A revised version of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area, often referred to as the ESG, has now been published. The Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG) endorsed this version at a meeting in September 2014.
The revised version will be a subject to approval at the Ministerial Conference of the Bologna Process to be held in Yerevan, Armenia, in May 2015. More...

Deadline for Receiving Applications for the 2018 Ministerial Conference Host and for the EHEA Accession
On Wednesday, 24 September 2014 the BFUG Secretariat sent out the call for the selection of the 2018 Ministerial Conference host with the deadline for receiving candidacies of 1 November 2014.
Moreover, as agreed by the BFUG on 7-8 November 2013 in Vilnius, the EHEA applications for membership should arrive by 1 November 2014.

The 41st Bologna Follow Up Group Meeting was hosted by the Italian Minister of Education, Universities and Research in cooperation with the Free International University for Social Studies (LUISS) and was marked with the opening speeches of the Italian Minister of Education, Universities and Research, Ms. Stefania Giannini, the Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Archbishop Angelo Vincenzo Zani as well as the Armenian Minister of Education and Science, Mr. Armen Ashotyan.
Among other issues, the Ministers stressed the importance of the Bologna Process and noted that the political vision behind the Bologna reforms is still relevant.  It was also highlighted that there is a need of the cooperation of the EHEA countries since this idea lies at the root of the Bologna Process. Last but not least the important role of education in unrecognised territories was noted as a significant issue for further deliberations.
As for the upcoming Yerevan Ministerial Conference and the Fourth Bologna Policy Forum, Mr. Asotyan ensured that the best conditions will be provided for the participants. More...

EUA monitors European-level developments at the interface of the Bologna Process and the EU Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications.
The latest update on developments – which has been posted on the EUA website – follows EUA’s recent briefing note on the amended Directive (2013/55/EU) that was published at the end of December 2013.
The latest update deals with developments in the Bologna Process, the EU institutions, and professional, academic and regulatory bodies; it makes particular reference to the sectoral professions (including medical doctor, dentist, general care nurse, pharmacist and architect).
Please click here to read more on professional qualifications. More...

Several important policy processes will be in the line of work at the European Students’ Union (ESU) in the upcoming months. The most obvious task, will be to prepare for the ministerial conference of the European Higher Education Area in Armenia in the spring.
“In addition to representing students in the Bologna Follow-up Group, which is preparing for the ministerial conference and the policies to be adopted, ESU is working hard on preparing the next edition of its popular publication Bologna With Student Eyes. This publication has been issued before each ministerial conference, providing a critical assessment of students’ perspectives on the implementation of the Bologna Process. It is truly one of ESU’s flagship publications highlighting all major policy developments in the field,” says Elisabeth Gehrke, ESU’s Chairperson. More...

The Ministry of National Education of Romania and the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding are organising the second edition of the “Future of Higher Education – Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference” (FOHE-BPRC 2) in Bucharest.
The conference website notes it is part of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) official calendar of events and aims to provide a unique forum for dialogue between researchers, experts and policy makers in the field of higher education.
The conference organisers have published a call for papers: authors are invited to contribute to the event with academic papers of 5 000 to 6 000 words, developed under one of nine sub-themes. They note that the editorial board will select the papers to be presented at the conference and then further published in a resulting research volume, which will be part of the official documentation of the 2015 EHEA Ministerial Conference in Yerevan. The deadline for submitting abstracts is 18 July 2014.
Please see the conference website for more information. More...

The “Future of Higher Education - Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference” (FOHE-BPRC2) will be taking place on 24-26 November 2014. The Conference will be focusing on aspects connected to the status of the theoretic research activities on the Bologna Process, on providing insight regarding actual developments related to the Bologna Process and their effects “in the field”, in particular regarding the efforts made to define and refine the framework under which international norms could be operationalized at the national and institutional level.
Therefore, we invite authors to contribute to the event with academic papers of 5-6000 words, developed under one of the nine sub-themes of the FOHE-BPRC 2 event:

1. Internationalisation
2. Financing and Governance
3. Excellence and diversification of higher education institutions’ missions
4. Student Centred Learning / Teaching and Learning
5. Social dimension/ Equity
6. Education, Research and Innovation
7. Quality Assurance
8. EHEA at the crossroads: Bologna Process and the future higher education
9. Evidence-based policies in higher education: data analytics, impact assessment and reporting

The Editorial Board will select the papers that will be presented at the conference and then further published in a resulting research volume, which will be part of the official documentation of the 2015 EHEA Ministerial Conference in Yerevan. In order to be considered, potential authors have to submit an abstract of their contribution by 18 July 2014 at fohe@uefiscdi.ro. Authors of the selected papers are invited to attend the conference in order to defend their papers. No participation fees will be required from the participants to FOHE-BPRC 2.
Details related to the call for papers, a description of the conference themes and more about the conference can be found in the attached documents, as well as on the website of the event: http://fohe-bprc.forhe.ro/.  
For more information on the Conference and the agenda please follow the link: Information on the Conference.
Call for authors.