistency An eventual Framework Directive on SGEIs? The Commission Communication on social services of general interest [SEC(2006)177] poses the key question: How to strike a balance between fundamental rights, social cohesion, subsidiarity, public good, competitiveness and economic efficiency? HE and the professions – in building a strong consensus – must follow this debate

15 Where the twain shall meet? updating existing legal instruments in line with Bologna and EQF? putting all professional qualifications into the general system? using ECTS for disparity management in the general system? regulating entry to specific professions at the same academic level in all territories covered by the Directive? generalising the generic and specific competences specified by Tuning? using the common platforms? using European Quality Assurance Forums to address the alignment of professional qualifications with Bologna?

Thank you for your attention