Trends 2015 The implementation of the European Higher Education Area – 15 years on. Presentation and discussion on what the impact has been for European universities and learning and teaching. Bologna Lab Berlin 5 December 2013 Hanne Smidt European University Association

TRENDS method Questionaire to Higher education institutions ( responses) National Rectors’ conferences Focus groups, visits to institutions, interviews …2…

TRENDS 2010TRENDS 2015 General Questions The institution in its context Institutional Mission The enhancement of teaching and the role of academic staff Degree structure & Curricula (Modularisation and learning outcomes, credit systems, Recognition, labour market) Student life cycle Study programmes Quality Assurance and recognition LLL Mobility Attractiveness & the external Dimension of European HE Internationalisation ICT-based learning and teaching …3…

University staff Is the role of teaching staff changing? Academic freedom Workload New profiles? Teacher as coach? More/less academic? Teaching as teamwork (co-teaching, collaboration on curricula) Does the changes mean? New pedagogics and didactics in HE? Use of technology Focus on professional development / CPD Does a teacher need a license to teach? Has status and salaries been affected by the economic crisis? How does QA affect learning and teaching? Has the division between teaching, research and the third mission changed? …4…

Learning and teaching - more important than ever (for the academic staff)? But does everybody believe this? University staff? Leadership? Ministries? Public reputation of HE learning and teaching? Important - compared to what? Teaching vs. research? Career development - acknowledgement? How does this translate in concrete support measures? Policies, funding? National level Institutional level …5…

Quality teaching – teaching innovation New rhetoric: high quality, world class, excellence in teaching Are there things to be improved? What are they? How does internal/external QA impact? Better student-teacher interaction? How? Ratio student teacher? “Teaching innovation” (flipped classroom) student services, in particular career guidance Drop out, retention Employability Incentives? Means to know and improve? …6…

Students Is the student body diversifying (national/international, young/mature/older, social backgrounds)? More part-time students (work, family) More lifelong learning? (e.g. students do a bachelor, leave and return later)? Do they learn different? Digital natives? Less well prepared for HE? …7…

…8… Tracking learners' and graduates' progression paths (LLP, )

Student learning in 2013 What has been implemented – what not, why? Degree system Learning outcomes and revised curricula Student centred - assessment Skills orientation Flexibilisation of study paths Mobility – international experience – language learning Practical and professional experience internships Is teaching (re-)organised in a meaningful way? Amount of lectures, seminars, working groups, peer groups Student workload Problem / project based Blended learning – elearning Flipping the class room Teaching means and environments …9…

Bologna Process – deadman walking or BP2.0 What describes it best: 1.Mission accomplished – it is over 2.It is over, but nothing has much improved 3.Structural reforms accomplished, but the major developments ahead 4.National and institutional reform processes are still ‘Bologna guided’ 5.Other? …10…

…11… The consequences: Conditions to be provided by institutions Learning support - opportunity for students to exchange with teachers and co- learners, student support and advisory services Flexible learning - allowing students to learn at their own pace, advance quicker in areas that they are strong in, revise on their own in areas where they have gaps Inclusiveness - given the ambitious participation goals, HE would have to cater to a diverse studentship Retention and completion- student success, including employability Transparent learning – sufficient information to be provided to prospective and actual students allowing them to understand and navigate them