Brussels, 25/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - On 26-27 April, higher education ministers from 47 countries are meeting in Bucharest (Romania) to organise reforms for modernising their higher education systems and opening up the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The conference will be held at the same time as the Bologna Policy Forum, which brings together countries from outside the EHEA, reflecting the interest around the world of the Bologna reforms. Against the backdrop of the crisis and its social impact, ministers have agreed that reforms need to concentrate on developing the underexploited capacity of higher education to contribute to growth and employability - a message that is also central to the European Commission's “Agenda for Modernising Higher Education Systems in Europe”. European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth Androulla Vassiliou told European countries that they need to urgently modernise their higher education systems and remove barriers to a fully functioning EHEA. She also said: “Our target is a fully functioning EHEA which provides top-class education and employable skills for all, which stimulates innovation and ensures proper recognition of academic qualifications.”
The ministerial conference will establish the priorities for the next stage of the Bologna Process (2012-2015) for the EHEA countries. Ministers will adopt the Bologna Mobility Strategy which states that, by 2020, 20% of European higher education graduates will have spent part of their studies abroad, in line with the European benchmark for higher education mobility. The Eurydice network, Eurostat and Eurostudent have published a report for this meeting, with the assistance of the Commission, on the state of progress in implementation of the Bologna Process. The report concludes that all countries have made significant changes that have enabled the EHEA to develop. However, progress is uneven, against a backdrop of declining public expenditure on higher education and practical problems persist. Too many students drop out from higher education or graduate without employable skills. Some face barriers in having their academic qualifications recognised in another country and it is taking time for institutions to shift to “student-centred learning” - where educational programmes are tailored to what students need, and clearly set out what they should understand and be able to do as a result of their studies (“learning outcomes”). In general, higher education is not yet delivering on its potential to stimulate growth. (IL/transl.fl)