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European Students’ Union The Bologna Process from a Student Perspective Regional Workshop for Students Istanbul, Turkey 13th May 2011 Magnus Malnes Academic Affairs Committee The European Students’ Union • Umbrella organisation of 45 national unions of students from 38 countries, • Represents more than 11 million students • Formed in 1982, previously named WESIB, then later ESIB • Promote the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of students at a European level • Work towards relevant organisations and processes, for example the European Union, the Bologna-Process, Council of Europe, UNESCO and OECD. • Office in Brussels; 17 elected representatives + secretariat. • Main priority in 2011: Financing of higher education and students What is the Bologna-Process? • European Higher Education Area, meant to ensure more comparable, compatible and coherent system of higher education in Europe. • Non-binding process – not a treaty • Based on Minister Conferences (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2020) • National implementation is the trick! • 47 countries and the European Commission • Consultative members: stakeholders (ESU!) and intergovernmental organisations, such as ESU, EUA, EURASHE, EI etc. • Working structure involves a Bologna Follow-Up Group, working groups, networks, conferences and stocktaking and data collection. • Students are full partners in higher education governance • Much more info: www.ehea.info Action lines in the Leuven-Communiqué • • • • • • • • • • Social Dimension Lifelong Learning Employability Student-Centered Learning and the teaching mission of HE Links between Education, research and innovation International Openness Mobility Data Collection Multidimensional Transparency Tools Funding ESU’s contribution • Bologna With Student Eyes, monitoring the progress from a student perspective. • Policy input and discussions in BFUG and national level. • Concrete initiatives on action lines, for example Student-Centered Learning project. Where do we stand – Student-Centered Learning: • Requires empowering individual learners and approaches to teaching and learning, • Effective support and guidance structures and a curriculum focused more clearly on the learner in all three cycles. • Large regional differences, • Not enough student consultation on curricula development • Removing obstacles such as inflexible hours, lack of choice on curricula or learning methods, use of only conventional teaching methods • Financial support for implementation – incentives? Where do we stand – ECTS and Learning Outcomes • Credit and accumulation system, that should be applied consistently • One of the best-implemented tools? • Needs to be properly linked to student workload and learning outcomes. • Superficial implementation without this link is still a main challenge with the Bologna Process in some countries • Measures of external scrutiny or incentive should be established to ensure that these processes are implemented in institutions as they were intended to. Where do we stand – Mobility • Mobility has increased since 2000, but mainly incoming students from outside EHEA • 2020 target of at least 20% mobility of those graduating in EHEA. • Balanced flow of incoming and outgoing students • Financing for students is the biggest obstacle today • Portability of grants and loans is an agreed measure, but too many countries apply strict conditions for this. • Countries thus need to create infrastructural, financial and other facilities for all incoming and outgoing students • Easing of bureaucratic obstacles to recognition processes. Where do we stand – General Challenges • Worried by a increasing lack of commitment to fulfilling even minimum standards • Uneven EHEA, where compatibility or comparability is yet to be imagined • Lack of basic consultation of stakeholders in implementation and European level discussions • Governments and institutions must take the political responsibility of implementation • Deepening actual reforms and move towards full implementation • How to finance reforms and actions on all levels? • How to measure progress and implementation on all levels? Thank you! E-MAIL: [email protected] TWITTER: @ESUtwt WEB: www.esu-online.org