How have Market Logics explained the Bologna Process and to what effect?
Market logics have had a progressively significant impact on the Bologna Process in ways in which I will be highlighting in my essay. The process has had to adapt its original ideas and aims on comparability and compatibility in order to face the challengers of the vastly expanding global market influences. It is argued as to whether the Processes culture and values have been compromised positively or negatively for the benefit of its members.
The Bologna Declaration of 1999 (or namely, Bologna Process) It is a joint declaration of the European Ministers of Education.
It is a voluntary process its aim being to introduce a more comparable, compatible and coherent system for European Higher Education on areas such as: 2 cycle undergraduate/graduate degrees, transferable credit system, increase student/teacher mobility in Europe and Quality Assurance. Since the original declaration was signed further areas have been added: lifelong learning, inclusion of higher education institutes and attractiveness/competitiveness of the EHEA.
The process is assessed every two or three years at Ministerial Conferences to examine the progress within the EHEA. At the Ministerial Conferences new developments or changes to the process are decided as well as any applications for new membership.
The Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG) is a supporting executive structure in-between the Ministerial Conferences. BFUG plays an important role in overseeing the Ministerial Conferences and in the development of the Bologna Process.
BFUG is based on membership of the EHEA. The BFUG/EHEA consists of 48 countries and the European Commission. The EHEA consists of different membership categories:-
Member Criteria to become a member of the EHEA is to:-
Be part of the European Cultural Convention (purpose of ECC is to safeguard and promote European culture and values eg:- study of languages, history and civilisation of the members of the convention) and to agree to implement the objectives of the Bologna Process.
Consultative Member is a non voting member from institutions and stakeholder organisations:- (CoE – Council of Europe, EUA – European University Association, EURASHE – European Association of Institutions of Higher Education, ESU – European Students’ Union, ENQA – European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, EI – Education International and Business Europe. – Council of European Professional and Managerial staff
EURODOC – The European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researches
EUROSCIENCE – European Association for Promotion of Science and Technology.
Further Technical Experts Eurostat,(statistical office of EU) Eurostudent (project collecting data for European education) Eurodice (provides information on education systems)
The initial 1999-2003 period of the process focused mainly on European culture and traditions with ‘intra-European cooperation’. However, there was increased interest by the Bologna countries in Harmonisation of higher education systems around the world. In the 2005 Bergen Communique, the ministers made commitments to ‘enhance the understanding of the Bologna Process in other continents by sharing their experience with reform processes and engaging into dialogue on issues of mutual like recognition of qualifications, the benefits of cooperation based on partnership, mutual trust and understanding’ (‘The European Higher Education Area: Achieving the Goals’, 2005: 3).
‘Those great treasures could be shared for money with people from other parts of the world, and that the economic standing of European universities could be significantly improved.’ (Tomusk, 2004).
Education is key to Europe’s competitiveness due to a rapidly changing world geared towards Globalisation. The integration of markets globally (globalization) has opened up the relationships, economic, political, social and cultural, across borders.
To gain a competitive advantage in education, Marketisation ( in other words privatization ) of the education industry in educative services has emerged. However, Marketisation as an economic concept of education has been highly critisised for not allowing students to develop socially but considers them as a commodity to be competed for.
Higher education has become Liberalised (Less involvement of governments’ regulations) The trend towards Marketisation has created competition between Higher educational institutions; Students are the consumer and the institutions having to meet ‘customer demand’. Institutions are forced to compete on efficiency, sales and profit with University branding and promotion, league tables, student surveys vs. quality of education.
The Bologna Process is in line with the objectives of the EU’s education and training framework and its Europe 2020 strategy for growth and jobs. However, the process (with all EU member states part of the process) works outside of this EU framework.
It is argued, that with the Bologna Process member states have tried to side step the EU’s growing influence on higher education and up until now the legal implications of the process, and its tense relationship with EU law, have been left almost entirely unexamined. There is also scrutiny over the process on the basis of democracy, transparency and accountability.’ ( ‘EU Higher Education Law. ‘The Bologna Process and Harmonisation by Stealth’ Garben, Sacha Margaretha Maria )
Movement towards European integration began after World War 11.
The Single European Act (1987) created a cohesive and harmonious economy, the goal for Europe with the Free Movement of Goods/Capital/Labour and Services. It was the first attempt to have a Europe without frontiers. It set common standards for workers health and safety, policies to protect the environment and European research and technology development strategies.
EU policies on education and training are recognised by the Lisbon Treaty’s “Europe 2020” for economic growth strategy.
It is argued that education is a ‘public good’ opposed to a ‘private good’ and should it be classed as a service of trade. The intervention of GATS (General Agreement on Tariffs and Services) of the WTO considers education as a tradeable service, a huge profitable business in Higher Education and involves Liberalisation in Higher Education.
‘How can we limit government while enabling it to perform its essential functions of defending the nation from foreign enemies, protecting each of us from coercion by our fellow citizens, adjudicating our disputes, and enabling us to agree on the rules that we shall follow’.(Milton Freidman, 1990)
A common cultural identity in education in Europe and sensitivity towards harmonisation of systems have been reshaped by events, especially since the Lisbon process and the integration of data systems. A ‘Knowledge – Based’ society has developed referring to ‘goals’ and ‘data about progress’ with the aid of the expansion of communications in information technology. ‘Governments around the world are anxious to learn about educational practices in other countries, as they scan the latest international league tables of school performance’( Patricia Broadfoot)
Globalisation of education refers to countries that have networks, processes and institutions affecting local educational practices and policies that puts them in a superstructure above national and local schools. It has created education to be an economic investment. Globalization sees Standardisation a necessity for the future of innovation. EU particularly encourage member states to become more educated about Standardisation in order to teach students, employers, businesses the importance of a common framework that shares knowledge and increases competitveness. UK Initiatives such as STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) provide the knowledge and skills between a network of groups that work with students, schools, colleges and employers and support the development of a progression into STEM related studies and careers.
Multinational companies network through major influences/institutions such as:- OECD ,(Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development) World Bank, UNESCO (United Nations, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), WTO(World Trade Organisation), GATS (general Agreement on Trade and Services), and other IGO’s (intergovernmental organisations) and NGO’s.(nongovernmental Organisations).
‘These people live in many lands, speak different languages, practice different religions, may even hate one another- yet none of these differences prevented them from cooperating to produce a pencil. How did it happen? Adam Smith gave the answer two hundred years ago.’ (Milton Freedom,1990)
‘The price system is the mechanism that performs this task without central direction, without requiring people to speak to one another or to like one another.’(Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations)
Economisation of education shifts concerns such as human rights and environmentalism to economic growth and employment, teaching work related skills and lifelong learning for the work place. Global economy has also created a mass migration of workers and discussions about multicultural education. (IGO’s such as OECD, UN(United Nations and World Bank are promoting agendas to reflect job preparation, economic development and multiculturism.
These global networks link the global flows (the worldwide movement of people, ideas, policies, money and education companies).
‘The image of global flows of people relocating to other nations, tourists and workers especially of multinational corporations, interacting with local populations and cultures are called ethnoscopes’. Global flow of ideas of governments and other institutional policies that interact with national and local ideas about government and institutional practices ideoscopes result in changing ideas in the global flow and at the local level.
These flows are speeded up through advances in technology ‘technoscapes’ in transportation, communication and information technology’. (Arjun Appadurai,1996)
The future of European Higher Education and harmonisation of relationships not only within the Bologna process but beyond are crucial to its competitive advantage. With particular focus on EU/ASEAN ( Association of South-East Asian Nations ) integration that opens up cooperation with countries such as China, one of the regions fastest growing economies and reach other less developed countries in Asia.
Rather than replicate, ASEAN systems are looking at the strengths and weaknesses gained from the Bologna Process on Higher Education. The Bologna aims for compatibility between national education systems in order to make it easier for students and job seekers to move within Europe. Comparable and compatible systems internationally are a challenge due to different political, cultural and academic traditions. ASEAN have development gaps such as harmonisation developments in technical and vocational training. Also they need public awareness for students and an opening for comparability of standards with international standards.
The EU and ASEAN connect via initiatives to cover climate change, food security, disaster management and customs. ASEAN 2025 is an initiative that helps the EU and ASEAN to work together to promote the development of AGEAN’S higher education.
EU’s Erasmus Programme (student exchange programme) offers student mobility. The Erasmus + Programme offers Asian students and teachers mobility opportunities in Higher Education.
SHARE is another programme to help student mobility and to help harmonisation education systems between Higher Education institutions in ASEAN.
CONCLUSION
The Bologna Process has helped students with the necessary mobility opportunities in order to develop their cultural and social understanding and values of countries. The UK decided in 2016 to leave the European Union, this could potentially have an effect on EU student funding. If the Freedom of Movement through the single market is compromised, this could have a knock on effect. Resulting in the reduction in numbers of UK students travelling to EU countries and vice versa, EU students coming to the UK to study. Students could be classed as International Students having to pay the higher rate International Students Fees. This consequently could have a detrimental effect on the culture and diversities of universities.
UK Programs and initiatives would need consideration; such as the Erasmus + program that may need to be modified. The worst case scenario would be to eradicate the Erasmus + program all together. A suggestion was made by The director of Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) who suggested that ‘the government could utilise any recourses/money that is being saved by scrapping the Erasmus + Program to re engineer a new and ambitious outward mobility strategy in which UK citizens are encouraged to spend time studying abroad” (Nick Hillman, 2016)
Globalisation, and privatisation of education has created a conflict of ideas over cultural values in education. Some would argue that education should be a private business to be traded. Others believe that education is a human right.
The intervention of GATS that sees education as a commodity to be traded could be considered as a threat to a government role that focuses on the quality of education and considers it a ‘public good’.
The aim of GATS is to promote trade. However, the implications of its intervention needs to be fully understood by education institutions so that they can assess all opportunities and risks in higher education services.
As the Bologna Process progresses into the future it is needs to address the issue of economic and social impact of globalisation that could cause a ‘brain drain’. In that students from non-industrialised countries going to work and study in indutrialised countries could stay in those countries for better pay and conditions. This can also lead to exploitation of workers from poorer non-industrialised countries by the more powerful/influential richer countries. Globalisation for both non-industrialised and industrialised countries should promote co-operation with education institutions not competition.
Higher education today is facing challenges due to huge advances in communication and information technology such as online learning. This has changed the requirement of Higher Education needs in technology and science in order to better meet the higher level of skills required in work. It will be important for the Bologna Process to focus on raising the awareness by encouraging STEM studies in order to compete globally.
Globally there are challenging times ahead with serious threats to economic, social, political and religious structures. Joint co-operation of regions/countries is essential to tackle these collectively.
Traditionally education was compared with other nations and not globally.
Bologna Process is well positioned to operate with other nations beyond the EU to consider not only its traditional cultures and values but to look to the future for harmonisation on a global scale. The EU/ASEAN cooperation is an example of an opportunity of the Process sharing knowledge collectively, not only in Higher Education but on education and cooperation on issues such as climate change.
In order to help achieve co-operation and harmonisation beyond the EU, the Process will need to continue strengthening the Higher Education Brand to raise its profile.