Council of the EU approves vision for a European degree label, EUA welcomes step-by-step approach

During a meeting of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council, ministers from EU member states adopted a resolution on a joint European degree label, as well as a related recommendation on a European quality assurance and recognition system in higher education. This follows the previous adoption of another key document, a recommendation on attractive and sustainable careers in higher education, in November 2024.

In terms of the European degree (label), the Council resolution adjusted the European Commission’s proposal, resulting in a more cautious approach consisting of three phases:

1. Finalisation of the European degree label by mid-2026;

2. Rollout of the label and evaluation of the feasibility of a European degree in 2026-2028; and

3. Reflections in preparation of an evidence-based decision on next steps towards a European degree in 2029.

This step-by-step approach means that while the label is expected to be launched this time next year, the degree will require further work and will not be effective, at least not at a wide scale, before 2030.

Following the Council’s announcement, the European University Association’s Secretary General, Amanda Crowfoot, noted that: “EUA welcomes the step-by-step approach, which allows all relevant stakeholders to collect and evaluate evidence on the impact of the degree. Deep integration takes times and reforms such as the European degree are not just about overcoming administrative barriers, but a broader cultural shift in European higher education.”

In addition, EUA welcomes the Council recommendation on quality assurance and recognition, which underlines the important role of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). Moreover, this recommendation importantly calls for either more flexible approaches to programme accreditation or a shift to institutional level evaluation in order to facilitate international cooperation in a system that gives institutions primary responsibility for their own quality.