What is the Social Dimension of Higher Education?

1. Conference on the Bologna Process: European Higher Education Policies and ReformBaku, 20-21 April 2005 The Social Dimension of Higher Education in Europe-Current developments and issues in the framework of the Bologna Process Athanassia Spyropoulou University of the Peloponnese

2. What is the Social Dimensionof Higher Education? • The Social Dimension includes all provisions needed for having equal access, progress and completion of Higher Education

3. The Social Dimension in Higher Education • Emphasis on the social characteristics of Higher Education and on considering it a public good and a public responsibility • aiming at-reducing social gaps-strengthening social cohesionboth at national and international level • by means of -equal and fair access-fostering of free education -public support to the Higher Education Institutionsand public responsibility for Higher Education in general-social support schemes for students during their studies-removal of obstacles to mobility-support and promotion of lifelong learning

4. The Social Dimension in the Bologna Process The Bologna Declaration (1999) • No reference to the Social Dimension • Emphasis on the attractiveness and competitiveness of the European Higher Education Area • Non participatory procedures-Fairly weak or nonexistent involvement of the signatory countries-No student involvement

5. From Bologna to Prague • Opening of the debate on the Bologna Process across Europe • Stronger involvement of the participating countries • Involvement of European Organizations (Council of Europe, European Commission) • Involvement of H.E. Institutions (EUA, EURASHE) • Involvement of the students • The Social Dimension appears on the agenda of the Process

6. The Prague Communiqué (2001) The Social Dimension appears for the first time in an official Bologna Document, the Ministers’ Communiqué • as a general concept • with reference to specific issues such as mobility and lifelong learning • ”Higher Education should be considered a public good and is and will remain a public responsibility” • as a result of random amendments and proposals made by various countries and the students during the Ministerial Conference • ”the need to take account of the Social Dimension of the Bologna Process” was “recalled by the students” • The Ministers asked for further improvement in all issues regarding the social dimension through a wider and more systematic analysis on the way to Berlin

7. From Prague to Berlin • The Social Dimension appears high on the agenda of the European Debate • Official Bologna events focused specifically on it-The Athens Seminar on the Social Dimension (February 2003)- the 5th European Student Convention of ESIB in Athens (February 2003) • Other official Bologna events dealt with Social Dimension issues as well:-The Prague Seminar on Lifelong Learning (June 2003)-The Oslo Seminar on Student Participation (June 2003) • Wide and active participation of the participating countries and all the actors and organizations involved (EUA, EURASHE, ESIB, European Union, Council of Europe) in the preparation of the Berlin Communiqué through the works of the BFUG

8. The Berlin Communiqué (2003) • The Social Dimension gains a prominent position, in the Preamble of the Berlin Communiqué, together with the reaffirmation that Higher Education is a public good and a public responsibility • In the main body of the document the specific references to the various aspects of the Social Dimension are made in a systematic and coherent manner • Balance between the need to increase competitiveness and the need to improve the social characteristics of the European Higher Education Area • with the aim to-strengthen social cohesion-reduce social inequalities within each separate country and in Europe as a whole

9. For the first time in an official Bologna Process document: • equal access: Commitment “to making Higher Education equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means”(U.N. Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) • Student retention or drop-out issues: in the Communiqué the need is stressed “for appropriate studying and living conditions for the students, so that they can successfully complete their studies within an appropriate period of time without obstacles related to their social and economic background”

10. Student Mobility • Specific attention paid to the importance of student mobility “for the academic and cultural, as well as for the political, social and economic spheres” • Mobility should be available to all • Need to make every effort to remove all obstacles to mobility • Specific reference to enabling the portability of national loans and grants

11. Lifelong Learning • In the Prague Communiqué is mentioned that Lifelong Learning cannot be limited to the perspective of mere employability. It should also be considered as one of the most important means towards improving social cohesion • In the Berlin Communiqué is stressed “the necessity for improving opportunities for all citizens to follow the lifelong learning paths into and within Higher Education, established in accordance with their aspirations and abilities”.

12. From Berlin to Bergen Official Bologna Seminars-Public Responsibility for Higher Education and Research, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, September 2004-Designing Policies for Mobile Students, Noordwijk, October 2004-The Social Dimension of Higher Education facing world-wide competition, Paris, January 2005

13. From Berlin to Bergen (ii) • Paris seminar • Re-affirmation of the importance of the Social Dimension in the Bologna Process and of all the previous statements • Plus: -further development of scholarships for students from third countries; transnational exchanges based on academic quality and academic values; mobility of quality; reduction of the existing gap (a study on mobility?)-socially cohesive system of student grants and loans; promotion of social equity and equal opportunities-need for more comparable data on the social and economic situation of students (a survey?)-quality assurance mechanisms, internal and external: integration of the social dimension aspect as much as possible-social dimension a priority for 2005-2007

14. From Berlin to Bergen iii • 3rd EUA Convention of European Higher Education Institutions in Glasgow, 31 March-02 April 2005 • The Social Dimension should be seen as an overarching or transversal action line that affects all aspects of HE. • The Social Dimension a priority for 2005-07 • In line with the Paris seminar, eg: More data needed; solidarity towards students and countries with less favorable conditions to reduce gaps; more data needed; integral aspect of internal QA mechanisms

15. The Way Forward In the framework of the Bologna Process • The prominent position the Social Dimension has gained in the Bologna Process is a significant improvement • Efforts need to be continued to strengthen the position of the Social Dimension within the Process and to safeguard what has been achieved so far • The commitments taken by the Ministers in Berlin and the ones that will be taken in Bergen have to be implemented • It is the responsibility of governments to implement the commitments and of the academic community (Institutions, academic staff and students) and other stakeholders to ask or even push for the implementation of these commitments • Bergen: Priority for stocktaking?

16. The way forward as regards the Social Dimension of Higher Education in general • Attractiveness, competitiveness and excellence - social cohesion; the two sides of the coin as regards the improvement of Higher Educationboth at national and international level • The Social Dimension is -or should be- a key feature of Higher Education regardless of the Bologna Process. It is an indispensable underlying value of Higher Education itself. Defending and promoting the Social Dimension is one of the major means and at the same time one of the major guarantees for the accomplishment of the full mission of Higher Education within the institutions and within society at large.