University Teachers’ Conceptions of What University Is: Implications for the Future of Higher Education

This chapter presents the perception of university teachers about the university, the most recent changes and how they have influenced their activity. The phenomenographic study was conducted with 10 university teachers, nine females and one male with more than 15 years of professional activity. The perception of the university emerges, in the teachers’ voice, focused on the description of its mission, namely as a context for the production and diffusion of knowledge to society, as a space for creative and critical thinking about the world, as an interdisciplinary space and as a system focused on teaching and research. It also includes characteristics related to its structure and functioning, such as the level of hierarchization, bureaucratization, competitiveness, dehumanization and bibliometrics overvaluation. Regarding the perceived changes, they are related to the structural reforms resulting from the Bologna Process, diverse student populations, research and internationalization, new technologies, institutional cooperation, bureaucratization and relationship with the community. Teachers also revealed some dissatisfaction in the way they are experiencing university life due to the overwork resulting from the multiple tasks required in the four activity strands (teaching, research, management and extension) with an impact on quality and innovation, but in line with what the institution demands.

Prometheus bound? European initiatives and trends on Higher Education and their association with economic competiveness, skills and employability.

Globalization and increasing internationalization of Higher Education has clearly resulted in a persistent demand for the further transformation of Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), towards competitiveness and contribution to development. What is actually in stake is the employability, while another key issue is the harmonization with the economy and the labor market. That raises, of course, a lot of issues concerning the gradual transformation of the Higher Education and the relation between Higher Education and Society at Large. Globalization has affected all the abovementioned, which is crystal clear in large scale initiatives, in Europe, such as the “Bologna Process” and the subsequent development of the European Higher Education Area, in the case of Europe. Given all the abovementioned, the present article mainly focuses on the European trends, transformations and initiatives in Higher Education, related to HEIs’ active and potential contribution to economic development and the enhancement of graduates’ employability and skills.

10th INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL CONFERENCE “EUROPEAN INTEGRATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF UKRAINE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BOLOGNA PROCESS. QUALITY ASSESSMENT: APPROACHES AND TOOLS”

10th International Scientific and Practical Conference “European Integration of Higher Education of Ukraine in the Context of the Bologna Process. Quality Assessment: Approaches and Tools” was held on November 10, 2021, organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Higher Education of NAES of Ukraine, National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine, National Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, British Council in Ukraine, Union of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Ukraine. The conference was focused on: higher education development strategy, higher education reforming, assessment of university performance, accreditation of educational programmes, surveys of students, university rankings, etc.

Harmonisation of higher education in Africa: 20 years after the Bologna Process

It has been 20 years since the Bologna Process has been realized, and the present paper examines efforts made to harmonise higher education in Africa. Similar to other continents, the higher education reform in Africa is inspired by the Bologna Process. This is clearly reflected in the African Union strategy for harmonisation of higher education and different reforms and harmonisation initiatives. The reforms in African higher education are directly and indirectly influenced by the European Union which is also the main financer and technical partner in the development and implementation of higher education harmonisation in Africa. There are different factors that affect the institutionalisation and sustainability of harmonisation initiatives in Africa. Some of the major factors include lack of strong and genuine cooperation among African HEIs, lack of nations’ political commitment to higher reforms, and lack of contextualisation in adopting reforms and strategies. Although the effort to harmonise African higher education is commendable, it is important to look for innovative strategies and reforms which are mainly based on the actual challenges that Africa is facing and the ultimate goal it envisions to achieve. Africa also needs to earnestly ‘conainise’ (continentalise, nationalise and institutionalise) reforms and harmonisation strategies adopted from elsewhere. Received: 18 October 2020Accepted: 9 September 2021

The recognition of a period of studies abroad as a determinant for learning mobility of female students of pedagogy

The implementation of the Bologna Process has contributed to the rising level of recognition of qualifications and study periods in higher education. Consequently, the level of student mobility increased (e.g. Erasmus+). Current research shows, that the recognition of courses completed abroad is important, yet not crucial factor that impacts mobility.

Developing Student Work Experience Programmes Within the European Higher Education Area Framework: The Role of Social Partners

The aim of establishing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) marked the development of the Bologna process since its beginning, while it exercised a decisive influence on the content of the higher education policy initiatives undertaken over the years. One of the most important goals of the relevant policy making was to bridge the university-to-labour market gap and to improve the employability of graduates. Such aims require a consistent and multidimensional cooperation between higher education institutions and the social partners, mainly employers, from which significant benefits may derive for all parties involved. As a result, many types of work based learning have been promoted in higher education with the most prominent of them being the student work experience programmes organised by universities in collaboration with enterprises. The paper analyses the guidelines provided by the EHEA framework with regard to the cooperation between universities and the social partners. Also, it discusses the role that has been attributed to (or claimed by) the social partners regarding work experience programmes. The EHEA institutional framework includes provisions for the participation of social partners in the organisation of work placements, which contribute to students’ skills development and easier transition to employment.

Bologna process as a factor of integration of educational systems of Russia and the west

The purpose of the research is to identify the patterns of development of educational systems of Russia and the West with emphasis on the features of the introduction of the Bologna process into the Russian higher education system. In the process of research, methods of comparative analysis, cyclicity, intersectoral synthesis, theoretical and legal modeling, historical and legal reconstruction, as well as other methods of scientific knowledge were used. The concept of the cycle of social history in relation to the genesis of the State and law in general and in relation to the concept of educational law in particular is justified. The conceptual difference between the educational systems of Russia and the West in terms of the mechanism of their formation and the goals of functioning is shown. The intra-systemic conflict of the system of modern Russian education is proved, combining Soviet (specialty, graduate school) and Bologna (undergraduate, master's degree) components.

From profiling to pioneering

The first decade-and-a-half of the new millennium was a time of dramatic change for European universities. In response to the high level of competition on the international higher education market following the introduction of the Bologna process and the surging popularity of international rankings, universities are now looking for ways to differentiate themselves and their programmes. New English-taught programmes are increasingly seen as an opportunity to launch innovative curricula. This paper presents the results of a two-stage analysis of policy documents and expert interviews, revealing the drivers behind the decision to introduce English-medium education in the context of the ongoing internationalisation of higher education. The present study identified a shift in internationalisation efforts at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, one of Europe’s largest business universities. While in the past decade the drivers behind the implementation of English-medium programmes were primarily connected to the university’s profile and reputation, the latest data show they are now characterised by the university’s aim to be perceived as an innovator and a pioneer.

Aspects of Teaching the Georgian Language to Non-Georgian Speakers

Socialization of students, their proper preparation for professional activities exactly corresponds to the spirit of the Bologna Process. That is why it became the basis for our learning process. Besides, our frenetic aspiration to integrate into the Euro-Atlantic space obliges us to follow the mentioned activity. Therefore, it is absolutely clear that we have already established a new scientific field – communicology. The eminent scholars, such as professors of Georgian Technical University Temur Jagodnishvili and Ivane Jagodnishvili laid the firm foundation for the development of the mentioned field. The books published by them: "Oral Communication," "Written and Oral Communication," "Academic Writing" or other textbooks are of the same level as the works of European and Russian textual critics, where the authors' concepts, findings, and methods establish the requirements of the modernity at a high scientific level. In the process of teaching the Georgian language, we pay special attention to the use of specific elements of non-Georgian speakers; for instance, determining the ways of language development and its management, clarifying the issue of language prestige, specifying its role in determining nationality, finding and establishing valid language policy models.