The European Higher Education Area

1. Excellence and Diversification of Higher Education Institutions’ Missions

   1. Excellence-Driven Policies and Initiatives in the Context of Bologna Process: Rationale, Design, Implementation and Outcomes

      • Isak Froumin, Mikhail Lisyutkin

      Pages 249-265Open Access

   2. The Knowledge Society and Diversification of Higher Education: From the Social Contract to the Mission of Universities

      • Attila Pausits

      Pages 267-284Open Access

   3. Excellence and Diversification of Higher Education Institutions’ Missions

      • Marco Porzionato, Federica De Marco

      Pages 285-292Open Access

   4. “New” Rankings on the Scene: The U21 Ranking of National Higher Education Systems and U-Multirank

      • Gergely Kováts

      Pages 293-311Open Access

2. Teaching, Learning and Student Engagement

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 313-313

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   2. Teaching and Learning: An Overview of the Thematic Section [Overview Paper]

      • Manja Klemenčič, Paul Ashwin

      Pages 315-324Open Access

   3. Teaching and Learning: A Journey from the Margins to the Core in European Higher Education Policy

      • Cristina Sin

      Pages 325-341Open Access

   4. The Meanings of Student Engagement: Implications for Policies and Practices

      • Paul Ashwin, Debbie McVitty

      Pages 343-359Open Access

   5. How Do We Know How Students Experience Higher Education? On the Use of Student Surveys

      • Manja Klemenčič, Igor Chirikov

      Pages 361-379Open Access

   6. Understanding Quality of Learning in Digital Learning Environments: State of the Art and Research Needed

      • Bernadette Charlier, Laurent Cosnefroy, Annie Jézégou, Geneviève Lameul

      Pages 381-398Open Access

   7. Assessment of Learning Outcomes

      • Hamish Coates

      Pages 399-413Open Access

   8. Giving Voice to Non-traditional Students “Walking” the Narative Mediation Path. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

      • Dan Florin Stănescu, Elena-Mădălina Iorga, José González Monteagudo, Maria Francesca Freda

      Pages 415-430Open Access

3. Social Dimension and Equity of Higher Education

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 431-431

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   2. Equity and the Social Dimension: An Overview [Overview Paper]

      • Alex Usher

      Pages 433-447Open Access

   3. No Future for the Social Dimension?

      • Florian Kaiser, Aengus Ó. Maoláin, Līva Vikmane

      Pages 449-466Open Access

   4. A Comprehensive Approach to Investigating the Social Dimension in European Higher Education Systems—EUROSTUDENT and the PL4SD Country Reviews

      • Dominic Orr, Shweta Mishra

      Pages 467-478Open Access

   5. How Did the Latest Increase in Fees in England Affect Student Enrolment and Inequality?

      • Koen Geven

      Pages 479-500Open Access

   6. Struggling with Social Polarization. Student Financial Support in Romania in the Framework of the Bologna Process

      • Daniela Alexe, Cezar Mihai Hâj, Bogdan Murgescu

      Pages 501-519Open Access

   7. Premises of Inclusive Access and Success of Roma People in the Romanian Higher Education

      • Diana-Maria Cismaru, Cristina Fiţ, Delia Gologan

      Pages 521-538Open Access

4. Education, Research and Innovation

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 539-539

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Bridging the gap between higher education research and policy making was always a challenge, but the recent calls for more evidence-based policies have opened a window of unprecedented opportunity for researchers to bring more contributions to shaping the future of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Encouraged by the success of the 2011 first edition, Romania and Armenia have organised a 2nd edition of the Future of Higher Education – Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference (FOHE-BPRC) in November 2014, with the support of the Italian Presidency of the European Union and as part of the official EHEA agenda. Reuniting over 170 researchers from more than 30 countries, the event was a forum to debate the trends and challenges faced by higher education today and look at the future of European cooperation in higher education. The research volumes offer unique insights regarding the state of affairs of European higher education and research, as well as forward-looking policy proposals. More than 50 articles focus on essential themes in higher education: Internationalization of higher education; Financing and governance; Excellence and the diversification of missions; Teaching, learning and student engagement; Equity and the social dimension of higher education; Education, research and innovation; Quality assurance, The impacts of the Bologna Process on the EHEA and beyond and Evidence-based policies in higher education. "The Bologna process was launched at a time of great optimism about the future of the European project – to which, of course, the reform of higher education across the continent has made a major contribution. Today, for the present, that optimism has faded as economic troubles have accumulated in the Euro-zone, political tensions have been increased on issues such as immigration and armed conflict has broken out in Ukraine. There is clearly a risk that, against this troubled background, the Bologna process itself may falter. There are already signs that it has been downgraded in some countries with evidence of political withdrawal. All the more reason for the voice of higher education researchers to be heard. Since the first conference they have established themselves as powerful stakeholders in the development of the EHEA, who are helping to maintain the momentum of the Bologna process. Their pivotal role has been strengthened by the second Bucharest conference." Peter Scott, Institute of Education, London (General Rapporteur of the FOHE-BPRC first edition)

• Bologna Process
• Diversification of Higher Education
• EHEA
• Education, research and innovation
• European Education Policies
• European Higher Education Area
• Evidence-based policies in Higher Education
• FOHE-BPRC2
• Higher Education Financing and Governance
• Internalization of Higher Education
• Social dimensions and equity of higher education

• UEFISCDI & SNSPA, Bucharest, Romania

  Adrian Curaj

• Central European University of Budapest, Budapest, Hungary

  Liviu Matei

• National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), Bucharest, Romania

  Remus Pricopie

• Global Tertiary Education Expert, Rockville, USA

  Jamil Salmi

• Institute of Education, London, UK

  Peter Scott