Brussels, 22/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - “If Europe hopes to become more competitive, with a knowledge-based economy, the Bologna Process is the key to success". On Wednesday 22 April, the commissioner with responsibility for education and training, Jan Figel, urged the member states to continue with the Bologna Process, which, since it was founded in 1999, has led to "visible progress" in reforming higher education, although "the progress has not always been evenly distributed". The Bologna Process, in which 46 European states are currently taking part, has become a model to be followed, even for non-European countries, said Commissioner Figel, announcing that American, Canadian and Brazilian delegations will be taking part in the forthcoming ministerial meeting on the Bologna Process, to be held on 28 and 29 April in Louvain and Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium).
The meeting will discuss continuing reforms, based around three pillars: - structure of studies of three levels (Bachelors degree, Masters degree and doctorate); - quality assurance in higher education; - the recognition of qualifications and study periods. The latest report by the European Commission confirms that the Bologna Process has seen notable progress on structural reforms, paving the way for new opportunities for universities and students alike. Efforts must be continued to bring about a modernisation of the national policies and to achieve reforms within higher education establishments. On the basis of the results of a Eurobarometer survey carried out recently among higher education students, the Commission would like to see broader access of the population to higher education, an opening-up of the universities to life-long learning and closer links between universities and business. These objectives correspond to the wishes of the students, the vast majority of whom would like programmes of study which will allow them to acquire skills which are vital in helping them to enter the employment market, and to be able to complete industrial placements during their studies. They also want courses to increase their focus on developing innovation and entrepreneurship. The fact that they would like greater mobility also corresponds to the ambitions of the Commission, which would like mobility to be the rule rather than the exception in future, by setting a 20% mobility rate of students by 2020 (compared to 9.1% in 2006). (I.L./transl.fl)