educationeurope.biz

European higher education plays a basic role in society, making new knowledge, communicating it to students and stimulating innovation. Institutions all across Europe work to modernise the courses they provide as well as the way they operate.

Also, Europe has about 4,000 higher educational establishments, with roughly 19 million students as well as 1.5 million staff. Certain European universities and colleges are amongst top in the world, though whole potential is not always used to the full. Then curricula are not up-to-date, not many of young people attend university after they finish school and not many of adults have ever gone to university.
European colleges and universities typically lack the management tools plus funding to suit their ambitions. Higher education institutions and governments are seeking for ways to make better conditions for colleges and universities. Also, the European Commission has issued a modernisation schedule for universities that was greeted by the Member States as well as the major concerned parties in higher education.

This modernisation schedule for universities and colleges is a part of the Lisbon Strategy for Jobs and Growth. The main areas of reform are as follows:

1. Curricular reform: The 3 cycle system (doctorate-master-bachelor), flexible learning paths, competence based learning, mobility and recognition.
2. Governance reform: College/university autonomy, strategic partnerships, comprising enterprises, quality help.
3. Funding reform: Manifold sources of college/university income that is better linked to performance, promoting efficiency, access and equity, including the role of tuition fees, loans and grants.
Also, curricular reforms are promoted via the Bologna Process, in that forty six countries in the wider Europe work towards establishing the Europe Higher Education Area by the year 2010.