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 becoming a more important policy actor? 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. In this dossier we will discuss all issues that relate to Europe’s role in higher education. The Bologna Process and the way it is transforming European higher education is obviously a major subject under this heading. The road to Bucharest and the role of the different stakeholders in the Bologna Process will therefore be a recurring theme.

Even though the EU and the European Commission have only limited formal authority in the domain of higher education, 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. Also, wider European policies (e.g. on the free movement of labour) and EU-level legislation (e.g. the non-discrimination principle) have pulled higher education further into the European domain.

We can also see the expanding role of Europe reflected in the research and innovation agenda. Now that knowledge has become a major means of obtaining competitive advantage, the EU has emphasized 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.

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