1. Bologna Process in Higher Education
Sherzad Hakim
Director
Directorate of Quality Assurance
Hawler Medical University
Erbil, Iraq

2. Contents: Definition The overarching aim
Why it is called BP and who participates?
What are the reforms all about?
Participating countries
How it works?
Ministerial conferences
Working groups
Higher Education Priorities
Framework of Qualifications/EHEA
European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)

3. Definition
A voluntary European inter-governmental process involving 47 countries. It’s a reform process aimed at creating the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe.

4. The overarching aim
is to create: A European Higher Education Area (EHEA) based on international cooperation and academic exchange that is attractive to European students and staff as well as to students and staff from other parts of the world.

5. More specifically, the envisaged European Higher Education Area will:
facilitate mobility of students, graduates and higher education staff;
prepare students for their future careers and for life as active citizens in democratic societies, and support their personal development;
offer broad access to high-quality higher education, based on democratic principles and academic freedom.

6. Why is it called Bologna Process and who participates?
The Bologna Process is named after the Bologna Declaration, which was signed in the Italian city of Bologna on 19 June 1999 by ministers in charge of higher education from 29 European countries.

7. Today, the Process unites 47 countries - all parties to the European Cultural Convention and committed to the goals of the European Higher Education Area. An important characteristic and key to its success is that: It also involves European Commission, Council of Europe and UNESCO-ECHE, as well as representatives of higher education institutions, students, staff, employers and quality assurance agencies.

8. What are the reforms all about?
Easily readable and comparable degrees organised in a three-cycle structure (e.g. bachelor-master-doctorate): Countries are currently setting up national qualifications frameworks that are compatible with the overarching framework of qualifications for the European Higher Education Area and define learning outcomes for each of the three cycles.
Quality assurance in accordance with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).

9. Fair recognition of foreign degrees and other higher education qualifications in accordance with the Council of Europe/UNESCO Recognition Convention.
Work is also undertaken in areas of broader societal relevance, such as the links between higher education, research and innovation; equitable participation and lifelong learning.  
The ongoing reforms will have a strong impact on how European higher education relates to higher education in other parts of the world, which is why Ministers have adopted a Strategy for the European Higher Education Area in Global Setting.

10. Participating Countries
Albania Germany Norway Andorra Greece Poland Armenia Holy See Portugal Austria Hungary Romania Azerbaijan Iceland Russian Federation Belgium Ireland Serbia Bosnia-Herzegovina Italy Slovak Republic Bulgaria    Kazakhstan Slovenia Croatia Latvia Spain Cyprus Liechtenstein Sweden Czech Republic Lithuania Switzerland Denmark Luxembourg "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" Estonia Malta Turkey Finland Moldova Ukraine France Montenegro United Kingdom Georgia Netherlands

11. Additional &Consultative Members
Additional member
European Commission
Consultative members
Council of Europe
UNESCO European Centre for Higher Education
European University Association
European Association of Institutions in Higher Education
European Students' Union
European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education
Education International Pan-European Structure
BUSINESSEUROPE

12. How it works...
The Bologna Process is taken forward through a work programme that receives orientations from ministerial conferences every two/three years. These conferences are prepared by a Bologna Follow-up Group, which in turn receives input from working groups and seminars.

13. Ministerial Conferences
City
Dates
Bologna, Italy
18-19 June 1999
Prague, Czech Republic
18-19 May 2001
Berlin, Germany
18-19 September 2003
Bergen, Norway
19-20 May 2005
London, United Kingdom
17-18 May 2007
Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
28-29 April 2009
Budapest/Vienna, Hungary/Austria  
10-12 March 2010

14. Working Groups
To implement the Bologna reforms and to make progress in all priority areas, strong efforts were required especially at national and institutional level. To support these efforts with joint action at European level, the Ministers entrusted the Bologna Follow-up Group to prepare work plans for the period leading up to the Ministerial Conferences.

15. As part of the work plan, the Bologna Follow-up Group set up seven working groups on the following topics:
Social Dimension
Qualifications Frameworks
International Openness
Mobility
Recognition
Reporting on the implementation of the Bologna Process
Transparency mechanisms
To further disseminate the Bologna reforms, countries and organisations participating in the Bologna Process also organise various seminars and conferences.

16. Higher Education Priorities
social dimension: equitable access and completion,
lifelong learning;
employability;
student-centred learning and the teaching mission of higher education;
education, research and innovation;
international openness;
mobility;
data collection;
multidimensional transparency tools;
funding.  

17. Framework of qualifications/EHEA
The Bergen Conference of European Ministers Responsible for Higher Education (19-20 May 2005) adopted the overarching framework for qualifications in the EHEA, comprising three cycles. Each cycle is based on learning outcomes and competences, and credit ranges in the first and second cycles. Ministers committed themselves to elaborating national frameworks for qualifications compatible with the overarching framework for qualifications in the EHEA by 2010, and to having started work on this by 2007.

18. European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)
Is a standard for comparing the study attainment and performance of students of higher education across the European Union and other collaborating European countries. For successfully completed studies, ECTS credits are awarded. One academic year corresponds to 60 ECTS credits that are normally equivalent to 1500–1800 hours of total workload, irrespective of standard or qualification type. ECTS credits are used to facilitate transfer and progression throughout the Union. ECTS also includes a standard grading scale, intended to be shown in addition to local (i.e. national) standard grades:

19. Outcomes
ECTS Credits
First cycle
qualification
Qualifications that signify completion of the first cycle are
awarded to students who:
• have demonstrated knowledge and understanding in a
field of study that builds upon their general secondary
education, and is typically at a level that, whilst supported
by advanced textbooks, includes some aspects that will be
informed by knowledge of the forefront of their field of
study;
• can apply their knowledge and understanding in a manner
that indicates a professional approach to their work or
vocation, and have competences typically demonstrated
through devising and sustaining arguments and solving
problems within their field of study;
• have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data
(usually within their field of study) to inform judgments
that include reflection on relevant social, scientific or
ethical issues;
• can communicate information, ideas, problems and
solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences;
• have developed those learning skills that are necessary for
them to continue to undertake further study with a high
degree of autonomy.
Typically
include ECTS
credits

20. Outcomes
ECTS Credits
Second cycle
qualification
Qualifications that signify completion of the second cycle
are awarded to students who:
• have demonstrated knowledge and understanding that is
founded upon and extends and/or enhances that typically
associated with the first cycle, and that provides a basis or
opportunity for originality in developing and/or applying
ideas, often within a research context;
• can apply their knowledge and understanding, and
problem solving abilities in new or unfamiliar
environments within broader (or multidisciplinary)
contexts related to their field of study;
• have the ability to integrate knowledge and handle
complexity, and formulate judgments with incomplete or
limited information, but that include reflecting on social
and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of
their knowledge and judgments;
• can communicate their conclusions, and the knowledge
and rationale underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously;
• have the learning skills to allow them to continue to study
in a manner that may be largely self-directed or
autonomous.
Typically
include ECTS
credits, with a
minimum of
60 credits at
the level of
the 2nd
cycle

21. Outcomes
ECTS Credits
Third cycle
qualification
Qualifications that signify completion of the third cycle are
awarded to students who:
• have demonstrated a systematic understanding of a field
of study and mastery of the skills and methods of research
associated with that field;
• have demonstrated the ability to conceive, design,
implement and adapt a substantial process of research
with scholarly integrity;
• have made a contribution through original research that
extends the frontier of knowledge by developing a
substantial body of work, some of which merits national
or international refereed publication;
• are capable of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis
of new and complex ideas;
• can communicate with their peers, the larger scholarly
community and with society in general about their areas
of expertise;
• can be expected to be able to promote, within academic
and professional contexts, technological, social or cultural
advancement in a knowledge based society.
Not specified

22. THANK YOU