PROPOSAL FOR A BFUG WORKING GROUP ON THE EXTERNAL DIMENSION OF THE BOLOGNA PROCESS

A. Bergen Communiqué

In the Bergen communiqué the following is said on the external dimension under the headline “The attractiveness of the EHEA and cooperation with other parts of the world”:

 

“The European Higher Education Area must be open and should be attractive to other parts of the world. Our contribution to achieving education for all should be based on the principle of sustainable development and be in accordance with the ongoing international work on developing guidelines for quality provision of cross-border higher education. We reiterate that in international academic cooperation, academic values should prevail.

 

We see the European Higher Education Area as a partner of higher education systems in other regions of the world, stimulating balanced student and staff exchange and cooperation between higher education institutions. We underline the importance of intercultural understanding and respect. We look forward to enhancing the understanding of the Bologna Process in other continents by sharing our experiences of reform processes with neighbouring regions. We stress the need for dialogue on issues of mutual interest. We see the need to identify partner regions and intensify the exchange of ideas and experiences with those regions. We ask the Follow-up Group to elaborate and agree on a strategy for the external dimension.”

 

The BFUG has been given the mandate to "elaborate and agree on a strategy for the external dimension" in order to strengthen the attractiveness of the EHEA as one of the priorities for its 2005-2007 Work Programme.  Intercultural understanding and respect, as well as the exchange of ideas and fruitful collaboration with those partners outside the EHEA, will only be possible if the partners in this dialogue are aware of their own cultural and historical identity and academic values.

 

Therefore the Working Group (especially by the Seminar of the Holy See) as  a first step of its work will promote a common reflection and dialogue on Europe's cultural heritage, its specific programmes of studies and its shared academic values.  We intend to help to clarify these concepts and will seek to identify the strategies necessary to strengthen this dimension of the Bologna Process. 

 

There are proposals for three seminars on this theme in the period Bergen – London: The Holy See seminar in April 2006, Greece in June 2006 and seminar arranged by the Nordic countries in September 2006. In this document, the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden), propose to link these three seminars to an overarching Working Group with the mandate to elaborate upon a strategy for the external dimension, as asked for by ministers in Bergen.

 

B. Terms of Reference

The Working Group is responsible for developing a strategy document on the external dimension of the Bologna Process. To be in a best possible position to do so, three seminars will be arranged during 2006 in order to give significant input to their work.

 

  1. A seminar in April 2006 with focus on attractiveness of the EHEA, based on European cultural and historical identity and academic values, hosted by the Holy See
  2. A seminar in June 2006 with focus on information about how the Bologna process operates and what has been achieved so far, the links and interaction with other areas of the world, hosted by Greece
  3. A seminar in September 2006, discussing the draft report, with emphasis on areas that has not been focused on in the previous seminars, e.g. competitiveness and capacity building. The seminar is hosted by the Nordic countries.

 

An expert will, in collaboration with the Working Group, prepare a report to the Nordic seminar in September. This report must be available to the seminar participants and BFUG in August 2006 at the latest. The report will describe the relationship between the EHEA and other parts of the world.  A proposed outline for discussion by the Working Group is as follows:

 

  1. European students and staff into the world
  2. Competitiveness/attractiveness of European Higher Education
  3. Capacity building
  4. Cross border provisions
  5. Bologna Process as such
  6. Role of EU
  1. Role of other international organisations (CoE, OECD, EI, UNESCO, ESIB, EUA, EURASHE)

 

(for more details, see Annex 1)

 

Together with the outcomes from the three seminars, the report will found the basis for the strategy work of the Working Group.

 

The Working Group will report regularly to the Bologna Follow Up Group. Before it finalises its work, a draft strategy document shall be discussed in a full BFUG-meeting.

 

The Working Group will be provided with secretarial assistance from the Bologna secretariat and from the country chairing the group.

 

C. Members of the Working Group

The Bologna Follow Up Group are invited to approve the establishment of a working group to develop and report on a strategy for the external dimension of the Bologna process.

 

Members of the Working Group are BFUG-representatives from the following countries:

 

  1. Norway (chair)
  2. Denmark
  3. Sweden
  4. The Holy See
  5. Greece
  6. Germany
  7. Portugal
  8. France
  9. Spain
  10. Malta
  11. Presidency

 

Consultative members:

 

  1. EUA
  2. EU
  3. ESIB
  4. UNESCO
  5. The Council of Europe
  6. ACA
  1. EI

 

The Working Group will submit progress reports to BFUG and a final proposal for a strategy on the external dimension of the Bologna process to the London Conference through BFUG.

 

Annex 1: Working Group on the External Dimension: The draft outline of the discussion paper in more detail

A. European students and staff into the world

a)      Transparency

b)      Recognition abroad

 B. Competitiveness/attractiveness of European Higher Education

a)      High quality

b)      Transparency, understanding and information

c)      Diversity

d)     Scholarship schemes

C. Capacity building

a)        Information

b)        Recognition

c)        Quality

d)       Competences

D. Cross border provisions

a) Sustainability

b) Public responsibility

c) Academic values

d) European HE outside Europe

E. Bologna Process as such

a) Promoting the idea of regional cooperation

b) Collaboration between regions

c) Information

F. Role of EU

a) Erasmus Mundus

b) Interregional agreements

G. Role of other international organisations (CoE, OECD, UNESCO, ESIB, EURASHE, EUA)