The Bologna Process and Higher Education Reform in Serbia

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• The Bologna Process and Higher Education Reform
  in Serbia
• Stephen Adam.

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Beware Bologna Process report overload
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STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN SERBIA,
19-21 May 2009

• Leuven Conference Documentation - Reports
  submitted to the Ministers
• Eurostat/Eurostudent "Key indicators on the
  social dimension and mobility"
• Eurydice "Higher Education in Europe 2009
  Developments in the Bologna Process
• The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) in a
  global context Report on overall developments at
  the European, national and institutional levels
• Report on the Analysis of the 2007 National
  Action Plans for Recognition
• Report on Qualifications Frameworks   
• Report on Employability
• Report on Mobility
• Bologna Beyond 2010 report
• Official Bologna Process main website
• http//www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologn
  a/
• Bologna Process Stocktaking Report for 2009
• http//www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologn
  a/conference/documents/Stocktaking_report_2009_FIN
  AL.pdf
• ESU Bologna with student eyes 2009
• http//www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologn
  a/conference/documents/BolognaWithStudentEyes2009.
  pdf

(N.B. All documents can be downloaded from the
main Bologna website all speeches and
presentations)
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THE BOLOGNA PROCESS REPRESENTS A REVOLUTION FOR
EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION
IMPACTS ON Education systems Educational
structures Educational processes Delivery
mechanisms Students /
citizens Employers Academics Administrators
International transparency,
recognition, mobility, competitiveness,
efficiency and attractiveness of European higher
education
About better qualifications
A huge reform agenda to modernise European higher
education
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FOCUS
STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN SERBIA,
19-21 May 2009

• Overview of the Bologna Process - aims
• Multiple drivers of reform
• Time-line, components and overlapping action
  lines
• Main reform tools current implementation
• Latest developments - the Leuven Communiqué April
  2009
• Implications for BiH

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1. Overview of the Bologna Process aims
STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN SERBIA,
19-21 May 2009

• Clarifications - Bologna is
• often misunderstood. It is a voluntary,
  intergovernmental process not a European Union
  initiative (marked by fierce national
  independence)
• driven by 46 Ministers who are committed to
  converge their HE structures to create
  compatible and comparable education systems (
  a common international methodological approach
  and academic infrastructure)
• politically neutral - supported by governments of
  the left and right.
• designed to create the European Higher Education
  Area (EHEA) by 2010. However, it will take longer
  countries need to reform at different speeds -
  this is not problematic

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What Bologna seeks to achieve
STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN SERBIA,
19-21 May 2009

• 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

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2. Multiple drivers of reform
STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN SERBIA,
19-21 May 2009

• Local and institutional
• Increased competition coupled with financial
  pressures on institutions
• Increasing institutional autonomy and diversity
  of mission universities are changing
• New technologies are impacting on teaching,
  learning, delivery and assessment
• National
• Existence of outmoded educational systems,
  structures and qualifications
• The need to expose the education system to best
  practice
• An increasing need for a highly skilled/educated
  workforce mass HE systems
• A requirement for more flexible education systems
  that facilitate lifelong learning
• Increasing borderless/trans-national education
  harsh economic imperatives
• Demographic pressures
• International
• Expansion of the global education market
  (student/market pressure)
• Problems with international recognition
• Increasing worry about failing European
  competitiveness (the economic imperative)
• Pressure from national and international
  organisations European Commission, Council of
  Europe, EUA, EURASHE, ESU, Ministries, etc.

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3. Time-line, components and action lines
STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN SERBIA,
19-21 May 2009
TIME LINE
(Adapted from Eurydice report 2009)
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4. Main reform tools state of
implementation (creating a common European
infrastructure)
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5.Latest developments-the Leuven Communiqué
STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN SERBIA,
19-21 May 2009
Issued by 46 Education ministers 28/29 April,
2009 to take stock of the Bologna achievements
and to establish priorities for the EHEA for the
next decade.

• European education faces continued challenges
  including globalisation, new educational
  providers, technological development, global
  financial crisis, etc.
• Ongoing reform of education is required - the
  Bologna Process will continue existing Bologna
  objectives are still valid (next meeting March,
  2010 Budapest/Vienna)
• Priorities for the next decade include
• Focus on quality
• Social dimension (equity, access, participation)
• Lifelong learning (partnerships, EUA Charter,
  RPL, learning outcomes)
• Employability (advanced knowledge skills)
• Student-centred learning and teaching mission
  (curricular reform based on LO)
• Research (foster innovation)
• International openness (global collaboration)
• Mobility (by 2020 20 all graduating with a
  period abroad)
• Multidimensional transparency tools
• Public funding (essential)

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6. Implications for Serbian higher education
STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN SERBIA,
19-21 May 2009

• Long term restructuring of higher education
  (mission diversity)
• Impact on Higher Education Institutions
• More autonomy (ministry-HEI relationships
  change)
• Rethink to whom, where, when and how to deliver
  learning
• Curriculum development based on learning
  outcomes
• More student-centred learning
• Rethink programme delivery and assessment
• Closer relationship to stakeholders (employers,
  students, etc.)
• Massive staff development/training agenda
• Implementation/embedding of the new academic
  infrastructure
• Qualifications frameworks (FQEHEA EQFLLL)
• Quality assurance (S G)
• Recognition tools and processes
• Credit systems (flexible, modular joint
  degrees)
• Application of learning outcomes
• Develop measurable targets monitor progress of
  implementation
• (adjust/review strategies) prepare for
  self-certification and
• EQAR register/ENQA membership beware these
  requires evidence

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DANGER - BEWARE OF
Qualifications frameworks that are Beautiful Dec
orative Irrelevant Ignored Ill conceived Not fit
for purpose
National Qualifications Framework Do not touch!
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There is a similar danger with some countries and
higher education institutions repackaging old
qualifications - We must innovate and modernise!
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