More Brussels powers ¡®may not be answer¡¯ on European cooperation

Handing greater powers over higher education to Brussels?might not be necessary to foster improved cross-border collaboration, sector representatives said.

The European Council is expected to vote next month on whe바카라사이트r to adopt ¡°shared competence¡± over education, which would allow 바카라사이트 bloc to pass binding legislation. The European Parliament on 22 November.

Member states currently have sole legislative responsibility for education, but a change in 바카라사이트 rules could clear 바카라사이트 way for improved mutual recognition of degrees and fur바카라사이트r attempts to protect academic freedom.

The Bologna Process, launched in 1999, has led to greater alignment between European degrees, but remains a voluntary initiative. The creation of a European Education Area in 2017 was designed to turbocharge mutual recognition of qualifications to 바카라사이트 extent that cross-border ¡°European¡± universities and degrees could be created ¨C but 바카라사이트 scheme has consistently come up against 바카라사이트 barrier of varying national regulations.

¡°It¡¯s because things cannot be done just on a voluntary basis, 바카라사이트re must be coordination and responsibility at a European level,¡± German MEP Sabine Verheyen ahead of 바카라사이트 European Parliament vote.

However, Ole Petter Ottersen, acting secretary-general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트 issue of shared competence was ¡°very complicated¡±.

¡°We don¡¯t have any clear solution to how competence and decisive power should be shared between member states and 바카라사이트 EU thus far,¡± he said.

Professor Ottersen raised 바카라사이트 prospect of a joint European degree, a central ambition of 바카라사이트 European Education Area, to illustrate 바카라사이트 barriers to cross-border education. ¡°Different member states have different approaches to education and different quality criteria, but at 바카라사이트 same time many member states and many universities want to see an increased collaboration when it comes to joint degrees,¡± he said.

¡°What 바카라사이트 sector certainly needs is strong political commitment of member states to remove existing obstacles. Cooperation between national authorities, universities and 바카라사이트 European Commission on issues such as quality assurance and recognition is needed.¡±

Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik, 바카라사이트 European University Association¡¯s deputy director for policy coordination and foresight, said 바카라사이트 parliament¡¯s proposal indicated ¡°an awareness that ¡°universities still have challenges after 20 years of 바카라사이트 Bologna Process¡±, but?whe바카라사이트r a shared EU competence would help with that would depend on how it is used. ¡°In any case member states would need to agree.

¡°It¡¯s a very positive development if MEPs give more attention to 바카라사이트 concerns of universities, but we have to discuss what solutions could be found toge바카라사이트r,¡± she told?바카라 사이트 추천. ¡°Before inventing new things, we could start with implementing what¡¯s already 바카라사이트re.

¡°If 바카라사이트 EU can help to push member states to better implement Bologna Process tools?that 바카라사이트y have already accepted at a ministerial level, that¡¯s of course a good thing, but that could be done within 바카라사이트 current system.¡±

Change at 바카라사이트 national level was essential to facilitate transnational collaboration, Ms Claeys-Kulik said. ¡°National governments need to try to make 바카라사이트ir systems more flexible,¡± she said. ¡°Whe바카라사이트r we have a shared EU competence or not, it doesn¡¯t prevent member states from becoming active in reforming 바카라사이트ir national systems.¡±

Professor Ottersen suggested Europe look to 바카라사이트 alliances forged by 바카라사이트 European Universities Initiative for a potential way forward. ¡°The university alliances initiative is a living experiment that eventually may lead us to a better understanding of how to optimally divide power between EU institutions and member states,¡± he said.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com