Bologna Follow up group (BFUG)

Introduction
Ministers have entrusted the implementation of all the issues covered in the Berlin Communiqué, the overall steering of the Bologna Process and the preparation of the next ministerial meeting to the Bologna Follow-up Group (BFUG).
The BFUG is composed of the representatives of all member states of the Bologna Process (46 European countries) plus the European Commission. Also, as consultative members, BFUG has the Council of Europe, UNESCO/CEPES, EUA , EURASHE, ESU, ENQA, Education International and BUSINESSEUROPA. BFUG meets at least twice a year, chaired by the EU Presidency, with the host country of the next Ministerial Conference as vice-chair.
A Board, also chaired by the EU Presidency and with the next host country as vice-chair, will oversee the work between the meetings of the BFUG. The overall follow-up work will be supported by the Bologna Secretariat which the country hosting the next Ministerial Conference will provide. The Secretariat is currently based in Benelux.
The BFUG coordinates the Bologna process at international level and, on the authority of competent ministers, draws up and implements the work programme between one ministerial conference and the next. According to the London Communiqué adopted by the Ministers, the BFUG’s top priorities at present are:
* to evaluate the implementation of the set objectives ten years after the signature of the Bologna declaration and,
* to frame a proposal for the further development of the Bologna process after 2010 and for the vision of the European Higher Education Area in 2020.
Working groups
At its meeting in October 2007, the Bologna Follow-up Group adopted a work programme http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/ for the time leading to the next ministerial meeting in April 2009 and established working or coordination groups on the following topics: 

• data collection
• employability
• European higher education in a global setting
• lifelong learning
• mobility
• qualifications frameworks
• social dimension
• stocktaking

Bologna Experts
The purpose of the National Teams of Bologna Experts is to provide a pool of expertise in certain areas to promote and enhance progress toward higher education reforms in their countries. The National Teams will make sure that the relevant actors involved in Higher Education on a national level will benefit from the pan-European nature of these reforms.
Bologna Experts are normally senior academics or administrators who have been chosen because of their in-depth knowledge in quality assurance, qualifications frameworks and recognition issues in higher education. The European Commission provide training workshops for them. The experts are appointed by the Ministries of Education of their country in cooperation with national HE stakeholders, following approval by the European Commission.