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EUC Rector, Prof. Andreas G. Orphanides, led EURASHE’s delegation in the EHEA Ministerial Conference at Bucharest, 26-27 April
Apr 2012
A delegation of EURASHE (European Association of European Higher Education Institutions) led by EURASHE’s President, Prof. Andreas G. Orphanides, Rector of European University Cyprus, participated in the Bucharest Ministerial Conference and the 3rd Bologna Policy Forum on 26-27 April. In this high-profile biannual event, the 47 EHEA Ministers of Education and the Presidents of the stakeholders’ organisations in the Bologna Process with their delegations gathered for a state of the art HE reform conference, and fixed the agenda for the coming years, whereas additional non-EHEA Ministers and stakeholders also participated in the 3rd Bologna Policy Forum.
EURASHE favours a higher education that focuses on making graduates employable in a sustainable way, in continuous contact with stakeholders in HE, with the support of a lifelong learning framework and a student-centered approach, and based on a transparent and quality-assured provision of programmes, irrespective of the institutional or country context.
The role of the Bologna tools’ was a recurring theme in EURASHE’s input in both the Communiqué and the Ministerial Conference and Bologna Policy Forum proceedings, with a focus on a student-centred approach, learning outcomes and qualifications frameworks. At the same time, its firm belief was put forward that there is a specific role for HEIs in the creation and practical development of knowledge, applied research and their technological applications. This message was also expressed in the joint policy paper with UASNet, “Position paper on Research and Innovation”, which was presented to the Ministers, alongside with the overall policy paper of EURASHE for this Conference, entitled “Towards a diversified, responsive and competitive European Higher Education”.
After the conference, President Orphanides participated in the official press conference, together with the Ministers of Romania, Denmark and Armenia, and the President of ESU, where he stressed that the Ministerial Conference was very successful, and he voiced his satisfaction for its major conclusions in relation to EURASHE’s recommendations and proposals.