Spanish Presidency lends impetus to creation of European space for higher education

Santander, 24 May 2002

The European Bologna Declaration Follow-up Group, made up of representatives of the 32 countries taking part in the Bologna Process, student and university associations, the Council of Europe and the European Commission, has approved the work programme leading up to the Conference of Ministers in Berlin in 2003.

The Group has also examined the pooling of legislative reforms relating to the European space for higher education currently being prepared or implemented in the States participating in the Bologna process.

The Joint Declaration of the European Education Ministers meeting in Bologna on 19 June 1999 laid the foundations for the creation of a European space for higher education organised in accordance with the principles of quality, mobility, diversity and competitiveness and geared towards increasing employment levels in the European Union and making the European system of further education a pole of attraction for students and teachers from around the world.

The Bologna Declaration - PDF - was subscribed to not only by the EU Member States, but also by countries from the European Free Trade Area and from central and eastern Europe.

Today’s meeting also looked at the possibility of setting up a Quality Doctorate programme and was informed about the specific projects for creating the European space for higher education, in particular the European Commission’s “from Prague to Berlin” projects and the Tuning Project being promoted by the Universities of Deusto and Groningen.

Spanish Presidency Website http://www.eu2002.es