Joint Project ‘Strengthening Higher Education in Bosnia-Herzegovina’

1. Joint Project‘Strengthening Higher Education in Bosnia-Herzegovina’ The Bologna Process - an overview Stephen Adam, UK Bologna Promoter adamss@wmin.ac.uk and stephenadam@orange.fr

2. PROBLEM: The Bologna Process is a huge and highly complex topic! OVERVIEW WITH A FOCUS ON: • THE BOLOGNA PROCESS – SOME OBSERVATIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS • DRIVERS OF THE REFORM PROCESS • PROGRESS TO DATE – THE 10 BOLOGNA ACTION LINES • THE EMERGING EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA (EHEA) IS MORE THAN THE SUM 0F ITS PARTS – IT LINKS TO OTHER REFORMS • WHAT DOES THE BOLOGNA PROCESS SEEK TO ACHIEVE? • THE LONDON COMMUNIQUE, MAY 2007 • THE BOLOGNA WORK PROGRAMME 2007-2009 • KEY DEVELOPMENTS THAT IMPACT ON BiH • Recognition • Credits • Quality Assurance • Qualifications frameworks • Curriculum reform • WHY SHOULD BiH INSTITUTIONS REACT POSITIVELY TO THE BOLOGNA REFORMS? • ASPECTS BiH AUTHORITIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEI) SHOULD CONSIDER IN ANY STRATEGIC RESPONSE TO THE BOLOGNA REFORMS • BIBLIOGRAPHY AND USEFUL REFERENCES

3. 1. THE BOLOGNA PROCESS - SOME OBSERVATIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS • It will not be completed by 2010. We will have a multi-speed Europe – this is not problematic and reforms should not be rushed • It is driven by 46 Ministers who are committed to converge their HE structures to create ‘compatible and comparable’ education systems • The reform process has been marked by incredibly rapid developments • A vision-reality gap exists (see the ‘Trends V, Stocktaking and EUS Bologna reports) - progress is not always as good as officially reported • The implications of the Bologna Process are significant for all signatory countries (there are positive and negative consequences)

4. It is ‘associated’ with a huge European Commission educational reform agenda – aimed at improving antiquated educational systems The Bologna Process is all about - mobility, recognition, efficiency, competitiveness and attractiveness of European higher education BOLOGNA REPRESENTS AN EDUCATIONAL REVOLUTION

5. 2. DRIVERS OF THE REFORM PROCESS Local: • More internal/external competition coupled with financial pressures on institutions • Increasing institutional autonomy and diversity of mission • New technologies are impacting on teaching, learning, delivery and assessment National: • Existence of outmoded educational systems, structures and qualifications • Development of new style national qualifications frameworks • Trans-national education and globalisation International: • Expansion of the global education market (student pressure) • European Commission initiatives (e.g. Lisbon agenda, etc.) • Challenges to public education and subsidies + borderless education Main Players: • European Commission, Council of Europe, EUA, EURASHE, ESU, ministries, professional bodies, rectors’ conferences, UNESCO, etc. Official Bologna Conferences and Seminars 2007-2009 also drive change…

6. 3. PROGRESS TO DATE – THE 10 BOLOGNA ACTION LINES Introduced in the 1999Bologna Declaration: 1. Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees 2. Adoption of a system essentially based on two cycles (now three) 3. Establishment of a system of credits 4. Promotion of mobility 5. Promotion of European co-operation in quality assurance 6. Promotion of the European dimension in higher education Introduced in the 2001Prague Communiqué: 7. Lifelong learning 8. Higher education institutions and students 9. Promoting the attractiveness of the European Higher Education Area Introduced in the 2003Berlin Communiquéand 2005Bergen Communiqué: 10. Doctoral studies and the synergy between the EHEA and the European Research Area (ERA) (NB. London 2007 introduced no new action lines)

7. Competitiveness, Knowledge economy, growth + employment, Commission communication on modernising higher education. EIT proposals 4. THE EMERGING EHEA IS MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS – IT LINKS TO OTHER REFORMS VET + ECVET Lifelong learning EQF and level descriptors+ Common principles for validation of Non-formal learning The new European educational architecture is almost complete Professional Recognition (regulated and non-regulated) EHEA (cycle descriptors) Qualifications frameworks Quality Assurance Mobility & Recognition tools Learning Outcome (Tuning) Credits Qualifications Convention + Diploma Supplement (EUROPASS) + ENIC-NARICS

8. 5. WHAT DOES THE BOLOGNA PROCESS SEEK TO ACHIEVE? It is a reform process aimed at establishing a European Higher Education Area by 2010 when higher education systems in European countries should be organised in such a way that: • It is easy to move from one country to the other (within the European Higher Education Area) – for the purpose of further study or employment; • The attractiveness of European higher education is increased so many people from non-European countries also come to study and/or work in Europe; • The European Higher Education Area provides Europe with a broad, high quality and advanced knowledge base, and ensures the further development of Europe as a stable, peaceful and tolerant community. These goals are rather ambitious and not solely connected to the Bologna Process. However, within the Process, the necessary tools for achieving these goals are being developed and implemented. SOURCE: Council of Europe publication ‘Bologna for Pedestrians’

9. 6. THE LONDON COMMUNIQUE , 18th MAY 2007 • Generally considered positive • The Republic of Montenegro joins the process • No big innovations and the focus on implementation and achieving the EHEA by 2010 • Emphasised ‘compatible and comparable’ HE systems • Included more about the vision, values + key principles beyond tools • Admitted a long way to go with particular difficulties for some countries/areas – especially regarding qualifications frameworks • Strongly emphasised lifelong learning and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and ‘experiential’ learning (informal and non-formal) + the crucial role of learning outcomes (as a basic building block) • EUA to continue to promote share experience in innovative doctoral programmes • Welcomed quality assurance developments - further develop the ‘register’ linked to the ENQA ‘Standards and Guidelines’ • Seeks to develop the EHEA in the global context

10. THE LONDON COMMUNIQUE • Identified the following priorities for Leuven, April 2009: • Mobility • Employability • European higher education in a global setting • Stocktaking to focus on the overall implementation of the Bologna goals, including issues related to the social dimension of the European Higher Education Area, mobility, employability, lifelong learning and recognition. • Future orientations for furthering the process after 2010

11. 7. THE BOLOGNA WORK PROGRAMME 2007-2009 http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/workprogramme/ The detailed Bologna work programme for 2007-2009 covers all the action lines referred to in the London Communiqué and encompasses numerous co-ordination groups, Bologna seminars, working groups and official conferences that cover the following area (for full details please consult the website above): • Mobility • Degree structure • Employability • Recognition • Qualifications frameworks • Lifelong learning • Quality assurance • Third cycle/Doctoral candidates • Social dimension • Global dimension • Data collection • Stocktaking • Beyond 2010

12. 8. KEY DEVELOPMENTS THAT IMPACT ON BiH Recognition: • The Diploma Supplement and EUROPASS • The 1997 Lisbon Recognition Convention • The national action plan for the recognition of qualifications in BiH Credits: • European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) • New ECTS Users’ Guide in 2008 Quality assurance: Adoption and implications of the ENQA ‘Standards and Guidelines’ Qualifications Frameworks: • BiH qualifications framework • Framework of Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) • The European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong learning (EQF) Curriculum reform: • Developing new qualifications • The Tuning Project • Development and applications of learning outcomes

13. 9. WHY SHOULD BiH INSTITUTIONS REACT POSITIVELY TO THE BOLOGNA REFORMS? • They offer improved survival in a competitive environment (institutional + national) • Better opportunities for students and graduates: recognition, mobility and flexible learning paths (credits systems + choices) • Improved European and global visibility (strategic benefits) • European partnerships, strategic alliances and joint degrees • Improved international (+ national) recognition and quality assurance • Access to European Commission funding + opportunities for staff • Force Higher Education Institutional (HEI) internal reform (structures & processes) Do you agree + can you add more? What are the potential problems?

14. Lead to better qualifications + improved skilled workforce • Improve the student experience - student centered learning • Modernise national education system + improve educational infrastructure • Change Ministry-institution relationships - increasing academic autonomy • Bologna’s global impact is increasing - essential to be a part of this. To do nothing is dangerous!

15. 10. ASPECTS BiH AUTHORITIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEI) SHOULD CONSIDER IN ANY STRATEGIC RESPOSE TO BOLOGNA Possible suggestions: • Develop a strategy statement and declaration of institutional commitment • Implementation plan + targets with identified resources • Disseminate information + instigate staff development + hold events • Select strategic European + BiH partners (academic twinning) • Consider long term staffing implications (language, skills, nationality, qualifications, experience) • Re-evaluation of curricula + embed an appropriate European dimension • Consider if existing qualifications are ‘fit for purpose’ in the 21st century • Create ‘new style’ qualifications based on learning outcomes and developed in partnership with employers and other stakeholders

16. Create large-scale staff, student (ECTS) and programme mobility • Implement flexible credit accumulations systems and express all programmes/modules in terms of ECTS credits • Develop joint award Master programmes (Erasmus Mundus) • Issue Diploma Supplements + consider other EUROPASS developments • Consider implementation of jointly supervised Doctoral studies + exploit European research funding opportunities • Promote full staff involvement with the development and implementation of BiH qualifications framework and other external reference points • Promote closer business/industry university links

17. 11. BIBLIOGRAPHY AND USEFUL REFERENCRES • Bologna Secretariat website (Benelux): http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/ • Council of Europe, Bologna for Pedestrians http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/highereducation/EHEA2010/BolognaPedestrians_en.asp • European Universities Association (EUA), Bologna - an overview of the main elements http://www.eua.be/index.php?id=179 • For detail see also the full bibliography and references developed as part of the joint project ‘Strengthening Higher Education in Bosnia-Herzegovina’