Stručni rad
Creation of a Common Higher Education Policy at the EU Level
Ninoslav Šćukanec
; Institut za razvoj obrazovanja, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Even back in 1955, the European Community was already aware that a common higher education policy was needed in order to make a better use of the European intellectual and scientific potential, especially to connect this potential with economic needs. The first
stage of the development of a common higher education policy in the 1960s was marked by the search for an adequate institutional framework. In the 1970s, during the second stage, cooperation in higher education was recognized as a common policy. The EC institutions could take action on the basis of this policy. The basic administrative framework in the European Commission was defined. At that time, different models of cooperation were established, which allowed decision making at the level of member states as well as at the EC level. The EC activities improved the quality of higher education policies and effectively supplemented national education policies. Higher education cooperation received major support in the third and last stage from 1985 to 1993, which enabled the European Commission to make decisions concerning higher education at the EC level. The European Council approved the ERASMUS programme in 1987, which concluded the creation of a common EC higher education policy. The creation of this policy shows that it is possible to create
a common policy that respects both university autonomy and national sovereignty. The cooperation at the EC level proved to be more dynamic and more efficient than cooperation among governments. This insight opened the door to the Bologna process in the late 20th century. The European Union has obtained a complementary role in higher education, while the main decision making competencies remain within the member states.
Ključne riječi
common higher education policy; higher education cooperation; harmonization; university autonomy; national sovereignty; European Community; Bologna process; ERASMUS programme
Hrčak ID:
55446
URI
Datum izdavanja:
7.7.2010.
Posjeta: 2.564 *