Transcript Bologna Process and other cooperation between universities

Access issues in European higher
education
Techno TN 2004
Brussels 13 February 2004
David Crosier
European Universities Association (EUA)
EUA basics
Representative association of universities in Europe
Members = individual universities and national rectors
conferences
c700 members in 45 countries
Mission: to promote the development of a coherent
system of European higher education and research
Strengthening the role of universities in EHEA and
ERA: policy, projects and other membership services
…2…
Bologna Process



Now 40 countries – including SEE and Russia
Convergence towards European Higher Education Area by 2010
(now half way)
Progress to date? Trends III (www.eua.be): many legislative &
structural reforms, but:
- Are they really all convergent, or do different cultural situations
and developments countries create new forms of diversity?
- Is the reality perceived by institutions, academics and students
different to the picture from ministries?
- Impact of non-Bologna agendas (financing - fees etc)
- Are we sufficiently attentive to “social dimension”?
…3…
European University 2004
New & sometimes contradictory demands:
broaden access, increase participation but cut costs /
charge fees
concentrate research / maintain diversity
be more local, more regional, more European, more
international
increase mobility within Europe / attract more
students and scholars from outside Europe
improve academic quality / be responsive to
industry/business providing employability skills
provide compatible curricula across Europe/ maintain
diversity & be more learner-centred
be more autonomous / conform to framework
be more competetive/be more socially inclusive
…4…
EUA Response: The Graz Declaration
2010 and beyond – the European university
Universities as a public responsibility
Building strong institutions
Research as an integral part of HE
Quality Assurance – a policy framework for Europe
Pushing forward the Bologna Process
Social dimension
…5…
Social Dimension
Access & equality identified as core values
European-level policy exemplified by objectives of Council
of Europe Recommendation on Access to higher education
“All who are able and willing to participate successfully in
higher education should have fair and equal opportunities
to do so”
“Efforts to maintain and raise the quality of higher
education systems should include the criterion of effective
access offered to all groups in society as well as that of
excellence in teaching and research”
“Appropriate monitoring measures should be developed to
measure the process of change”
…6…
Equal opportunities in Europe?
Important socio-economic/historical/cultural differences
between countries: different dimensions of access issues
within them
Recognise limits of potential impact of higher education
institutions:
can’t “solve” all societal problems
Higher education does have responsibility to society:
Tension
traditional role in reproduction of societal values vs role
in transformation and innovation
reflecting social values & attitudes vs
challenging/developing values and attitudes
…7…
What do we know? (from CoE project)
Council of Europe Access project – studies provide picture of
reality in mid-nineties: need for follow-up
Higher education policy objectives often set without taking
account of under-represented groups
“Monitoring” of participation, retention, completion, and
employment very patchy across countries and institutions:
different systems, little reference to practice in other countries
Lack of Europe-wide research into patterns of underrepresentation
Rhetoric more advanced than policy and action
European Access Network – active in collecting and disseminating
research at national/institutional level across Europe
ESIB – promoting access policies, Handbook on access issues
…8…
What do we know? 2
Some common features and issues
Notions of access and equal opportunities commonly
misunderstood
Equal opportunities (mis)conceived as absence of discrimination
(de jure condition):
Equal conditions confused with equal opportunities
Equal conditions don’t have equal effects (eg tuition fees
have different impact depending on financial means)
Effective equal opportunities policy means:
Objective is to enable all individuals to develop and fulfil
potential
Learner-centred = taking account of diverse learner needs
Equal opportunities policies therefore require finding out about
needs, and responding with positive action
…9…
Issues of under-representation in European higher
education: gender
General trend = increase in female participation in higher
education
diversity across disciplines: 1st level studies - issues re female
participation in sciences, male participation in nursing,
humanities, teacher training,
Gender pyramid – third-level studies (PhD) and post-doctorate –
dramatic fall in female participation
Institution staff structures: male-dominated hierarchy (female
rectors in EUA members can be counted on one hand)
Central and Eastern Europe: negative shifts in gender policies post
1990: less priority to students with children, provision of support
Particular problems in some societies: eg Albania/Kosovo –
negative attitudes to education
…10…
Issues of under-representation in European higher
education: Ethnic Minorities
Very diverse situations:
different definitions and understanding of minority groups
different methods for identifying groups (self-classification
vs outside classification)
different issues for different immigrant communities, 1st
and 2nd generation, minority populations in Central and
Eastern Europe
Strong general tendency not to face issues - perceived as
too sensitive
National realities misunderstood (differences in
achievement of students from different groups), and
problems not identified & addressed
Central and Eastern Europe: languages & ethnicity major
issue in higher education (rights to higher education in
minority languages? Eg Macedonia/Romania/Baltic states)
…11…
Issues of under-representation in European higher
education: Students with disabilities
Social construction of disability: lack of
awareness/provision for needs, rather than lack of
ability through physical condition
psychological barriers often more significant than
physical
Exclusion through medical definition
Wide variety of needs – best known & understood by
those who have them.
Institutions need to inclusive structures to be able to
respond adequately
…12…
Issues of under-representation in European higher
education: Socio-economic disadvantage
Cross-cutting – gender, ethnicity and disability +
parental participation in higher education (strongest
predictor for access)
Policies so far have not worked
Mass higher education – increased numbers, but
generally among “middle classes”
Funding policies crucial – how to target resources
fairly where there is greatest financial need?
…13…
Other Issues: admission systems
Systems of more open access vs systems of more
selection
Open access: respects “right” to higher education, but if
high failure, dropout, and no support to student
needs...
Selection: on what basis? Recognising potential, or
rewarding achievement/previous advantage?
…14…
Other issues: monitoring
Institutional monitoring of participation essential if
progress is to be measured
Integral aspect of policy for equal opportunities
Should include all aspects of institution (staff as well
as students)
Data need to be relevant & not excessive
…15…
Other issues: guidance and counselling
Opening up admission is necessary but not sufficient
Institutions need to feel responsible for student
experience and success
Responsive guidance and counselling systems
essential for all students, but non-traditional students
may have specific needs
…16…
Conclusions
 European consensus that expanding higher education is important,
and that both individuals and society benefit
 No agreement on how to fund expansion (UK, France, Germany,
Ireland etc)
 Danger of geographic exclusion East-West & North-South
 Danger of under-represented groups remaining excluded

Coherence & long-term joined up thinking in policy making rests a
major challenge

Higher education institutions cannot afford to be passive
…17…
Some Modest proposals
Provide more central attention to « social dimension »
of Bologna Process
Find out what governments/institutions have done
with Council of Europe recommendation on access
Undertake more research into issues of underrepresentation/disadvantage at European level
Explore relationship between Quality and Equality
Look at how good practice in Europe can be
identified
shared
…18…