Basic Information

The Bologna Process – Towards the European Higher Education Area   Berlin Summit on Higher Education Conference of European Ministers in charge of Higher Education on 18/19 September 2003 In May 1998 the Ministers in charge of higher education of France, Italy, United Kingdom and Germany signed in Paris at the Sorbonne University the so-called Sorbonne Declaration on the „harmonisation of the architecture of the European Higher Education System“. Other European countries joined the Declaration. The Sorbonne Declaration focused on a progressive convergence of the overall framework of degrees and cycles in an open European area for higher education; a common degree level system for undergraduates (Bachelor’s degree) and graduates (Master’s and doctoral degree). enhancing and facilitating student and teacher mobility (students should spend at least one semester abroad); removing obstacles for mobility and improving recognition of degrees and academic qualification. On 19 June 1999, 29 European Ministers in charge of higher education signed in Bologna the Declaration on establishing the European Area of higher education by 2010 and promoting the European System of higher education world-wide. The Ministers affirmed in the Bologna Declaration their intention to: adopt a system of easily readable and comparable degrees adopt a system with two main cycles (undergraduate/graduate) establish a system of credits (such as ECTS) promote mobility by overcoming obstacles promote European co-operation in quality assurance promote European dimensions in higher education Convinced that the establishment of the European area of higher education requires constant support, supervision and adaptation to the continuously evolving needs, the Ministers decided to meet again two years later in Prague in order to assess the progress achieved and the new steps to be taken. Two years after signing the Bologna Declaration, the Ministers in charge of higher education of 33 European signatory countries met on 19 May 2001 in Prague to follow up the Bologna Process and to set directions and priorities for the coming years. In the Prague Communiqué the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the objectives of the Bologna Declaration appreciated the active involvement of the European University Association (EUA) and the National Unions of Students in Europe (ESIB) took note of the constructive assistance of the European Commission made comments on the further process with regard to the different objectives of the Bologna Declaration emphasised as important elements of the European Higher Education Area: lifelong learning involvement of students enhancing the attractiveness and competiveness of the European Higher Education Area to other parts of the world (including the aspect of transnational education) The Ministers decided that the next follow-up meeting for the Bologna process should take place in 2003 in Berlin to review progress and to set directions and priorities for the next stages of the process to the European Higher Education Area.