Proceeding globalization tendencies and increasing competition on the world markets oblige governments to adapt their educational system permanently to the new global challenges. They have to guarantee that their citizens gain all qualifications that are necessary to cope with recent problems in order to meet the increasing demands of economy. Prospective decision-makers are expected to be highly productive, enormously flexible and very sophisticated in terms of linguistic skills and cultural experiences.
Due to the fact, that hardly any education system has ever been completely shut off from outside influences, the European countries decided to meet their educational mandate jointly. So they intensified collaboration and put it on an institutional level. Soon, this new dimension of cooperation resulted in the creation of a European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Apart from the general intention to push ahead with the integration process, European Education Policy aims at strengthening European economy by promoting employability and mobility of human capital. The European education system and its students are expected to be competitive regarding other education systems in the world as well as regarding common markets.
This paper intends to illuminate some aspects of the European education system. The emphasis is especially put on educational migration within Europe expressed by the SOCRATES respectively ERASMUS program and on the Bologna Declaration as the basis of educational collaboration on an institutional level: At the beginning of chapter two, that deals with educational migration in Europe, the development of the European Education Policy is described in brief. Afterwards the development and the main characteristics and objectives of the SOCRATES / ERASMUS program are presented. The last part focuses on the most important aspects of mobility in general and of the SOCRATES / ERASMUS in particular. Here, the critical analysis is mainly limited to concise economic aspect due to the fact, that a total analysis would go beyond the scope of this paper.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Educational Migration in Europe
2.1. Development of the European Education Policy
2.2. SOCRATES / ERASMUS
2.2.1. Development
2.2.2. Characteristics of ERASMUS
2.2.3. Objectives of ERASMUS
2.3. Critical Appreciation
3. Bologna Declaration
3.1. Objectives
3.2. Instruments
3.3. Acknowledgement of the Bologna Declaration
3.3.1. Function of Employability
3.3.2. Function of Mobility
3.3.3. Labor Market Relevance
3.4. Neglected Aspects
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This research paper examines the development and integration of higher education systems within the European Union, specifically focusing on the mechanisms of educational migration and institutional collaboration. The author investigates how programs like SOCRATES/ERASMUS and the Bologna Declaration aim to enhance the competitiveness and mobility of the European labor force while addressing challenges such as brain drain and systemic differences in degree structures.
- Evolution of European Education Policy
- Impact and objectives of the SOCRATES/ERASMUS program
- Implementation and structural influence of the Bologna Declaration
- Economic implications of educational mobility and labor market relevance
- Assessment of current challenges and future perspectives for the European Higher Education Area
Excerpt from the Book
2.2.2. Characteristics of ERASMUS
ERASMUS encourages regional mobility within Europe. Participating countries are those of the EU and few others non-EU countries. In Germany almost all universities took part in the exchange program in 1999/2000, i.e. 237 universities with 98% of all German students (DAAD 2001). In 1999/2000 the four most important host countries for ERASMUS students were Great Britain (20.436), France (17.670), Spain (14.788) and Germany (14.524), whereas the students mainly came from France (16.825), Spain (16.297), Germany (15.715) and Italy (12.406).
ERASMUS supports temporary (about one or two terms) but not complete studies abroad. Moreover, not the whole costs are beard but only a part of them. Unfortunately the amount of grants increased in the past more than the available budget so that financing conditions deteriorated (DAAD 2001).
The ERASMUS program requires an institutional cooperation between the participating universities. This aspect has been strengthen by the introduction of bilateral university contracts in 1997/98. Thus, students are only able to take part in an ERASMUS exchange if their home university collaborates with their university of destination (Budke 2003, 31).
Another characteristic of the ERASMUS program is the local care of its students (Teichler et al. 1999). The aid might include data about the studies, excursions or language courses for example.
ERASMUS is based on a concept that incorporates studies done abroad (Teichler et al. 1999). This means that the studies abroad are integrated parts of the regular studies in the home country. Thus, all exams passed abroad should be acknowledged at the home university in order to avoid an extension of studies. For that reason the ECTS-Program (European Community Course Credit Transfer System) has been expanded since the late eighties. The ETCS-Program aims at improving the conditions for acknowledging exams passed abroad by introducing a system based on credit points.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the global challenges facing modern education and defines the paper's focus on European educational migration, the SOCRATES/ERASMUS program, and the Bologna Declaration.
2. Educational Migration in Europe: The chapter explores the development of European education policy and provides a detailed analysis of the SOCRATES/ERASMUS program, its operational characteristics, and its impact on student mobility.
3. Bologna Declaration: This section analyzes the objectives and instruments of the Bologna Declaration, evaluating its implementation and its role in shaping a unified European Higher Education Area with regard to labor market requirements.
4. Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes the main findings, emphasizing that while European cooperation improves competitiveness, significant challenges like student migration imbalances and brain drain remain to be addressed.
Keywords
European Union, Higher Education, Educational Migration, SOCRATES, ERASMUS, Bologna Declaration, EHEA, Student Mobility, Employability, Labor Market, Human Capital, Globalization, Academic Degrees, ECTS, European Integration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper primarily focuses on the efforts of the European Union to create a more integrated and competitive higher education system through policy initiatives like SOCRATES/ERASMUS and the Bologna Declaration.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include educational migration, the promotion of student and staff mobility, the alignment of study programs with labor market needs, and the quest for a unified European Higher Education Area.
What is the main research question or objective?
The objective is to illuminate the aspects of the European education system that foster integration and evaluate whether these programs successfully promote economic and cultural cooperation while managing challenges like brain drain.
Which scientific methods or approaches are used?
The work employs a descriptive and analytical approach, synthesizing existing literature, policy documents, and statistical data regarding student exchange programs and educational reforms in Europe.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body examines the historical development of European educational policy, the practical implementation of the ERASMUS program, the structural changes proposed by the Bologna Declaration, and the subsequent impacts on employability and labor market relevance.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include European Union, Higher Education, Educational Migration, ERASMUS, Bologna Declaration, Student Mobility, Employability, and Labor Market.
How does the author evaluate the "brain drain" phenomenon within the European Union?
The author views brain drain as a significant concern for emigration countries losing human capital, but notes that temporary migration and the resulting long-term economic convergence may provide potential offsets to this loss.
What role does the English language play in the context of the Bologna Process?
The author highlights the increasing dominance of the English language as a tool for attracting students to specific European locations, while questioning whether this trend threatens the linguistic and cultural diversity of the continent.
What is the significance of the ECTS system mentioned in the paper?
The European Community Course Credit Transfer System (ECTS) is presented as a vital instrument for ensuring that study credits acquired abroad are recognized, thereby reducing obstacles to student mobility.
- Quote paper
- International Economics M.A. Kenân Özkara (Author), 2004, Towards an Open Higher Education System in the European Union, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/53635
