The European Higher Education Area:

Achieving the goals

Strengthening of quality assurance and recognition of degrees, and introduction of national framework for qualifications will be the priority areas for theBolognaProcess towards 2007.

This is stated in the Bergen Communiqué signed by the Ministers after the 4 ^th> Ministerial Conference in the Bologna Process. Stocktaking and setting of goals and priorities towards 2010, was the main agenda for the meeting.

The Stocktaking shows substansial progress. In most countries more than half of the students are enrolled in the two-cycle degree systems. Almost all member states have made provisions for quality assurance systems, but still progress, particular in student involvement, can be made. 36 of 45 countries have ratified the Lisbon Recognition Convention, committing to principles of recognition of degrees and study periods.

Other main points of the Bergen Communiqué are:

• Social dimension; making higher education equally accessible to all regardless of social and economic background, including appropriate studying and living conditions for students.
• External dimension; making the European Higher Education Area attractive to other parts of the world and at the same time stimulating balanced student and staff exchange and cooperation between higher education institutions.
• Ensuring constant progress towards 2010 by widening stocktaking with new priorities for 2007:
• • introduction of the proposed model for peer review of quality assurance agencies
  • implementation of national frameworks for qualifications
  • the awarding and recognition of joint degrees, including the doctorate level
• creating opportunities for flexible learning paths in higher education, including procedures for the recognition of prior learning

New member countries; Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Next Ministerial meeting in the Process will be in London in 2007.

Read more: http://www.bologna-bergen2005.no/