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Maastricht European Studies Papers 2007/07 L. Unbehauen Neave is right to argue that the reform process has reached a crucial stage. In the last years even the sensitive question of QA has come to the fore and the call for a common European QA mechanism has caused heated discussions. However, the success of this next reform phase and of the Bologna reform as such will depend mainly on the implementation of the whole reform package; implementation not only meaning a change to appropriate national legislation but also to actual practices at Europe’s HEIs. Unfortunately the findings of the Trend IV analysis have revealed that much remains to be done, even in such basic action fields as convergence of degree structure and recognition. Yet, the Trend IV report has also identified certain factors which can help the reform on its road to success. The first success factor is the positive perception of the aims and added value of the Bologna Process among HEIs across Europe. In other words, if the “top down agenda [is transformed] into their own bottom-up interpretation of desirable change” (Reichert & Tauch, 2005, p. 42), the reform will run more smoothly. Second, good communication within the institutions and a pro-active leadership can foster better cooperation and flawless implementation of the reform (ibid.). Thirdly, the right “balance between national level regulation and coordination and institutional autonomy” (p. 44) is needed to guide but not over-regulate the HEIs in their reform progress. National qualification frameworks should give incentives for action without prescribing too many rules on, for example, the language of instruction or accreditation of programs. The fourth reason for success is to allow the institution enough time to adjust instead of rushing them through half- cooked reforms (p. 46). It has proven that countries such as the Netherlands which started the implementation early could report the most thorough reform results (p. 45). Last but not least, not only rhetoric commitment but increased national funding is necessary. Until now most of the Bologna reforms and the associated higher administrative and staff costs had to be paid out of the limited pot of Europe’s HEI, leaving less resources for other fields such as research or intensive student counseling. If all these factors will be considered and incorporated into the reform strategy it might be possible to speed up the Bologna Process and make it a real success, which until now has been hindered by the selective and incoherent implementation of reforms among the participating members. 18
Maastricht European Studies Papers 2007/07 L. Unbehauen References Amaral, A. & Magalhães, A. (2004). Epidemiology and the Bologna Saga. Higher Education, Vol. 48, 79-100 Berlin Communiqué (2003). Realizing the European Higher Education Area. Communiqué of the Conference of Ministers responsible for higher education in Berlin on 19th of September 2003. Retrieved June 7, 2006, from the World Wide Web: http://www.bologna-berlin2003.de/pdf/Communique1.pdf Bologna Declaration (1999). Towards the European Higher Education Area. Joint Declaration of the European Ministers of Education Convened in Bologna at the 19 th of June 1999. Retrieved June 7, 2006, from the World Wide Web: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/bologna_en.html Coss, S. (2004). New States set to pass education test. EU Studies Guide February 2004. European Voice. Retrieved June 7, 2006, from the World Wide Web: http://www.europeanvoice.com/eu/info Council of Europe. (2006). Bologna for Pedestrians. Retrieved June 7, 2006, from the World Wide Web: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/highereducation/ehea2010/bolognapedestrians Dittrich, K., Frederiks, M. & Luwel, M. (2004). The Implementation of ‘Bologna’ in Flanders and the Netherlands. European Journal of Education, Vol. 39, No. 3, 299-316 European Commission. (2005). Erasmus Networks now cover nine-tenths of Europe’s universities (October 20). Press Release (IP/05/1313). Brussels: European Commission European Network of Quality Assurance. (2006). Publications. Retrieved June 7, 2006, from the World Wide Web: www.enqa.eu/pubs.lasso ESIB-Bologna Process Committee. (2005). Bologna with student eyes. Retrieved June26, 2006, from the World Wide Web: www.esib.org/documents/ESIBbolognaanalysis.pdf Galler, B. & Hendriks, B. (2005). National Reports 2004-05: Germany. Retrieved June 15, 2006, from the World Wide Web: www.bologna-bergen2005.no Henkel, M. (2001). Policy Change and Academic Identities. Seminar Paper, Debates in Higher Education (November 6). London: University College Haug, G. (2003). Quality Assurance/Accreditation in the Emerging European Higher Education Area: a possible scenario for the future. European Journal of Education, Vol. 38, No. 3, 229-241 Huisman, J. & Van der Wende, M. (2004). The EU and Bologna: are supra- and international initiatives threatening domestic agendas? European Journal of Education, Vol. 39, No. 3, 349- 357 19
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