Europe
It is generally acknowledged that Europe is becoming increasingly important in the field of higher education. But what do we mean by this? Is the European Union taking on a more important role in policy development? Is the Bologna Process dominating European higher education reforms? Are we operating in a truly European higher education and research area?
The role of Europe is clearly an important one, but also a diffuse one. This dossier looks at all issues that relate to Europe’s role in higher education. The Bologna Process and the way it is transforming European higher education is a significant part of this. The road to the Bucharest Conference and the role of the various stakeholders in the Bologna Process will therefore be a recurring theme.
Europe’s real impact in higher education
Even though the EU and the European Commission have only limited formal authority in higher education policies of member states, their real influence has been considerable. The Erasmus programme (now part of the Lifelong Learning programme) has had a profound impact on higher education in the participating countries, and wider European policies (e.g. on the free movement of labour) and European legislation (e.g. the non-discrimination principle) have pulled higher education further into the European domain.
The expanding role of Europe is also reflected in the research and innovation agenda. Now that knowledge has become a major means of obtaining a competitive advantage, the EU has emphasised the role of knowledge (and thus of higher education, research and innovation) in its long-term strategies. This was clear in the Lisbon Agenda and will also be apparent in “Europe 2020”, the new EU strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
Suggested reading
Europa Expresse, a bi-monthly Nuffic publication (in Dutch)
Developments in Erasmus mobility in the Netherlands(3.0 MB) (in Dutch)
Useful links
National Agency for Lifelong Learning
Netherlands House for Education and Research