Abstract
The political economy explanations for institutional change at the national level in Europe are addressed in this book. European higher education policy is directly relevant to the disciplines of International Education, Political Economy, and European Studies. The concept of a “Europe of Knowledge” was presented by the European Commission in 1997. The pursuit of global competitiveness in the knowledge economy was the impetus for the intergovernmental initiative of the Bologna Process, which has created the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The influences of globalization and Europeanization are presented, as are the content and organization of the book. Growing from the 29 original participating countries to 48 in the EHEA, the objective is to converge upon national higher education governance and administration criteria in the region of Europe.
By 2020 we are determined to achieve an EHEA where our common goals are implemented in all member countries to ensure trust in each other’s higher education systems; where automatic recognition of qualifications has become a reality so that students and graduates can move easily throughout it; where higher education is contributing effectively to build inclusive societies, founded on democratic values and human rights; and where educational opportunities provide the competences and skills required for European citizenship, innovation and employment.
Yerevan Communiqué (excerpt), May 15, 2015
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Barrett, B. (2017). Background on Higher Education Policy in Europe. In: Globalization and Change in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52368-2_1
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