English - European University Association

Participants at the EUA Convention in Glasgow
REFOCUSING THE BOLOGNA PROCESS MID-WAY
TO 2010
Universities in Glasgow argued that it will be crucial for the long-term success of the
Bologna reforms to refocus efforts on implementation in higher education institutions
now that the legislative framework is largely in place in most countries. This change in
direction is refl ected in the Bergen Communiqué. The arguments for this key shift in
emphasis were drawn mainly from the Trends IV Report that provided a snapshot of the
state of implementation of Bologna reforms in Europe’s universities in 2005 and thus
valuable input both to the Glasgow Convention and the Ministerial meeting in Bergen.
The report shows that continuous reform and innovation is already a reality – and the
only serious option – at many universities, and that this current period, in fact, represents
a major cultural shift which is transforming long-accepted notions of higher education.
Trends IV also demonstrates that implementing the reforms in a sustainable way needs
time and support and that governments must be sensitive to the fact that the goals will
not be achieved simply by changing legislation. Institutions need more functional
autonomy as a fundamental condition for successful reform and accept that this implies
strengthening governance structures, institutional leadership and internal management.
In the second half of 2005, EUA started to follow up on a number of different projects
intended to support universities in this key period of implementation (cf. section 2),
including the preparation of a Bologna Handbook, together with Raabe publishers, that
will be available in mid 2006. This practical guide will provide information, analysis and
concrete advice on implementing the various Bologna actions and tools in universities.
Annual Report 2005 5