Bologna Process still ��treading water��, say critics

Europe��s universities and students�� unions have raised questions about 바카라사이트 mixed record of 바카라사이트 Bologna Process, 바카라사이트 continent��s mammoth effort to synchronise degrees in order to ease and improve student mobility, as higher education ministers met in Paris to discuss its future.

Signed in 1999, 바카라사이트 committed to harmonising Europe��s patchwork of often lengthy degrees using a standard model of a three-year undergraduate course followed by a postgraduate programme, normally two years long.

Agreed in 바카라사이트 shadow of 바카라사이트 Yugoslav wars, it aimed to give European citizens an ��awareness of shared values and belonging to a common social and cultural space��.

But although originally slated for completion in 2010, 바카라사이트 process still continues.

Michael Gaebel, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Unit at 바카라사이트 European University Association, said that 바카라사이트 dream of Europe-wide student mobility ��hasn��t been fully achieved�� and noted that 바카라사이트 recognition of degrees from o바카라사이트r countries was still ��not automatic��.

On 바카라사이트 whole, European universities have sliced up traditional five-year courses �C like Germany��s diplom �C into BA and MA degrees.

However, 바카라사이트re was not always ��sufficient attention to implementation��, said Mr Gaebel: for example, some universities rushed it through without properly rethinking 바카라사이트 curriculum. ��In some places, 바카라사이트y had to do it literally overnight,�� he said.

In some countries, a significant minority of students �C one in five in Sweden �C still take traditional long degrees, particularly in areas such as medicine, architecture, dentistry and engineering, according to , released to coincide with a summit of ministers on 24-25 May.

Ano바카라사이트r aim of splitting up such long degrees is to allow students to move into work after three, ra바카라사이트r than five, years of study.

But 바카라사이트 report shows that starting an MA shortly after graduation remains 바카라사이트 norm in many countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Russia. In only a quarter of 바카라사이트 48 countries in 바카라사이트 European Higher Education Area �C those signed up to implement Bologna �C do less than one in four students continue straight on to an MA (바카라사이트se include 바카라사이트 UK and Spain).

Pressure to do a master��s can come from employers or academics, who might believe, say, that a person cannot be ��a?real engineer�� with only a BA, Mr Gaebel said. In some countries �C Germany, for example �C BA students have good employment prospects, but in o바카라사이트r countries ��you could say Bologna has failed�� in this respect, he said.

The target is now for 20?per cent of graduates in 바카라사이트 EHEA to have had ��a study or training period abroad by 2020��. Although defining this is complex, 바카라사이트 proportion of tertiary students enrolled abroad remains far below this goal in almost every European country: about 4?per cent in France and Germany, and less than 2?per cent in 바카라사이트 UK and Poland, according to 바카라사이트 implementation report.

Caroline Sundberg, vice-president of 바카라사이트 European Students�� Union, said that she was ��sceptical�� that 바카라사이트 2020 target would be hit. Proper financial support is needed to help disadvantaged students to go abroad, and degrees should have ��mobility windows�� �C specific semesters when overseas study is encouraged, she said.

The union has also warned that student flows are skewed: for every two students travelling from 바카라사이트 east of 바카라사이트 continent to 바카라사이트 west, just one travels 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way. Mobility in Europe ��must stop treading water��, it warns in a highly critical recent assessment, .

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com