'Special push' needed to create European higher education area by 2010, says Reding
If the European Higher education area is to become a reality by 2010, a 'special push' is needed in the areas of credits for lifelong learning, European Masters and quality assurance, said EU Commissioner for Education and Culture, Viviane Reding, on 31 May. Speaking at the closing conference of the Tuning project, which addressed comparable degrees, credit transfer, quality assurance and lifelong learning, Ms Reding emphasised that there is still a lot more work to be done in Europe. 'We still have a lot to do to make the European Higher education area a reality by 2010. We are still far away from a situation in which transparency, quality and recognition are common features in Europe,' said Ms Reding. 'In the future there should be no more drop-outs,' said the Commissioner. 'Every individual should have the opportunity to learn throughout life, both within and outside the formal education system, through self-study and work experience,' she added. Ms Reding also foresees accreditation of this learning, and eventual awarding of formal certificates or degrees. Ms Reding called on European universities to pool their resources and create high quality Master level courses. 'These Masters courses would raise the profile and attractiveness of European higher education for European students, but also for students and teachers from other continents. Europe should become the most favoured destination for high level learning in the world,' she said. Researchers from the European university association (EUA) are currently seeking to define a model for European Masters courses. The are addressing issues such as what 'European' is to mean in this context, what type of curriculum integration should take place, and what recognition arrangements would be implemented. The first European Masters courses could be operating in Europe as early as 2003 or 2004, said Ms Reding. The courses will be supported by the Commission through the Socrates programme, and possibly by additional initiatives to encourage students from the rest of the world to study in Europe. On quality assurance Ms Reding called for more coherence. 'We need to progress both on quality assurance inside universities, and on external mechanisms to support this,' she said.