This document discusses the state of the Bologna Process and outlines perspectives for international cooperation in higher education. It notes that 48 countries have collaborated to implement core principles of the European Higher Education Area through commitments like quality assurance standards. Looking ahead to the 2018 ministerial conference, it aims to further implementation, address new challenges like digitalization, and develop an international cooperation policy by revising the Bologna Policy Forum to enhance mobility and address global issues through partnerships with other regions. Specific actions are proposed to prepare common tools and strengthen partnerships before 2018.

1. State of the art of the Bologna Process
Towards an international cooperation policy for
2018 and beyond
Patricia Pol
Vice Chair of the Bologna Follow Up group
patricia.pol@recherche.gouv.fr
www.ehea.info
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016
MINISTERE DE L’ÉDUCATION NATIONALE,
DE L'ENSEIGNEMENT SUPERIEUR ET DE LA
RECHERCHE

2. European Higher Education Area
(EHEA) in 2016
• 48 countries collaborating to implement a European Higher
Education Area through key committments on core principles and
a common architecture of systems
 Academic freedom, institutional autonomy, student participation
 Three cycle system scaled by ECTS and qualification frameworks
 Quality assurance system around European standards and
guidelines (ESG) and a Register for QAA (EQAR)
 Recognition of degrees and programmes- diploma supplement
• With different levels of implementation and still quite a great
diversity
www.ehea.info / 2015 implementation report (Eurydice)
Reporting through questionnaires sent to national authorities
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016

3. Number of HE institutions
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016

4. Three cycle system
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016
Stage of implementation of the first and second cycle (2013/14)

5. Three cycle system and ECTS
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016

6. Responsibility for external QA (2014/14)
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016

7. Level of openness to cross border QA activities
of EQAR registered agencies
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016

8. Perspectives for 2018 EHEA Ministerial
Conference in Paris
• Implementation of key committments
How to deal with non implementation ?
• New goals : how to develop inclusive systems based on
shared fundamental values ?
 New learners and new modes of teaching
 Digitalisation
 Support to teachers
 More links with research
• Developing an international cooperation policy with
non EHEA countries and revisiting the Bologna Policy
Forum (BPF)
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016

9. Revisiting the Bologna Policy Forum in
Paris 2018
(still in discussion at BFUG level)
One main purpose
« Enhancing international cooperation between
regional higher education areas and systems »
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016

10. With a mandate…
• Moving forward on key elements to enhance
balanced mobility and academic cooperation
• Better understanding and solving grand global
challenges through supporting Higher Education
role in changing societies and economies
(migration, SDGs, digitalisation…)
• Developing common or compatible tools
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016

11. Common or euro-compatible tools…
• Recognition of mobility mechanisms
• Development of joint programmes and joint
approach for their quality assurance
• Common student card
• Portal of multilingual open resources
• Intra and inter-regional scholarship systems
• Quality assurance of cross-border higher
education (Transnational higher education)
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016

12. Partnership Policy to be consolidated
 Mediterranean, North Africa and Arabic countries
Union for the Mediterranean, member of the advisory
group « EHEA international cooperation », Participaiion in
annual conferences of networks : Unimed, Tethys
 South Sahel Africa
African Union, Association of African universities, Inter-
University Council of East Africa (already contacted and
interested)…
 Latin America
Organisation of Ibero-American States (interested)
 ASEAN (interested) and ASEM (on progress)
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016

13. Actions to be prepared before 2018
• Next Meeting of the advisory group « EHEA
international cooperation » in Madrid (30-31 January
2017) : dialogue with MENAA countries, Latin America
and South Sahel Africa
• Surveys on the state of the art of regional approaches
• Proposal to work on common tools (euro-
mediterranean student card, multilingual open
resources, guidelines for regional-euro universities,
euro-regional approach for QA of joint degree, etc.
 Welcome to other suggestions...
UNIMED, Patricia Pol, Roma, 21st October
2016