European degree: "strong coordination" by the European Commission required

For a European degree to become a reality, the European Commission must take a proactive role in coordinating cooperation between all key stakeholders across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This is the call of ED-Affiche, a leading higher education consortium working towards this shared vision.

The call is a response to the European Commission's new higher education package, which includes a blueprint for a European degree and was presented on March 27.

ED-AFFICHE is a powerful consortium of 51 higher education institutions from six European higher education alliances. Among them is the higher education alliance CHARM-EU, to which the University of Würzburg belongs.

Doris Fischer, Vice President for Internationalization and Alumni at JMU and responsible for CHARM-EU, is pleased that "the University of Würzburg is also part of this development via CHARM-EU" and is "looking forward to the next steps" on this path.

In consultation with higher education ministries, quality assurance agencies, students and employers, the consortium jointly developed a vision for the European Degree last year. It is now calling on the European Commission to develop processes to support the continuation and expansion of the close cooperation initiated within ED-AFFICHE and all European Degree pilot projects.

Kurt Willems, Professor of Education Law at KU Leuven and ED-AFFICHE Coordinator, said: "As ED-AFFICHE, we very much welcome the European Commission's blueprint for the European Degree, in particular the proposed policy lab to network key stakeholders and the annual forum to provide an overview of progress on implementation."

As the pilot projects on the European Degree come to an end, ED-AFFICHE calls on the European Commission to use the results of the project as a basis for broadening and deepening cooperation between key stakeholders to make the European Degree a reality for students in Europe.

The next steps towards a European Degree

The European Commission's concept for a European degree provides for two entry points: a common European Degree Label or a European degree.

Commenting on these two options, Kurt Willems says: "If one of the aims of the European Degree is to remove obstacles in national or regional legislation to common degrees, the paths to the European Degree Label and to a degree may be closer than some might think. What will be needed for both is coordination by the European Commission. Clear guidance is needed on how the national or regional legal framework should be changed to facilitate the label or the degree. Both require the agreement of the Member States."

To ensure that the European Degree has a real impact, ED-AFFICHE strongly recommends that the European Commission takes the following actions:

•     Integrate the European Degree into the existing quality assurance mechanisms under the Bologna Process and the European Approach to ensure that the initiative effectively supports and  enhances existing frameworks, thus promoting coherence and effectiveness.
•     Develop funding mechanisms directly linked to the European pathway, building on the commitment to provide Erasmus+ support as foreseen in the concept. These mechanisms should    focus on inclusiveness, strengthen recognition and support the promotion of high quality programs.
•     Establish and continuously update a database on legal barriers to the development of joint programs within the EU and the EHEA, as initiated under ED-AFFICHE.
•     Develop a specific strategy to improve the visibility of programs receiving the label.

ED-AFFICHE urges the European Commission to use the achievements of the project as a basis for broadening and deepening cooperation between key stakeholders - from higher education institutions to Member States, quality assurance agencies and employers - and to jointly promote and consolidate the European Degree for the benefit of European students.