Network for integrating Virtual Mobility and European Qualification Framework in HE and CE Institutions
The project of this network proposes to help educational and training institutions to achieve Virtual Mobility and to guarantee EQF implementation through e-learning, aiming at finding specific obstacles in institutions and proposing concrete and innovative solutions. It will promote cooperation and joint work among partner organizations and will link with related initiatives. It will address other educational networks to help the dissemination of the results.
The project is organized in twelve workpackages that cover all activities of the project. The core group is composed by four subject interest groups (SIG) that address the main objectives of the network. Each SIG will research the selected themes, looking for what has been done and proposing answers for the research questions. Each SIG will also look for potential collaboration with other projects and initiatives that are working in similar areas.
Reference: 143748-PT-KA3NW, Duration: 3 years, Key Activity 3: ICT / network, Financed by: European Commission - Lifelong Learning Programme.
The January 2011 newsletter of the project VIRQUAL is out now. The newsletter includes information about Task force 2 and Task force 3.
Task force 2 - A comprehensive analysis of the EQF implementation in Europe compiling 32 country reports on EQF/NQF implementation, at levels 5 to 8.  Additionally, the situation of e‐learning in what concerns legislation and practice in each of the 32 countries was also reported. This task force is also organising a series of Webinars on the general theme of e-learning and EQF but each focusing in different topics, such as Virtual Mobility, Learning Outcomes and e-Assessment and EQF and recognition of competences.
Task force 3 - How can we support teachers and curriculum developers defining, writing, or choosing high quality learning outcomes? How can we contribute to a global architecture of learning outcomes / competences? What is a useful classification system for learning outcomes / competences? Task 3 is answering these questions by creating a web.bsed database: the ILO repository. One of the fundaments of its data structure is the classification of learning outcomes according to EQF which distinguishes knowledge, skills and competences. Direct link to the newsletter - http://virqual.up.pt/. We hope you enjoy it and decide to join the network via the project website!

In this position paper, suggestions are proposed to improve the European subsidy systems and make suggestions for the simplification of administrative rules. Download the position paper.
The Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) wishes to contribute to the discussion on the reduction of administrative burdens of European funding schemes. The remarks in this position paper can be deducted from our more detailed paper Reduction of Administrative Burdens and Consequences for Simplification which has been sent to Ms Da Graça Carvalho, reporter of the European Parliament on Reduction of Administrative Burdens, in June 2010.
In that paper we acknowledge the achievements of the European Commission and the European Parliament so far. We believe that the current subsidy system created in the European Union has a variety of success factors. We comment on these successes and put forward our ideas on how things could be further improved. Implementing these ideas would substantially reduce administrative cost without allowing misuse of regulation or public means.
The ideas to reduce administrative burdens and thereby improve the European subsidy system are summarized in the following statements:
1. The VSNU favours subsidy systems based upon high trust. Trust should be translated into regulations, including an ex ante proof of the institutions accounting methodology and processes, low ex ante cost for institutions that use a certified methodology, low ex post controlling cost for institutes that have proven to be trustworthy and intensive ex post control for those that have not.
2. In order to obtain fully financial responsible and sustainable universities, a full costing based subsidy system is needed. Universities have to bear both direct and indirect costs. For both internal and external awareness of costs, full cost based accounting is preferred over direct cost based accounting systems.
3. We promote a uniform framework of administration rules for all different subsidy programmes in Europe. This set can include various ways of subsidizing, but all individual programmes should be based upon those few different possibilities. Such a framework increases the knowledge, employability and productivity of our financial experts and reduces the possibility of mistakes caused by misunderstanding regulation.
4. Allow national accounting practices into the EU subsidy framework as a proper way to give account to expenditures in subsidized programmes. This avoids institutions from having two accounting systems for the same project.
5. Allow for a single information, single audit accounting system. In the Netherlands it is common practice to allow applicants to include subsidies in their annual accounts. Submitting the annual accounts would then be sufficient for intermediate accounting.
6. VSNU favours the use of lump sums, both for elements in a subsidy programme as well as for complete subsidies, as long as those lump sum subsidies are based on full cost calculations. We welcome experiments on result based programmes, as long as result in result based is explained as a scientific report on a certain topic. The report could conclude that the answer to a question cannot be found.
7. The timeline of subsidy schemes from application to final award should be reduced to raise certainty for scientists and the productiveness of employees.
8. Regulation should be clear and stable during the timeframe of a subsidy programme and singularly interpretable only. One of the current problems of universities in the Netherlands is uncertainty on the explanation of financial regulations by different stakeholders.
9. VSNU pleads for the acceptance of smaller consortia. Large consortia often increase the complexity and therefore the organizational costs.
10. Use sophisticated ICT-tools where possible to reduce administrative burdens, including systems that use previously provided information as a basis.
11. The introduction of a European community patent would significantly reduce the administrative burdens on and consequently the costs for businesses and universities. For further information you may contact Mr. Jeroen van Oort: vanoort@vsnu.nl / +31 (0)70 3021430.

University of Granada, Spain, 25-27 May 2011. It's time to sharpen your pencils and prepare your proposals because the EUCEN 41st conference Call for Contributions is OPEN!
You have four different topics to choose from as the theme for your contribution, namely:
1- European targets for widening participation for minorities.
2- The role of European Universities in the developing World.
3- Supporting university staff in conflict zones.
4- Volunteering as a path to education.
All the details and instructions, as well as the submission form and deadlines, are in our Call for Contributions section. If you want to submit a contribution and have a chance to present your work/research, please, download the full Call and fill in the form within.
1- European targets for widening participation for minorities, Eric Agbessi Chair, Director UFR LACC - University Blaise Pascal, FR, Charo Romano Rapporteur, RUEPEP Steering comittee member, University Rovira i Virgilli, ES.
In the workshops of Topic 1, we will tackle a certain number of issues dealing with the following areas:
1. The meaning of supporting and promoting positive intercultural relations between minority and majority communities.
2. The limits of a European intercultural project based upon the contribution and participation of all communities.
3. The promotion of tangible projects on community development.
4. The motivations of European corporations to support a new diversity management: are companies prepared to take the necessary steps that would lead to a genuine overhaul of their corporate culture and improve race and gender relations at work?
While answering the questions listed above we will try to analyze the role of European universities in the promotion, development and implementation of policies on diversity.

2- The role of European Universities in the developing World, Soledad Vieitez Chair, University of Granada, ES, Oliver Janoschka Rapporteur, EUCEN's Projects Director.
European Universities and those in developing countries have established academic partnerships for decades now. However, we need to address more carefully the role of European Universities to improve higher education and University lifelong learning (ULLL) in the developing world in order to understand the advancement of human rights, such as the right to education and its role in the strengthening fundamental freedoms. In doing so we must also document and explain the context in which European University cooperation with developing countries has been built. Europe has established relationships with the developing world mainly through development and international cooperation with a minimum impact on higher education so far. Thus colonial ties between some European countries and the developing World have been notorious, being European languages (French, English, Portuguese; even, Spanish) official in most developing countries of Africa, Latin America or Asia.
The current context of higher education in Europe allows for renewed and improved partnerships between universities to work towards education and, generally, human rights by European Universities in the developing world. In this session we shall address this current situation on both sides by offering global perspectives, providing specific and detailed cases, sharing best practices, reflecting upon distinctive institutional experiences, or making recommendations on policy for organizations at the national and/or the international level. Contributions to Workshop or Poster sessions may offer the following (or combinations of them): case studies, research results (whether final or work-in-progress), surveys or comparative analyses, and/or critical reviews reflecting upon the already mentioned issues.
Suggested focuses of abstracts and/or paper are the following:
* What has characterised the partnerships between European Universities and developing higher education institutions historically? Discussion of specific cases is encouraged.
* How have European Universities contributed to improve higher education and University lifelong learning (ULLL) in different settings of the developing world? Discussion of distinct experiences and/or regional comparison is most desirable.
* Which obstacles, barriers and/or challenges are to be considered regarding the advancement of human rights and the right to education in particular countries, and the specific role of European Universities in those?
* Which good practices, lessons to learn and/or success stories are we to find in this regard? What models, if so, are to rescue behind those experiences?
* Who are the beneficiaries of these programs and how can cooperation be extended further? Are University curricula, as well as skills and knowledge provided, sufficiently adapted to developing countries realities and to the demands of their specific labour markets?
* To what extent can we think of renewed and improved partnerships between universities on both sides? In which terms? Again, discussion of particular cases is encouraged.
3- Supporting university staff in conflict zones, Erwin Wagner Chair, Director of the Centre for Learning Enhancement, Hildesheim University, DE, Javier Villoria Rapporteur, International Relationships vice-dean, Educational Sciences Faculty, University of Granada, ES.
There can be found a lot of mutual relationships, forms of collaboration and joint efforts between university staff from European Universities and those in developing countries or otherwise outside Europe. Sometimes these may be established academic partnerships some may just be temporary links in projects or other programs. As in many regions universities, academic work and university staff are suffering from crises and conflicts, however, we need to address more carefully specific needs, conditions, sources, patterns and frameworks to support colleagues, consortia and networks under such circumstances. This is not only meant to help colleagues and partners; it is about caring for basic conditions of international collaboration and networking in ULLL throughout the world we are living and working.
Still the issue may not be sufficiently or well treated through declarations or additional money (if feasible at the end). Very often mere communication has to be kept alive, meeting should be possible over time or access to necessary information and technology may be in danger. The agenda thus may not only include scientific or research topics but also moving targets, infrastructure, adjustments, reorientation, breaking links, safety and diplomacy. How to survive and how to be successful in times of crisis and conflict may become a core topic of University lifelong learning.
Suggested focus of abstracts and/or papers in slots 1 and 2 may address the following issues:
Slot C in this strand will be used for a workshop to reflect the previous presentations and discussions and aiming at the conceptualisation of strategic and practical proposals to improve and to increase supporting university staff in conflict zones and times – going beyond Europe in different approaches.
* Which kind of experience do we have in supporting university staff in conflict zones/times?
* Which frameworks and relationships can support/sustain collaboration?
* What does university staff/what do colleagues in ULLL really need in conflict zones/times?
* To what extent can what kind of policy and diplomacy, which kind of networking and collaboration links offer support needed in conflict and/or crisis?
* Which professional, social and /or cultural approaches seem to be appropriate in supporting university staff in ULLL in conflict zones?
* Do we find good practice and success stories in this area?
* Are there interesting new approaches or projects to be presented and learnt from?
* Are there any certain lessons to learn?
4- Volunteering as a path to education, Alison Hughes, Chair, Continuing Education and Professional Development Officer, University of Liverpool, UK, Inmaculada Sanz Sainz Rapporteur, Modern Language Centre Director, University of Granada, ES.
Universities can often be perceived as exclusive institutions that do not always fully engage their communities. Some people may find that they do not suit academic learning, can feel that universities are inaccessible or may have been socially excluded from formal education in the past. ULLL, however, can provide opportunities for such people and can appeal to a more diverse group of people. It can provide a ‘second chance’ education and can help make education more socially inclusive. Universities in Europe are actively pursuing this agenda - as demonstrated in the Universities’ Charter on Lifelong Learning. Universities are aware that they need to embrace a wider and more diversified student base.
Volunteering has a central part to play in this. ULLL is increasingly linking with volunteers and organisations that involve volunteers. This can be through teaching partnerships, lectures, accreditation and training for volunteers. In turn, the volunteers gain new skills and qualifications, increase their confidence and self-esteem, and make new contacts.
Further benefits of linking ULLL and volunteering include: helping people learn about citizenship; improving someone’s employability in the job market; developing intercultural dialogue and fostering links between different communities; and providing opportunities for older people to be actively involved in education rather than risk being excluded from society.
Suggested focus of abstracts and/or papers in slots 1 and 2 may address the following issues:
Slot C in this strand will be a focused discussion/workshop reflecting on the themes brought out in the earlier 2 slots and also referencing the work of the VALUE project.
* To what extent can linking University Lifelong Learning and volunteering help counter the idea that universities are exclusive institutions?
* Who benefits and how from linking University Lifelong Learning and volunteering?
* What barriers to greater cooperation between University Lifelong Learning and volunteering need to be addressed?
* How can universities best respond to the rich learning that arises from the volunteering experience?
* Is there a sufficient match between skills and knowledge being developed by volunteers and University curricula?
* What type of awards or courses are most appropriate for volunteers?
* What sort of models might be appropriate for University-Volunteering interaction - centralised/devolved?

4 February 2011, University Foundation, Belgium. To become financially sustainable, universities need to be able to identify the full costs of all their activities. EUA’s continuing work on full costing is now taken up by the EUIMA – Full Costing project (“European Universities Implementing the Modernisation Agenda”), which will organise a series of events around Europe, one of which is the country workshop in Belgium.
The workshop will bring together international experts to work with the leadership and management of Belgian universities, as well as with responsible federal and regional government bodies and funding agencies. The aim of the workshop is to contribute to the development of a coordinated approach to the implementation of full costing among Belgian universities in both communities, and to discuss strategic issues such as how to ensure external support to the project. The workshop will also strive to define a roadmap for the implementation of full costing in Belgium, inviting interested institutions to join the follow-up activities.
The format of the workshop will be very practical and will draw on examples of best practice in the implementation of full costing in Europe which will be carefully selected to suit the specific needs and conditions in Belgium. It will provide a forum for debate, giving participants the opportunity to discuss the framework conditions needed to implement full costing in Belgian universities and to establish a network for cooperation between institutions.
Audience
This country workshop is aimed exclusively at the national audience in the host country. The event should be of interest to institutional leaders and managers such as rectors, vice rectors, heads of administration and heads of finance departments as well as other interested members of the university community.
See also: CPU, AMUE, EUA: Universities Implementing Full Costing, Universities Implementing Full Costing.

Target groups
All citizens and organisations are welcome to contribute to this consultation. Contributions are particularly sought from stakeholders at European, national and regional level involved in the delivery of non-formal and informal learning and in validation (e.g. education, training and labour market authorities and organisations, qualifications authorities, Trade Unions and chambers of labour, employer representatives and chambers of commerce, third sector bodies, guidance bodies, organisations of youth workers, youth NGOs, adult learning organisations, etc). Period of consultation: From 1.12.2010 to 9.02.2011.
Objective of the consultation
We are all constantly learning in our daily lives at work and through our leisure, cultural and social activities. But, all too often, the knowledge, skills and competences we acquire through our work and life experiences remain hidden representing a waste of the talents of EU citizens. Making this learning visible and giving it value is important not only for improved employability and social inclusion of individuals but also for better targeted and more efficient formal education and training provision, increased competiveness of enterprises and stronger economic growth. The validation of learning gained through work and life experiences has been a cornerstone of EU lifelong learning policy since 1995. Common European principles and guidelines have been established, peer learning and exchange of practice have been promoted and support for projects given from EU lifelong learning and youth programmes. Increasing numbers of Member States are introducing validation into their legal and institutional frameworks but across the EU as a whole much more needs to be done to make validation a practical every day reality for all interested citizens. The Commission considers it is very timely to address these issues now as a series of EU initiatives covering qualification and credit systems in general, vocational and higher education and training have been introduced which support a learning outcomes approach. In particular the ongoing development of national frameworks (which describe qualifications in terms of what people know, understand and can do regardless of where or how the learning was acquired) provide the scope to develop an integrated approach to the promotion and validation of non-formal and informal learning. The purpose of this consultation is to collect views on whether further action is needed to make the learning acquired through work and life experience visible and give it value and, if so, what type of action is required and which policy priorities should be focused on to ensure future measures are well-targeted, relevant and respond to real needs on the ground.
How to submit your contribution
Contributions may be submitted by using the online questionnaire. We welcome contributions from citizens, organisations and public authorities.
    * If you are answering this consultation as a citizen, please click here to submit your contribution.
    * If you are answering this consultation on behalf of an organisation, please click here to submit your contribution.
    * If you are answering this consultation on behalf of a public authority, please click here to submit your contribution.
Before completing the questionnaire, we invite you to read the background note which explains what is meant by validation, non-formal and informal learning and gives an overview of relevant EU actions, the state of play of developments in Member States and key challenges and outlines the scope and objectives of possible future action. Received contributions will be published on the Internet. It is important to read the specific privacy statement attached to this consultation for information on how your personal data and contribution will be dealt with Additional contributions/comments, addressing relevant issues in the context of developing future action to promote and validate non-formal and informal learning may be sent by e-mail to the following address: EAC-Validation-consultation@ec.europa.eu. Please specify your name, nationality and, if applicable, the name of your organisation and your function in the organisation. If your organisation is part of the Interest Representative Register, please also indicate your Register ID number.
View the consultation document: Background note.
Reference documents
    * Road-map on possible future Council Recommendation on the promotion and validation of non-formal and informal learning
    * Common European principles on the validation of non-formal and informal learning European Council Conclusions (2004)
    * European guidelines on the validation of non-formal and informal learning European Commission and Cedefop (2009)
    * European inventory of validation policy and practice European Commission and Cedefop (2008 N.B an updated version will be available in Spring 2011)
Results of consultation and next steps
The results of this online consultation will be analysed and summarised in a report that will be published on this website in the first semester of 2011. Received contributions, together with the identity of the contributor will be published on the Internet, unless the contributor objects to publication of personal data on the grounds that such publication would harm his or her legitimate interests. In this case the contribution may be published in anonymous form. In addition to the online consultation, discussions with key stakeholder groups will take place between September 2010 and March 2011. The Commission will take the results of these consultations into account when drafting its proposal for future work on the promotion and validation of non-formal and informal learning, following an assessment of possible social, economic and environmental impacts.

L'Eclairage # 22 porte sur la circulation des compétences en Europe. Auteurs: Dominique Rousselin-Legrand. Edition: Jeudi, 16 Décembre, 2010.
Dans un contexte d'éducation et de formation tout au long de la vie, étudier, travailler à l'étranger mais aussi établir des partenariats entre école, universités sont des facteurs déterminants pour contribuer à "l'économie de la connaissance" et aussi permettre une "sécurisation de l'emploi et des parcours professionnels".
Ce dossier expose la vision européenne de la circulation des compétences, présente la politique européenne de mobilité dans le domaine de la formation et de l'emploi, le concept de libre circulation des travailleurs et fait un zoom sur la promotion de la mobilité.
Ce nouvel Eclairage porte sur la « circulation des compétences en Europe ». Dans un contexte d’éducation et de formation tout au long de la vie, étudier, travailler à l’étranger mais aussi établir des partenariats entre école, universités… sont des facteurs déterminants pour contribuer à « l’économie de la connaissance » et aussi permettre une « sécurisation de l’emploi et des parcours professionnels ».
Ce dossier abordera donc la problématique de la mobilité choisie, mobilité promue par des campagnes, bourses, programmes, fonds spécifiques. Faciliter, encourager la mobilité nécessite parallèlement une définition « commune » des compétences.
Au travers de ce dossier, nous avons voulu :
- exposer la vision européenne de la circulation des compétences
- présenter la politique européenne de mobilité dans le domaine de la formation et de l’emploi
- clarifier le concept de « libre circulation des travailleurs »
- faire un zoom sur la promotion de la mobilité.
Nous ne reviendrons pas sur les éléments présentés dans l’Eclairage # 19 de mai 2010 qui illustrait la notion de « reconnaissance »; nous aborderons les points qui permettent de voir comment s’effectue la circulation des compétences : les contextes politiques, les différents programmes, la protection sociale, le droit du travail…
Nous précisons que notre collecte d’informations s’est arrêtée au 30/11/2010. Nous ne prétendons pas à l’exhaustivité, ce dossier rend compte des principales informations sur le sujet. Nous mettons à votre disposition une adresse mel pour vos remarques et suggestions: pole.info@crefor-hn.fr. Nous remercions Chantal Crégut de Pôle Emploi international, Sylvie Prieur du CRIJ Haute-Normandie, Sandrine Thouin du Centre d’Information Europe Direct, pour leurs contributions qui apportent des illustrations concrètes à ce dossier ainsi qu’à Anne-Marie Allard du Crefor pour les précisions apportées sur le dispositif Europass.

L’APCM (assemblée permanente de la chambre des métiers et de l’artisanat) et son homologue allemand la DHKT, ont signé une convention de partenariat afin de renforcer la mobilité européenne des apprentis.
Dans quel contexte et perspective s’inscrit ce partenariat ?
Le contexte politique est très favorable. Lors de la Présidence française européenne, le président Sarkozy avait exprimé sa volonté de créer un "Erasmus" des apprentis. Message particulièrement bien reçu par l’Allemagne et la France qui ont une véritable avance puisque les chambres de métiers et de l’artisanat des deux pays travaillent ensemble à ces échanges depuis cinquante ans. Ces initiatives sont pilotées et financées par l’office franco-allemand pour la jeunesse (OFAJ) dans le cadre de ses programmes de développement. Pour sa part, l’APCM, très impliquée dans la mobilité des apprentis, propose depuis 2003 un dispositif d’appui aux chambres de métiers et de l’artisanat, coordonné au niveau national et relayé par une cinquantaine de correspondants Europe en France. La DHKT, quant à elle, vient de créer en 2009 le projet "Berufsbildung ohne Grenzen" qui mobilise un réseau de vingt quatre conseillers dédiés au développement de la mobilité des apprentis. Il ne restait plus aux trois organismes qu’à passer à la vitesse supérieure en renforçant leur coopération dans ce domaine. C’est l’objectif du protocole d’accord qui vient d’être signé pour rapprocher les expériences et les programmes respectifs de la DHKT, de l’OFAJ et de l’APCM.
Comment seront financées ces actions de coopération entre les deux acteurs signataires ?
Les actions de coopération seront financées chaque année par l’OFAJ en fonction des axes de travail définis par la convention, l’APCM et la DHKT y contribuant en mobilisant leurs correspondants Europe et conseillers en mobilité pour mettre en œuvre ces actions.
Quels en sont les objectifs ?
Les objectifs portent à la fois sur l’organisation d’un nombre plus important d’échanges et sur leur déroulement dans des conditions optimales. Bien que la mobilité France/Allemagne tienne le haut du pavé avec 30% d’apprentis qui « s’échangent » chaque année, 400 apprentis sont envoyés en Allemagne par an. Sur un total de 180000, c’est très faible. Pour y remédier, nous avons travaillé activement sur les causes, et en priorité sur le rapprochement des réglementations française et allemande en terme d’apprentissage. Nous avons également avancé dans l’harmonisation des systèmes de formation et des diplômes. Grâce à ces évolutions, il est désormais plus facile de valoriser les échanges auprès des jeunes et des chefs d’entreprise qui sont leurs maîtres d’apprentissage. N’oublions pas que l’entreprise continue à rémunérer le jeune pendant son absence ! Notre responsabilité est de les convaincre que la dimension européenne du monde du travail fait partie intégrante de l’ouverture et de la formation du jeune. Les artisans qui ont fait l’expérience d’envoyer un jeune en Allemagne le savent bien, car ils retrouvent un apprenti plus autonome et ayant acquis d’autres compétences, avec une approche nouvelle du métier. Nous avons une obligation de professionnalisation de ces échanges, avec notamment la reconnaissance de l’échange européen dans le cursus de formation.
Qu’en est-il des synergies avec les organismes publics de la formation ?
Pour l’instant, ces synergies n’existent pas car les OPCA interviennent en priorité sur la formation continue. Pour autant, c’est une piste qui a déjà été explorée avec succès par certaines branches professionnelles qui ont contribué à l’envoi de jeunes à l’étranger. Le développement et la valorisation de la mobilité européenne vont certainement provoquer des changements et créer les synergies dont vous parlez.

La mobilité est l'une des clés de la construction européenne. Voyager, s'installer, mais aussi étudier ou travailler dans un autre Etat membre, toutes ces possibilités désormais ouvertes répondent à l'un des principes fondamentaux de l'Union européenne: la libre-circulation des personnes.
Pourtant, si le programme Erasmus a favorisé la mobilité des étudiants, force est de constater que ce phénomène reste marginal (environ 4% des étudiants européens). La part des travailleurs qui trouvent un emploi dans un autre Etat membre est encore plus faible.
Comment expliquer la faible mobilité des ressortissants de l'Union européenne, alors même que les frontières ont été abolies entre les 27 Etats membres? Barrière de la langue, de la culture ? Oui, certainement. Mais pas seulement.
Si l'Union européenne a créé de nombreux programmes en faveur de la mobilité étudiante, les systèmes d'enseignement supérieur restent disparates dans l'Union européenne. De même, bien que la majorité des Etats membres se soient engagés à appliquer les accords de reconnaissance mutuelle des diplômes, celle-ci est rarement effective. Son absence est un frein à la mobilité des travailleurs.
Alors, dans une Union européenne qui compte désormais vingt-sept membres, peut-on imaginer qu'un jour les études supérieurs soient les mêmes partout? Peut-on envisager un marché du travail européen où chaque diplôme aurait la même valeur? En signant la Déclaration de Bologne en 1998, c'est ce que se sont engagés à faire 47 pays membres du Conseil de l'Europe. Le but: construire un Espace européen de l'enseignement supérieur.
Le Processus de Bologne dépasse l'Union européenne, mais celle-ci en est le moteur : grâce au système LMD (Licence/Master/Doctorat), mais aussi au crédits ECTS mis en place dans le cadre d'Erasmus (système de crédits qui permet aux différentes formations d'être sanctionnées par un diplôme de valeur équivalente), l'UE tente aujourd'hui d'harmoniser son système universitaire.
Découvrez à travers ce dossier les origines du Processus de Bologne et les grandes étapes d'un Espace européen de l'enseignement supérieur encore en construction. Harmonisation des systèmes universitaires, gouvernance des universités, reconnaissance des diplômes, trouvez dans ces pages les clés indispensables pour se repérer dans ce vaste espace de l'enseignement supérieur en Europe.

14 January 2011, University of Pierre and Marie Curie, France.
To become financially sustainable, universities need to be able to identify the full costs of all their activities. EUA’s continuing work on full costing is now taken up by the EUIMA – Full Costing project (“European Universities Implementing the Modernisation Agenda”), which will organise a series of events around Europe, one of which is the country workshop in France.
The workshop will bring together international experts to work with the leadership and management of French universities as well as relevant government ministries and funding bodies.
The aim of the workshop is to contribute to the development of a coordinated approach to the implementation of full costing among French universities, and to discuss strategic issues such as how to ensure external support to the project. The workshop will also strive to identify possible actions to undertake in the future, with a view to supporting the implementation of full costing in France. Interested institutions will be invited to join the follow-up activities.
The format of the workshop will be very practical and will draw on examples of best practice in the implementation of full costing in Europe which will be carefully selected to suit the specific needs and conditions in France. It will provide a forum for debate, giving participants the opportunity to discuss the framework conditions needed to implement full costing in French universities and to establish a network for cooperation between institutions.
AUDIENCE
This country workshop is aimed exclusively at the national audience in the host country. The event should be of interest to institutional leaders and managers such as rectors, vice rectors, heads of administration and heads of finance departments as well as other interested members of the university community.
ORGANISED BY
EUA will organise the country workshop in cooperation with AMUE (Agency for Mutualisation) and CPU (Conference of University Presidents) which have been selected through the EUIMA – Full Costing project to take on the role of national convenors in furthering the implementation of full costing in France.
VENUE
The country workshop will take place at the University of Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris.
SUPPORTED BY
The country workshop is part of the EUIMA – Full Costing Project, which is supported by the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission. This website reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
EUIMA - The sustainability of university funding, financial management and full costing
What is EUIMA – Full Costing. The EUIMA - Full Costing project endeavours to contribute to the development of full costing in European universities by helping them to better identify the costs of all their activities and projects. The project builds on experience from EUA’s work which looks into the financial sustainability of universities (see report “Towards full costing in European Universities”) as well as an ongoing study on the diversification of income streams in universities around Europe through the EUDIS project. It will also address cross cutting issues identified in the report prepared by the European Commission Expert Group on the “Impact of external project-based funding on the financial management of universities”.
The EUIMA - Full Costing aims at implementing this expertise in practice byorganising 7 country workshops and 4 study visit programmes across different universities in Europe the project offers participants the opportunity to learn from best practice in implementing full costing from the most experienced universities in Europe.

Die Jahrestagung der BAG WiWA zum Thema: "Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung Älterer im Kontext von Zielvereinbarungen an Hochschulen" findet am 2. und 3. März 2011 an der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz statt. Das Thema ist eine Weiterführung der auf der letzten Jahrestagung begonnen Diskussion zur Zukunft des Seniorenstudiums an deutschen Hochschulen.
Den Call for Papers sowie den ersten vorläufigen Programmentwurf finden Sie hier.
Die Jahrestagung der Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung Älterer behandelt die Frage, welchen Einfluss die stärkere Öffnung der Hochschulen im Rahmen öffentlichkeitswirksamer Aktivitäten hat. Gab es früher an zahlreichen Hochschulen einen zentralen Bereich, der Aktivitäten dieser Art bündelte, etwa das Studium generale, so wird die Angebotspalette der Hochschulen in den letzten Jahren immer vielfältiger und hinsichtlich der Zielgruppen immer weiter (von der Kinderuni über das Schülerlabor hin zum berufsbegleitenden Studium, dem Seniorenstudium und dem Gasthörerstudium). Immer wieder bemühte Schlagwörter im Zusammenhang dieser Öffnung sind PUSH (Public Understanding of Sciene and Humanities) und PURE (Public Understanding of Research)sowie Service Learning (bürgerschaftliches Engagement der Hochschulangehörigen und Studierenden). Ein wesentlicher Grund für die Aktivitäten der Hochschulen ist die hohe PR-Wirksamkeit, die diesen Aktivitäten zugeschrieben wird.
Dabei ist die Öffnung der Hochschulen längst Realität und eine professionelle Ausrichtung und bewusste Akzeptanz dieser Zielgruppenerweiterung steht an. Die Einrichtungen, die sich um das Seniorenstudium an Hochschulen kümmern, sind bestens vertraut mit nicht-traditionellen Zielgruppen, nämlich den Älteren, und könn(t)en wertvolle Beiträge zu den aktuell anstehenden Herausforderungen liefern: Sie arbeiten professionell Zielgruppenanalysen aus, befassen sich tagtäglich mit Fragen der zielgruppengerechten Didaktik und Methodik sowie mit neuen Lernformen und –formaten. Der europaweit fest etablierte Begriff des Lifelong Learning sowie die zu diesem Thema aufgelegten EU-Forschungs- und Studienprogramme tragen eben dieser Tatsache Rechnung: dass eine Erweiterung der Zielgruppen an den Hochschulen längst stattgefunden hat und dass sie gesellschaftlich notwendig und begrüßenswert ist. Dieser Prozess der Neuorientierung der Hochschulen, der auch unter dem Konkurrenzdruck der Exzellenzinitiative angestoßen wurde, ist in vollem Gange. Das Seniorenstudium als Teil der Hochschule ist auch Teil dieses Reformprozesses.