Bergan, Sjur, Qualifications — Introduction to a concept (Council of Europe higher education series No.6), Strasbourg: 2007, ISBN 978-92-871-6125-3.

Qualifications are a key element of higher education policies in general and of the Bologna Process in particular. Much work has been accomplished in this area over the past few years, and a proper understanding of qualifications is essential to making the European Higher Education Area a reality.

This book provides a systematic overview of the concept of qualifications; it discusses its main elements, such as level, workload, quality, profile and learning outcomes; and it examines generic and subject-specific competences. It also considers the development of qualifications frameworks and explores the impact of our understanding of the concept of qualifications on recognition.

The author, Sjur Bergan, is Head of the Department of Higher Education and History Teaching of the Council of Europe, a member of the Bologna Follow-Up Group and one of the authors of the Council of Europe/UNESCO Recognition Convention. He has played an active role in the development of the overarching qualifications framework of the European Higher Education Area. Sjur Bergan is a frequent speaker at ACA conferences and seminars.

For more information on the book and how to order it, visit the Council of Europe website.

Council of Europe