Bologna Process and European Higher Education Area

The Bologna Process is an intergovernmental higher education reform process launched in 1999 that includes 48 European countries and a number of European organisations, including EUA. It is dedicated to enhancing the quality and recognition of European higher education systems and improving conditions for exchange and collaboration within Europe and internationally.

The Bologna Process led to the establishment of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) in 2010. However, all participating parties agreed to continue the Process, as many of the established goals were and are still not fully implemented in all countries.

In the past two decades, the Bologna Process has established goals for reform in the participating countries, such as the three-cycle degree structure (bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate), and adopted shared instruments, such as the European Credits Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).

The Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) enable convergence of structural reforms on issues including quality assurance, recognition and mobility. They also increasingly foster reflection of a wider range of issues such as governance, learning and teaching, and values.  As such, they are of central importance for Europe’s universities and higher education systems. More information on EUA's work in the specific policy areas of the Bologna Process is available on the respective topics pages.

Visit the official website of the Bologna Process and EHEA