ESU: Bologna Process Misused to Fit Short-Term National Agendas

Students Protest as Education Ministers Celebrate 10 Years of European Education Reform

VIENNA, Austria, March 9, 2010 - "The Bologna Process has been misinterpreted, misused and twisted to fit
the short-term political goals of the governments. It is sometimes impossible
to recognise the goals of the process: better social conditions for students,
better recognition of foreign degrees and better possibilities to study
abroad," said Ligia Deca, Chairperson of ESU (European Students' Union).

While education ministers gather in Vienna to discuss and celebrate ten
years of the Bologna Process, students will be protesting in the streets.
Ligia Deca said: "At the same time, the European Union's agenda for economic
competitiveness has often interfered with the Bologna Process goal of better
education and better educational cooperation in Europe.

"ESU reports from the last 7 years of the Bologna Process have shown that
countries that actively involve students at all levels succeed more often in
implementing the process. The Bologna Process at the European level has had
good student participation the last years. The national and university levels
still have a long way to go in many countries. Students represent 90 % of the
academic community. This must be reflected by accepting students as real
partners in higher education decision-making structures as well as in policy
and budget debates."

"Budget was always missing to make ministerial commitments for equitable
education a reality. We see that agricultural subsidies currently take up to
40% of the EU budget, while investments in higher education are ridiculously
low and require co-financing from the side of the Member States. We would say
that higher education deserves at least the same financial conditions from
the EU level as agricultural subsidies have."

Contact:

European Students' Union (ESU), Olav Øye olav@esu-online.org,
+32-495101879, www.esu-online.org

Contact: European Students' Union (ESU), Olav Øye olav at esu-online.org, +32-495101879