The Yerevan Communiqué: Reflections on the Bologna Process

Maria Sticchi Damiani3° UNICA EduLab meeting Dec. 15, 2016 . The Yerevan communiqué: what’s new in the Bologna Process?

Background • The YerevanCommuniquè (2015) wasprecededby a year of intense discussionswithin the Bologna Follow-Up Group (Bfug). • In the Spring 2014 the issuewas first raisedthat, after 15 years of existence, a thoroughreflectionwasneeded on the state of the Bologna Process and the EHEA. • In September 2014 a specialBfug seminar wastotallydevotedtodiscussingthistheme. • The seminar resulted in a collegialBfugpaper “The Bologna Processrevisited: the future of the EHEA”thatwasbroughtto the attention of the Ministersasa background documentfor the Yerevan meeting.

The Bologna Processrevisited: the future of the EHEA “The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has come to a turning point where a new sense of direction is needed in order to move ahead. To accomplish this, we must first look back at the past 15 years of convergence and then look ahead to new challenges, goals and strategies.”

Looking back to 15 years of convergence • 1. A common vision: • In 1999 the Ministers of Education of 29 countries conceived the vision of a European Higher Education Area where: • European countries with different political, cultural and academic traditions would engage in cooperation to reach a shared objective; • European governments would fit their national higher education reforms into a broader European context; • European Higher Education Institutions would be able to cooperate and exchange students/staff on bases of trust and confidence and also of transparency and quality; • European students and graduates would be able to move easily from one country to another with full recognition of qualifications and periods of study, and access to the European labor market; • Higher Education in the European region would increase its international competitiveness, and improve cooperation with HE in other regions of the world.

2. A common structure: • In the following years the pillars of the EHEA werejointly developed: • A common framework, including • the overarching Framework for Qualifications of the EHEA, • a common credit system (ECTS), • common principles for the development of student-centered learning, • the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance, • a common Register of QA Agencies, • a common approach to recognition, • a common body of methodologies and sustainable achievements produced • by European HEIs. • A set of common tools, including: • the ECTS Users’ Guide, • the Diploma Supplement, • the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

Looking back to 15 years of convergence • Where do we stand now? • The original common vision is still considered valid and • attractive • but • it has not always been properly implemented at the • national level

2. The framework and the tools exist as distinctive traits of the • EHEA, • but • they still need to be consolidated or further developed.

Looking back to 15 years of convergence Whatlessonshavewelearnedfrom the experience? The original European vision was not well communicated to or not well understood by all stakeholders in the participating countries. It was often misinterpreted in the implementation of national reforms, or perceived simply as a bureaucratic requirement to be complied with. Now we know that more efficient communication of the European vision is needed in the participating countries and institutions, in order to highlight its benefits and develop a feeling of ownership.

2.A clear distinction was not made between the two main levels of implementation: the national and the institutional level. The adoption of structural reforms of the national HE system is only a first step in the process, which can be completed in a reasonable time and easily controlled. The second step, implementation at the grassroots level, requires a slow process of information and consensus-building in single institutions, departments and subject areas, and is aimed at deeper cultural change. This step requires the engagement of staff and students, takes more time and is more difficult to evaluate. Now we know that it is wise to consider the two levels separately, handle them with different approaches and evaluate them in different ways. We are also aware that implementation at the institutional level can be supported by national initiatives and incentives.

3. Student-centered learning was not always clearly recognized as the main pillar of the European degree structure and was not sufficiently assimilated and implemented by the academic community. Now we know that student-centered learning should be implemented in both program design and delivery and should affect the whole learning/teaching process, also through the creation of favorable learning environments. We are also aware that student-centered learning can only take place when both students and teachers are willing to engage in a constructive dialogue and in a process of cooperative learning in order to develop useful competences.

Looking ahead: new challenges, new goals, new strategies • In the current world situation Higher Education has a key role to play, in Europe and beyond, for the development of new societies. • Based on the achievements of the past 15 years, member countriesshould be confident enough to develop a new common vision: • responding together to the new challenges that HE has to face, • developing common strategies for the pursuit of common goals.

1. New challenges • How can the EHEA ensure that Higher Education be a public good for the benefit of all, in our modern, complex and rapidly changing societies? • How can the EHEA facilitate the implementation of a student-centered approach in all systems and institutions? • How can the EHEA respond to demographic changes, migratory movements and requests for new citizenship? • How can the EHEA contribute to scientific research? • How can the EHEA, as a global player in higher education, react to conflicts between countries and political extremisms within countries?

2. New goals, new strategies These difficult challenges can be best approached at the European level,both by governments and stakeholders. A political engagement of the EHEA Ministers is needed to develop the common strategy which can shape the future of HE. All possible synergies should be developed and all national and European actors invited to act in a complementary way.

The YerevanCommuniqué • The Communiquéreflects the background paper. Itis a politicaldocumentconnectingpast and future, in which the Ministers: • share the Bologna vision and recognizeitsachievements • 2. show awareness of the criticalareas and committocompleting the work • express determinationtoaddress the newchallenges and maximize the opportunities • 4. reformulatetheir common vision in clearterms • identifyfour strong prioritiesfor the yearsto come • state that the governance and working methods of the EHEA must develop to meet these challenges. • Unlike the previouscommuniqués, thisoneplacesall the practicalmeasures and documentsadoptedby the Ministers in the Appendix

The Ministers share the Bologna vision and recognizeitsachievements “We, the Ministers, meeting in Yerevan on 14-15 May 2015, are proud to recognize that the vision which inspired our predecessors in Bologna has given rise to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). ......... Thanks to the Bologna reforms, progress has been made in enabling students and graduates to move within the EHEA with recognition of their qualifications and periods of study; study programmesprovide graduates with the knowledge, skills and competences either to continue their studies or to enter the European labour market; institutions are becoming increasingly active in an international context; and academics cooperate in joint teaching and research programmes. The EHEA has opened a dialogue with other regions of the world and is considered a model of structured cooperation.”

2.The Ministers show awareness of the critical areas and commit to completing the work “ Nonetheless, implementation of the structural reforms is uneven and the tools are sometimes used incorrectly or in bureaucratic and superficial ways. Continuing improvement of our higher education systems and greater involvement of academic communities are necessary to achieve the full potential of the EHEA. We are committed to completing the work, and recognize the need to give new impetus to our cooperation”.

3. The Ministers express determination to address the new challenges and maximize the opportunities • The EHEA faces serious challenges: • a continuing economic and social crisis, • dramatic levels of unemployment, • increasing marginalization of young people, • demographic changes, • new migration patterns, • conflicts within and between countries, • extremism and radicalization.

But can also benefit from new opportunities: • greater mobility of students and staff, which fosters mutual understanding, • rapid development of knowledge and technology, which impacts on societies and economies and plays an increasingly important role in the transformation of higher education and research. • The EHEA has a key role to play in addressing these challenges and maximizing these opportunities

4. The Ministers reformulate their common vision for the years to come “By 2020 we are determined to achieve an EHEA where our common goals are implemented in all member countries to ensure trust in each other’s higher education systems……. We will support and protect students and staff in exercising their right to academic freedom and ensure their representation as full partners in the governance of autonomous higher education institutions. We will support higher education institutions in enhancing their efforts to promote intercultural understanding, critical thinking, political and religious tolerance, gender equality, and democratic and civic values, in order to strengthen European and global citizenship and lay the foundations for inclusive societies. We will also strengthen the links between the EHEA and the European Research Area.”

5.The Ministersidentifyfour strong prioritiesfor the yearsto come Enhancing the quality and relevance of learning and teaching “We will encourage and support higher education institutions and staff in promoting pedagogical innovation in student-centred learning environments and in fully exploiting the potential benefits of digital technologies for learning and teaching…..”

Fostering the employability of graduates • It has to be pursued “throughout their working lives, in rapidly changing labour markets characterized by: • technological developments, • the emergence of new job profiles, • increasing opportunities for employment and self-employment.”

Making our systems more inclusive “….our populations become more and more diversified, also due to immigration and demographic changes…...

Implementing agreed structural reforms “Non-implementation in some countries undermines the functioning and credibility of the whole EHEA…. Through policy dialogue and exchange of good practice, we will provide targeted support to member countries experiencing difficulties in implementing the agreed goals….. “

6. The Ministers state that the governance and working methods of the EHEA must develop to meet these challenges “We ask the BFUG to review and simplify its governance and working methods, to involve higher education practitioners in its work programme, and to submit proposals for addressing the issue of non-implementation of key commitments in time for our next meeting.”

Questionsto the audience • Has the YerevanCommuniquébeenbroughtto the attention of HE institutions and academiccommunities in the membercountries? • If yes, • has the Ministers’ newlanguage and attitudebeenperceived? • has the Ministers’ new vision beenwellreceived and shared ? • has the statement of the fourprioritieshadany impact on institutionalpolicies • and academicactivities?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

The Yerevan Communiqué: Reflections on the Bologna Process