Citation
(2004), "German minister urges faster progress on European higher education area", Education + Training, Vol. 46 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2004.00446aab.014
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
German minister urges faster progress on European higher education area
German minister urges faster progress on European higher education area
Students and scientists should be able to move freely between universities in different European countries without having to surmount hurdles or forfeit recognition of their qualifications, says the German minister for education and research, Edelgard Bulmahn. Speaking at a Berlin conference on realizing the European higher education area, she said that European bachelor and masters courses should be introduced as soon as possible, the European credit-transfer system should be expanded and a comprehensive quality-assurance system should be introduced for universities.
Ms Bulmahn said that Germany had invested E100 million over the last three years to increase the attractiveness of its universities and research institutes. "But we know that internationalism is one of the basic conditions for success," she said. "Therefore we support all efforts aimed at increasing the attractiveness of the European higher-education area."
The European Commission published a paper last year on the role of universities in the Europe of knowledge. It outlined the challenges facing European higher education and launched a public-consultation process on the issue. The results are expected this year.