Learning from the European Higher Education Area

Learning from the European Higher Education Area•Author: Li, Shiaau-RurngDoctoral student, Department of Education, National Taiwan Normal University. •Abstract:In Europe, Ministers of 29 countries signed the Bologna Declaration on June 19, 1999. And the follow-up conference held in Prague on May 19, 2001 increased the number of objectives and reaffirmed their commitment to establish the European Higher Education Area by 2010. On September 19, 2003, Ministers from 33 European countries met in Berlin to review the progress and set the new objectives for the coming years, with a view to speed up the realization of the European Higher Education Area, and decided to hold the next conference in the city of Bergen in 2005.In Taiwan, the government and the higher education are in the process of reform,not only under the context of politics and economics, but also in the light of global perspectives.This paper aims to explore the process of realizing the European Higher Education Area and what we can learn in order to deal with the challenges that Taiwan’s higher education will face in the future. First of all, we will explain the Bologna Process and the higher education reform action program. Secondly, we will check the follow-up structure and progress after the 2003 Berlin conference. Thirdly,we will look at the challenges to be addressed Taiwan’s higher education. This will include the need for government funding and the capacity problem of the public institutions, the internationalization and management of the institutions, and the newrole of the government in higher education with emphasis on the improvement of the teaching quality. Finally, we will see that Taiwan can learn from the European experience and learn how to support and play the new roles of the government and the higher education institutions under a global context.1. The Bologna Declaration on the European space for higher educationIn order to establish the European area of higher education within the first decade of the third millennium, and to promote the European system of higher education world-wide, the following objectives are clearly express in the declaration, they are: adoption of system of easily readable degree, adoption of a system essentially based on two main cycles, undergraduate and graduate, establishment of a system of credits-such as in the ECTS system, promotion of mobility by overcoming obstacles to the effective exercise of free movement, promotion of European co-operation in quality assurance, promotion of the necessary European dimensions in higher education. The structure reform and the commitment to action and the pursue of compositeness are the main framework of Bologna Process.1.1 The reform of the structure of higher education systemThe Declaration reflects a search for a common European answer to common European problems. Try to originates from the recognition that in spite of their valuable differences, and the internal and external challenges related to the growth and diversification of higher education, the employability of graduates, the shortage of skills in key areas, the expansion of private and transnational education, etc.. According to the document of the Confederation of EU Rector's Conference and the Association of European Universities（CRE）, the meaning and significance of the Bologna Declaration and information of the follow-up process are state clearly, the Declaration is a key document which marks a turning point in the development of European higher education, it was signed by 29 countries which “undertake to attain the Declaration’s objectives” and to that end “engage in coordinating（their）policy”. But it is a commitment freely taken by each signatory country to reform its own higher education system or system in order to create overall convergence atEuropean level. The Declaration is not imposed by governments or higher education institutions. And the Bologna process aims at creating convergence and not a path to standardization or uniformasation of European higher education, the fundamental principal of autonomy and diversity are respected.1.2 A binding commitment to an action programmeBased on the Declaration, a clearly defined common goal is to create an European space for higher education in order to enhance the employability and mobility of citizens and to increase the international competitiveness of European higher education, and the deadline was set in 2010, a set of objectives which are including the adoption of a common framework of readable and comparable degrees, the introduction of undergraduate and postgraduate levels in all countries, and the ECTS-compatible credit system, a European dimension in quality assurance, the elimination of remaining obstacles to the free mobility of students and teachers.1.3The Bologna Declaration and global competitivenessTo achieve greater compatibility and comparability in the systems of higher education is mainly an intra-European issue, to increase the international competitiveness of the European system of higher education is the goal of the Declaration, the signatory countries explicitly express their goal to “ensure that the European higher education system acquires a worldwide degree of attractiveness equal to （Europe’s）extraordinary cultural and scientific traditions”. One of the reasons is to attractive students from other world regions, through moving in the direction of a coherent European system.2. Organized follow-up structure and processTo pursue the ways of intergovernmental cooperation in collaboration with highereducation institutions and associations, they have established a specific follow-up structure with a mandate to prepare conference, and a consultative group consisting representatives of all signatory countries, and the follow-up work is in progress at the European, national and institutional level, with a series of surveys and studies are in progress to deal with transnational education, accreditation, credit systems, quality assurance, etc., and serve as preparatory steps for the next stages in the process, signatory countries are considering or planning legislative reforms and /or government action in relevant areas of their higher education, a convergent reform move towards shorter studies, 2-tieer degree structures, credit systems, external evaluation, more autonomy coupled with more accountability and the blurring of boundaries between the different constituent sub-sectors of higher education.2.1 Follow up the progress of BerlinAccording the latest follow-up conference hold in Berlin, Ministers agreed on the following considerations, principles and priorities:Ministers reaffirm the importance of the social dimension of the Bologna Process, and must be balanced with the need to increase competitiveness of the European Higher Education Area, and in this context, Ministers reaffirm their position that higher education is a public good and a public responsibility. They emphases academic values should prevail in international academic cooperation and exchanges,Minister aims at making Europe “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion”Ministers take note of the Progress Report commissioned by the Follow-up Group on the development of the Bologna Process between Prague and Berlin, theTrend-III Report prepared by the European University Association（EUA）and the Results of the seminars, the National Reports, the messages from the European Commission and the Council of Europe and acknowledge their support.Ministers agree that efforts shall be undertake in order to secure closer links overall between the higher education and research systems in their respective countries, and to preserve Europe’s cultural richness and linguistic diversity, based on its heritage of diversified traditions, and to foster its potential of innovation and social and economic development through enhanced co-operation among European Higher Education Institutions.Ministers recognize the fundamental role in the development of the European Higher Education Area play by Higher Education Institutions and student organization （The European University Association, EUA）, the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education，(EURASHE), the National Unions of Students in Europe（ESIB）.2.2 Follow-up conference main actionAccording the latest follow-up conference hold in Berlin, the main action is as the following:2.2.1 Quality AssuranceQuality assurance is at the heart of the setting up of a European Higher Education Area, and consistent with the principle of institutional autonomy, the primary responsibility for quality assurance in higher education lies with each institution, and within the national quality framework for real accountability.2.2.2 Degree structureAll Ministers commit themselves to having started the implementation of the two-cycle system by 2005. A framework for comparable and compatible qualifies systems for their higher education.2.2.3 Promotion of mobilityThe mobility of students and academic and administrative staff is the basis for establishing a European Higher Education Area, they support the European Union programmes and for student mobility, to enable the portability of national loans and grants.2.2.4 Establishment of a system of creditsMinisters stress the important role played by the European Credit Transfer System （ECTS）in facilitating student mobility and international curriculum development, not only transfer credits but also and accumulation system with the emerging European Higher Education Area.2.2.5 Recognition of degreesAbout adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees, they set the objective that every student graduating as from 2005 should receive the Diploma Supplement automatically and free of charge, and issued in a widely spoken European language, for fostering employability and facilitating academic recognition for further studies.2.2.6 Higher education institutions and studentsHigher education institutions and students are welcome to the Bologna Process and the institutions will empowered to take decision on their internal organization and administration. And the students have legal measures for ensuring student participation, and study without obstacles related to their social and economicbackground.2.2.7 Promotion of the European dimension in higher educationIn various European countries to pool their academic resources and cultural traditions in order to promote the development of integrated study programmes and joint degrees at first, second and third level, and provide language learning so that students achieve their full potential for European identity, citizenship and employability. And to establish and recognize joint degree in order to support the development of quality integrated curricula.2.2.8 Promoting the attractiveness of the European Higher Education AreaThe scholarship programmes for students from the third countries and transnational exchanges in higher education based on academic quality and academic values, the co-operation with regions in other parts of the world are welcome to Bologna seminars and conferences.2.2.9 Lifelong learningIn making lifelong learning a reality, to enhance the possibilities for lifelong learning at higher education level including the recognition of prior learning, and to encompass the wide range of flexible learning paths for all citizens, opportunities and techniques and to make appropriate use of the ECTS credits.3. Taiwan’s challenges of higher education and strategies for the futureThe challenges facing Taiwan’s higher education include the following: shortage of government funding and the capacity issue of the public institutions; the internationalization of the institutions; the management of the institutions and their cooperation with various enterprises; the new role of the government in higher education and the improvement of the teaching quality. The challenges and the strategies are as follows.3.1 The need for government fundingBetween the years 1996-2004, the student of higher education population grew to 76%, but the funding only grew by 27.89% which is not enough to distribute to the higher education institutions. For a student who is sponsored by the government, the average amount dropped from US5, 780 to US3, 370 per year (public university), and the private university student was sponsored much less.（Ministry of Education 2004）. The funding support of the public universities had dropped from 71.2% to 51.8% in the period of 1996-2004. In order to solve the problem, the government has to channel more money to higher education, to reconsider resource allocations, to encourage the private sector to sponsor higher education institutions, and to collaborate in the projects. Merging institutions will increase efficiency and enlarge the school funding flexibility to cover the shortage for personnel budget. 3.2 The capacities of the public institutions are too smallSince 1994, the number of newly established universities is 16, and only 5 of them are public. The ratio of public students to private students increased from 46:54 to 67:33（year1994-2003）, which meant that the public universities were more attractive to the students, and the growing trend was “to go to public college.” In order to solve the problem, the government increased the capacity of the better higher education institutions to educate more students as human resources and for the departments to regulate the student population in accordance with the needs of the market.3.3 The internationalization of the institutions needs to be enhancedThe internationalization of the institutions is geared towards the students’ language proficiency, to encourage students to study abroad, and to attract more internationalstudents. In 2003, there were 1,568 international students in Taiwan and they comprised only 0.15% of the total number of university students. Compared to Japan’s 96,000 international students, Taiwan needs to find a solution to resolve the political reason behind it. In order to solve the problem, the government of Taiwan is going to spend NT5000 million for five years to be able to develop the best universities and research centers in the world. They will also attract more foreign students to study in Taiwan and at the same time to encourage students to study overseas using student loans if necessary. In the higher education institutions, there will be more language programs for the students to acquire better language proficiencies and become more competitive internationally.3.4 The management of the higher education institutions needs improvementThe law on higher education needs to be adjusted in order to demand real accountability, the administrative operations should be fair and clear, and the correct balance between rights and responsibilities will be important for the efficient running of higher education institutions. To solve the problem, the government will modify the higher education law to deregulate the institutions’ personnel and finance in order to increase the accountability, establish a teaching evaluation system for better teaching quality, and encourage the classification of higher education institutions for their specialty performances.3.5 The cooperation with the enterpriseIn the context of globalization, there is a need to identify, examine and discuss issues related to structural adjustment and educational restructuring in Taiwan. Although more university graduates of the working force enter the market, but the needs of the enterprises are not reflected enough in the higher education curricula. That means that there are not enough graduates to fill up the needs of the enterprises. The higher education institutions should try to cooperate with theenterprises regarding their needs, or even to request for the establishment of an entrepreneurial university. In order to collaborate with the enterprise, the government should deregulate the law to remove the obstacles for collaboration and to encourage them to sign the cooperation contracts.3.6 The classification of higher educationThere are 158 higher education institutions in Taiwan（year2004）. Since there are no clear distinctions between each one of them, the allocation of resources have no focus. The government needs to control the average quality of the students even though they are from different higher education institutions. In order to solve the problem, the government assigns the private sector to develop an evaluation system of the higher education institutions including different sets of indicators for the different groups of institutions. If the institutions do not meet the standard qualifications, they will be required to improve within a period of time, and a follow-up procedure will check on their improvement levels.3.7 The teaching quality needs to improveThe staff of higher education needs to do more research and to raise their level of teaching quality since these will influence the students’ learning attitude and ability. Furthermore, the institutions need to establish a technician to check the teaching quality and to find a balance between research and teaching during evaluation. During the latest Taiwan’s University Chancellors Conference in January 2005, they agreed on certain points concerning the scenario for Taiwan’s higher education which the government will fully support. They are mainly focused on the classification of higher education institutions by evaluating them according to the ratio of teaching and research. Such competitiveness will raise the quality of teaching and the cooperation between the higher education institutions and theenterprises. It will raise the quality of students not only for their future professions, but also in their citizenship training and relationships with people. Moreover, it will lead to the creation of an international environment which will attract more foreign students to Taiwan and lead to the improvement of the students’ language proficiency.4. The influence of European Higher Education Area：What we can learn Regarding the influence of European Higher Education Area, what can we learn from the European experience? A commitment to an action for a better higher education or a well-organized structure will help the reform process or attain the clearly stated objectives of higher education. The follow-up group will help in watching over the process of transforming the old patterns and the measures which need more discussions between the government, the institutions, and the enterprise. Who should support the progress in order to have that commitment? What is the role of higher education institutions in the Bologna Process? How far can the students participate? What is their role in the progress? Which curricula are the means to ensure academic quality and long-term employability? We will go through these in the following paragraphs.4.1 Learn how to supportThe awareness and support for the Bologna Process should not only be in the lower academic level, but also among the heads of the higher education institutions involved. It will involve interpreting of the process in the context of the objectives at the departmental level; rethinking of the current teaching structure, units, methods, and evaluation; and the permeability between the disciplines and the institutions. We know that this reform will need the widespread support of theheads of HEIs. The reforms are not just top-down processes because they will need the full support of all the participants.4.2 Know the role of higher education institutionsThe higher education community plays a crucial role for the success of the Bologna. They have to be able to convince the Ministers on what kind of European higher education they want and will promote during the process of change. In short, they have to be the actors rather than mere passive objects.The university rectors and the heads of the HEI’s in Europe feel that the institutions should be involved more directly in the realisation of the Bologna objectives. Many governments are creating a legal framework which will allow the HEI’s to implement the Bologna Reforms. Involvement will be important for the reforms, and the legal framework will give the HEI's the power they need to implement those reforms.4.3Know the role of the studentsAbout 63% of universities in Bologna are signatory countries and the students have been formally involved in the Bologna Process through their participation in the senate, council or faculty/departmental level. European student representatives express high hopes concerning the principles of the Bologna reforms and their harshest criticisms concerning their implementation.4.4 Learn to enhance academic quality and the employability of the graduates Enhancing the academic quality and the employability of the graduates are the two most frequently mentioned driving forces behind the Bologna process, according to the representatives of the ministries, the rectors’ conferences, and the higher education institutions. The Heads of Europe’s higher education institutions regard the employability of their graduates as a very important concern when designing or restructuring their curricula. HEI's will be encouraged to seek a close dialogue withprofessional associations and employers when reforming their curricula. Knowing the outcome and level of competence is a way to ensure that the academic quality and the long-term employability become compatible goals of higher education.5. The Bologna Process and the shaping of the future knowledge societiesIn the first follow-up conference held in Prague on May 19, 2001, they increased the number of the objectives and reaffirmed their commitment to establish the European Higher Education Area by 2010. On September 19, 2003, Ministers responsible for higher education of 33 European countries met in Berlin in order to review the process achieved and to set priorities and new objectives for the coming years with a view to speed up the establishment of the European Higher Education Area. On May 18-20, 2005, more than 40 ministers of education will meet in Bergen. The Third Conference on Knowledge and Politics will be parallel to the ministers’ meeting wherein the academics and their organizations will take an active part in the discussions of the Bologna process.The Ministers in the Berlin conference asked the Follow-up Group to coordinate the activities for monitoring the Bologna Process and to report it in the next ministerial meeting in 2005. The Ministers decided to hold the next conference in the city of Bergen（Norway）in May of 2005 which will focus on the Bologna Process and the shaping of the future knowledge societies. They will try to discuss the changing relationship between knowledge and politics and the integration efforts of the European Union, including those experiments and research transformations in higher education.The conference is part of the Bologna Process and the theme will focus on the following: the challenge of mass education; the reflection and transformation inthe era of global knowledge economy; the kind of knowledge society which the Bologna Process can contribute to challenge the European Universities’ knowledge conceptions; the political dimension of the Bologna Process, the relationship between the EU and the Bologna process; the global perspectives from the other world regions; and the new relationship between research and education especially on how the Bologna Process is able to bring them together.The recent attempts at integrating higher education systems in Europe will affect the relationship between institutions in higher education system. When Taiwan is trying to learn from the European experience, the development will need to situate in a wider context.ReferenceThe Bologna Declaration on the European space for higher education: an explanation（2000）. The Confederation of EU Rectors Conferences and theAssociation of European Universities（CRE）.The challenge for higher education（2004）.Project report from Department of Education, Taipei.Realising the European Higher Education Area：Communiqué of the Conference of Ministers responsible for Higher Education in Berlin on 19 September 2003（2003）.Berlin.Reichert S.and Tauch C.（2003）.Trends 2003. Progress towards the European Higher Education Area. European Commission.。