Universität Rostock - Structure - Quality Assurance - Reorganising courses of study - The study reform - European context

On 19.06.1999, 29 European Ministers of Education (Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakian Republic, Spain, Czech Republic, Hungary) passed a joint statement „The European Higher Education Area“. Meanwhile, several other European countries have signed the statement.

The European Ministers of Education determined the following main objectives for the European Higher Education Area in the Bologna statement: 

• Establishment of compatible study structures
• Implementation of a two-grade study system
• Establishment of a system of comparable diploma
• Implementation of a Learning outcome system
• Implementation of a „Diploma Supplement“ that explains the diploma
• Increasing the mobility of students and lecturers
• Acceptance of study results based on a quality assurance by national agencies and the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education ENQA 
• Consolidation of the European cooperation
• Acceptance of Lifelong learning as basic element of the European Higher Education Area 
• Integration of university and students as competent, active and constructive partners into the establishment of the European Higher Education Area 
• Supporting the attractiveness of the European Higher Education Area for students from Europe and all over the world 

Follow-up meetings of the member states that intend to accompany the Bologna Process take place every two years:  Lisbon, Prague, Berlin, Bergen, London and Leuven have been the most significant milestones. 

For further information on the Bologna Process please visit the websites of the Bologna Centre of the German Rector's Conference.