12promoting concrete measures to achieve tangible forward steps. The 18th June meeting sawparticipation by authoritative experts and scholars from all our countries and provi<strong>de</strong>s us withvery useful suggestions on the initiatives to be taken.We must in particular look at the objective of increasing the international competitiveness ofthe European system of higher education. The vitality and efficiency of any civilisation can bemeasured by the appeal that its culture has for other countries. We need to ensure that theEuropean higher education system acquires a worldwi<strong>de</strong> <strong>de</strong>gree of attraction equal to ourextraordinary cultural and scientific traditions.While affirming our support to the general principles laid down in the Sorbonne <strong>de</strong>claration, weengage in co-ordinating our policies to reach in the short term, and in any case within the first<strong>de</strong>ca<strong>de</strong> of the third millennium, the following objectives, which we consi<strong>de</strong>r to be of primaryrelevance in or<strong>de</strong>r to establish the European area of higher education and to promote theEuropean system of higher education world-wi<strong>de</strong>:Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable <strong>de</strong>grees, also through theimplementation of the Diploma Supplement, in or<strong>de</strong>r to promote European citizensemployability and the international competitiveness of the European higher education systemAdoption of a system essentially based on two main cycles, un<strong>de</strong>rgraduate and graduate.Access to the second cycle shall require successful completion of first cycle studies, lasting aminimum of three years. The <strong>de</strong>gree awar<strong>de</strong>d after the first cycle shall also be relevant to theEuropean labour market as an appropriate level of qualification. The second cycle should leadto the master and/or doctorate <strong>de</strong>gree as in many European countries.Establishment of a system of credits - such as in the ECTS system - as a proper means ofpromoting the most wi<strong>de</strong>spread stu<strong>de</strong>nt mobility. Credits could also be acquired in non-highereducation contexts, including lifelong learning, provi<strong>de</strong>d they are recognised by receivingUniversities concerned.Promotion of mobility by overcoming obstacles to the effective exercise of free movement withparticular attention to:- for stu<strong>de</strong>nts, access to study and training opportunities and to related services- for teachers, researchers and administrative staff, recognition and valorisation of periods spentin a European context researching, teaching and training, without prejudicing their statutoryrights.• Promotion of European co-operation in quality assurance with a view to <strong>de</strong>velopingcomparable criteria and methodologies• Promotion of the necessary European dimensions in higher education, particularly withregards to curricular <strong>de</strong>velopment, inter-institutional co-operation, mobility schemes andintegrated programmes of study, training and research.We hereby un<strong>de</strong>rtake to attain these objectives - within the framework of our institutionalcompetencies and taking full respect of the diversity of cultures, languages, national educationsystems and of University autonomy - to consolidate the European area of higher education. Tothat end, we will pursue the ways of intergovernmental co-operation, together with those of
13non-governmental European organisations with competence on higher education. We expectUniversities again to respond promptly and positively and to contribute actively to the successof our en<strong>de</strong>avour.Convinced that the establishment of the European area of higher education requires constantsupport, supervision and adaptation to the continuously evolving needs, we <strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong> to meetagain within two years in or<strong>de</strong>r to assess the progress achieved and the new steps to be taken.Caspar EINEMMinister of Science and Transport(Austria)Jan ADEDirector GeneralMinistry of the Flemish CommunityDepartment of Education(Belgium)Eduard ZEMANMinister of Education, Youth and Sport(Czech Republic)Tonis LUKASMinister of Education(Estonia)Clau<strong>de</strong> ALLEGREMinister of National Education,Research and Technology(France)Ute ERDSIEK-RAVEMinister of Education, Science, ResearchAnd Culture of the Land Scheswig-Holstein(Permanent Conference of the Ministersof Culture of the German Län<strong>de</strong>rs)Adam KISSDeputy State Secretary for Higher Educationand Science(Hungary)Pat DOWLINGPrincipal OfficerMinistry for Education and Science(Ireland)Tatiana KOKEKState Minister of Higher Education andScience(Latvia)Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGESMinister of National Education andVocational Training(Luxembourg)Gerard SCHMITDirector General of French CommunityMinistry for Higher Education and Research(Belgium)Anna Mmia <strong>TO</strong><strong>TO</strong>MANOVAVice Minister of Education and Science(Bulgaria)Margrethe VESTAGERMinister of Education(Dermnark)Maija RASKMinister of Education and Science(Finland)Wolf-Michael CATENHUSENParliamentary State SecretaryFe<strong>de</strong>ral Ministry of Education and Research(Germany)Gherassimos ARSENISMinister of Public Education and ReligiousAffairs(Greece)Gudridur SIGURDARDOTTIRSecretary GeneralMinistry of Education, Science and Culture(Iceland)Ortensio ZECCHINOMinister of University and ScientificAnd Technological Research(Italy)Kornelijus PLATELISMinister of Education and Science(Lithuania)Louis GALEAMinister of Education(Malta)