5 June 2009 TTN Forum Bologna 2020 Main outcomes of the Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve conference April 2009 Dr. Marie-Anne Persoons, General coordinator Benelux Bologna Secretariat

Outline of the presentation I. The context: borderless challenges for the new decade II. Bologna Process: an alternative model of European cooperation? III. Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Ministerial Conference: Bologna 2020 IV. Questions and answers

I. Context: borderless challenges 1. Current financial crisis Immediate effects on public and private funding of HE Budget cuts for universities in several European countries Necessary increase of funding “on hold” in many countries Risk of higher tuition fees/less social provision for students

I. Context: borderless challenges 2. Globalisation Europe in competition with i.a. US, Japan and the upcoming new economies around the Pacific Rim growing importance of research performance/attractiveness of Europe for students and staff with high research potential

I. Context: borderless challenges Changing labour market in Europe (2008 EC Communication “New Skills for new jobs”). Is there a “European alternative model”:e.g. broad access to quality higher education? Issue of European values/identity/dimension in HE (democratic values, respect for academic freedom, linguistic diversity…) Q: can these values be claimed as “European”?

I. Context: borderless challenges 3. Demographic trends 2 main aspects: Ageing population which will have to stay longer at work/less young people of which too many early school leavers Increasingly diverse (multicultural) society combined with phenomenon of drop-out of disadvantaged groups at school and at the labour market

II. Bologna: an alternative model? 1. Comparative advantages in contrast with EU decision making Light-weigh organisational structure and procedures Involvement of HE stakeholders (institutions, students, staff, QA bodies, employers) in decision-making process “Sense of ownership” of the stakeholders

II. Bologna: an alternative model? Geographical scope: currently 46 countries and BP open to all countries party to European Cultural Convention Attention for broad range of issues, not only competitiveness/contribution to economic growth/employability but also social dimension (participative equity), European dimension, HE as public responsibility (“European contribution to the global public good”)

II. Bologna: an alternative model? 2. But also weaknesses… Huge geographical area with large differences across countries: 2-speed process Voluntary process: no sanctions for non- implementation by countries Voluntary process: à la carte interpretation by countries in function of national context

II. Bologna: an alternative model? Failure in communication strategy: relatively little understanding of the BP at the level of individual students and staff BP has been main driver of HE reform process in Europe in the last decade but little progress in core business of recognition of qualifications and enhancement of mobility Reforms require funding, which is not always available

III. Bologna Agenda of the Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Ministerial Conference, April 2009 Evaluation of the achievements of the last decade Political orientations for the future (Bologna 2020)

III. Bologna Evaluation of the past decade Good progress in introduction of 3-cycle degree system QA: establishment of EQAR on the basis of European Standards and Guidelines for QA Little progress in mobility, recognition of qualifications, participation in HE (social dimesion) and integration of lifelong learning perspective in HE

III. Bologna Political orientations for the next decade Further implementation of “old” Bologna goals Priorities for the future

III. Bologna 2020 (A) Social dimension: widening participation (“no talent left behind”) to quality HE education This will entail i.a.: - Diversification of missions of HEIs and programmes. Q: how to reach parity of esteem of for all profiles (multidimensional view on “excellence”)

III. Bologna Social policies: necessary shift of attention from students “already in” to those “not yet in” - Full integration of LLL perspective in HE underpinned by arrangements for recognition of prior (non-formal) learning - Paradigmatic shift to “learning outcomes”, student- centred learning underpinned by the establishment of national qualifications framework in accordance with the overarching Qualifications Framework for the EHEA

III. Bologna 2020 (B) More evidence-based policy making This will entail i.a.: - More systematic monitoring of progress on the basis of objective criteria - Development of indicators and setting of quantitative targets (benchmarks)

III. Bologna 2020 (C) Mobility: hallmark of the EHEA - Benchmark: In 2020, at least 20 % of those graduating in the European Higher Education Area should have had a study or training period abroad - Objective of geographically balanced mobility

III. Bologna 2020 (D) Nexus between HE and research This will entail i.a.: - All HE programmes should be based on state of the art research results, regardless of level and profile of the programme - Adjustment of Ph.D. programmes to global research context (transversal skills issue)

III. Bologna 2020 (E) Dialogue with other regions of the World - First Bologna Policy Forum, Louvain-la- Neuve, 29 April Coherent promotion of EHEA as a whole - Bologna Policy Forum Statement stresses global sharing of knowledge (fruitful and fair brain circulation), recognition, cooperation in QA

III. Bologna 2020 (F) Other issues - Funding - Self-certification of NQFs - Recognition issues: triangular relation transparency/QA/recognition of qualifications

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