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The European Commission has just published a paper outlining its contribution to the Bologna Process. The document, entitled “From Bergen to London. The EU Contribution”, was released on 24 January 2006. Although, in principle, the intergovernmental Bologna Process is driven by the member states, the European Commission participates as a full member in the Bologna Follow-up Group and - very actively - promotes the process through European-level initiatives.
The Commission regards its contribution to Bologna as part of the Lisbon Strategy, aiming to build a European Higher Education Area by 2010, as least as far as quality assurance and curricular reform are concerned. Overall, the paper explains the European Commission’s position towards and contribution to all items quoted in the Bergen Communiqué, in particular to the priorities agreed upon in Bergen: quality assurance, the degree system and the recognition of degrees and study periods. Regarding the Bologna priorities, the document emphasizes the need to concentrate on “a genuine implementation of reforms” and to “work out an external dimension strategy” of the Bologna Process.
The paper also announces a wide range of Commission initiatives in 2006 and 2007 for which it will be worth watching out, just to mention a few:
The paper should soon be available on the Europa Website, as well as on the Website of Bologna Follow-up group.