European Lifelong Learning Policy for Higher Education

Higher education plays an essential role in society, creating new knowledge, transferring it to students and fostering innovation.
Institutions throughout Europe are working to modernise, both in terms of the courses they offer and the way they operate. Europe has around 4,000 higher education institutions, with over 19 million students and 1.5 million staff. Some European universities are amongst the best in the world, but overall potential is not used to the full. Curricula are not always up-to-date, not enough young people go to university after finishing school and not enough adults have ever attended university. European universities often lack the management tools and funding to match their ambitions.
Governments and higher education institutions are looking for ways to creating better conditions for universities. The main fields of reform are: *Curricular reform: The three cycle system (bachelor-master-doctorate), competence based learning, flexible learning paths, recognition, mobility. *Governance reform: University autonomy, strategic partnerships, including with enterprises, quality assurance. *Funding reform: Diversified sources of university income better linked to performance, promoting equity, access and efficiency, including the possible role of tuition fees, grants and loans.
In depth: The Higher Education Modernisation Agenda, The Bologna Process, ECTS, Diploma Supplement, Green paper on Learning Mobility for Young People, University-Business Cooperation, Transparency in higher education.