Is The Bologna Process Abolishing Itself?

Higher education has been evolving rapidly to respond to fast changing demands of the labor market. More and more jobs require high skills. Innovation and entrepreneurship are top priorities in the labor market. The Bologna Process, i.e. studying according to the toolbox principle, has become the norm in many European countries. However, there is much doubt as to whether a one-size-fits-all approach work in higher education institutions, and whether the standardization of study courses is sustainable for the future. Not least the rising resistance against the Bologna Process that is currently underway in Europe raises the question whether the Bologna Process is abolishing itself.

The Bologna Process is a series of intergovernmental agreements and reforms between 48 European countries. The Process was launched in 1999 by Ministers of Education and every two years since then, meetings to monitor the progress and set new goals have been held. Over the last 20 years its aim has been to promote studying according to the toolbox principle by introducing the three-cycle system (Bachelor, Master, doctorate) in order to improve the quality and provide relevant higher education and to simplify the process of diploma recognition of qualifications.

Because education systems in Europe widely differ from one country to another, making applying to study abroad very difficult, the Bologna Process was started in order to make the task less complicated and increase student mobility. That is achieved through compatible education systems across the continent. Another objective of the Bologna Process is to make universities and colleges more competitive and attractive by modernizing their education and training systems in order to fulfill the requirements of the ever-changing and growing labor market.

First of all, implementation of the three-cycle degree structure has improved. It is now the dominant model in many European countries. However, there are still a number of countries where further reforms need to be made in order to ensure that their degree programs are coherent. Shorter degree programs also exist where academic achievements are recognized within the first cycle, but they are not universally acknowledged across Europe. Most countries have also established a national qualifications framework for higher education, used for coordinating qualifications across sectors.

Secondly, the recognition of qualifications is another area of focus. In most countries, the content of national legislation and regulations is coherent with the international legal framework. However, there is still progress to be made with the procedures of recognition of qualifications of refugees and displaced persons.

Quality assurance is the third goal that the Bologna Process is working towards. Higher education institutions are required to develop and publish quality assurance strategies and evaluation reports, but there is still progress to be made in ensuring that students are equally involved in quality assurance processes.

The Bologna Process is also focused on improving learning and teaching, making higher education more inclusive to disadvantaged students, increasing graduate employment rates, expanding student mobility and internationalization, and establishing values that unite higher education systems across the continent.

Complaints have risen in Germany that the Bologna Process has completely changed the higher education landscape of the country. Students are concerned that too much material has been compressed into the three-year Bachelor program and that Master programs are limited in terms of selection options. The focus has been shifted from fully educating students to just preparing them for the workplace. Many feel that these reforms rush students through their studies, without educating them properly, and that more academic time is required to develop well-rounded individuals. Universities produce graduates more quickly, but the people who fit the demands of the industry are less.

There has been an overflow of students pursuing higher education, which causes financial shortages and pressures at institutions. The result shows even in the well-funded universities – crowded halls, old books, crumbling buildings. Universities have become more accessible, but at what price?

Spanish critics state that the Bologna Process in fact makes education more expensive and disables students from working while studying. There have even been protests and occupations of university buildings to show resistance.

The main concern expressed among institutions across Europe has been that the degrees and degree evaluations are standardized. The Bologna Process restricts universities to the same formula of a standard number of study hours plus credits resulting in a degree. This means that a four-year Bachelor’s course has been compressed into three years and a one-year Master’s has been made two, not because of professors taking different approaches, but because politicians have decided that degree courses should be the same length. In other words, the material needs to be adjusted to fit inside the box and some of it gets lost.

Another argument is that in theory, the Bologna Process should increase student mobility, but in fact the structures of the courses are too inflexible for students to successfully spend a semester abroad. It has become a common practice at some universities for students to be required to take extra exams after they return from their semester abroad, or even to repeat the “missed” semester. Courses are still not intercompatible and the process of getting credits recognized can be difficult.

Furthermore, it has become very difficult for students who work or have children to pursue a degree. While the number of students switching universities has dropped, the number of dropouts has increased.

Universities call for more academic collaboration. A decision should be made through discussion, but the Bologna Process has been a series of decisions imposed without debate. The problem is that academic systems vary from one university to another and they do not have the same standard. Same courses can be taught in different ways and there are different approaches, depending on the scholars. Some universities are more selective and have higher standards, so it is difficult to apply the same programs everywhere.

It can be said that the Bologna Process has become an example of bureaucracy with politicians exclusively defining European education. The future is uncertain; however, it is a fact that many demand a more collaborative approach going forward, so that universities can be included in the discussion and the decisions being made can be mutually beneficial.

Whether or not the Bologna Process is about to abolish itself cannot be answered with certainty yet. As with the question whether the European Union is abolishing itself on account of the impending Brexit and the growing tensions among EU member states with respect to the refugee crisis, the answer ultimately hinges on the political willingness to democratize decision-making processes to a greater extent as well as to push through the reforms required. The fundamental issue about the Bologna Process is that the standardization of higher education has been causing difficulties for students and universities alike. Students are rushed through their studies in an effort to enter the labor market as quickly as possible. The lack of thorough and comprehensive education, however, causes the opposite effect, i.e. individuals who – at least in part – do not meet the requirements dictated by industry, increasing the demand for highly skilled professionals even more. Universities and other higher-education institutions, on the other hand, suffer under financial constraints and are reaching the limits of their capacities. Irrespective of whether or not the Bologna Process is abolishing itself, what is certain is that the existing problems will not be solved by simply extending the Process further at the global level. The time has come to make fundamental changes.