Studies

Bologna Accords

On 19 June 1999, the ministers of education of 29 European countries signed the Bologna Accords. Since 2005 the University of Luxembourg has offered BMD qualification schemes (Bachelor/Master/Doctorate) in accordance with the European Union.

What is the aim of these accords?

• Difficulties regarding the recognition of qualifications and rigid national systems hampered student and staff mobility.
• Higher education in Europa had many deficits: high drop-out rates, too long periods of study, low employability.
• European universities were not very attractive for non-European students.

Objectives

• Creating a European higher education space
• Harmonising higher education systems by offering the same diplomas throughout Europe
• Increasing international student mobility by simplifying transfers from one university to another, from one country to another
• Encouraging cooperation between institutions, countries and national systems regarding quality assurance
• Increasing the competitiveness of European higher education and its attractiveness on a global scale
• Access to an international job market.

Principles

• Higher education systems based on three degrees irrespective of local qualification names: Baccalaureate (or Licence or Bachelor), Master, Doctorate
• Adoption of a clear and easy-to-compare diploma system accompanied by Diploma Supplements (DS). (The Diploma Supplement is an appendix providing detailed explanations on the qualification, the skills acquired by the student, etc. It is a method to explain and upgrade the contents of the student’s training.)
• Implementation of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) 
• Organisation in semesters and units of learning
• Development of competences and transversal skills (languages, computer skills, communication techniques…)

(Source: http://www.mcesr.public.lu/enssup/dossiers/bologne/processus_bologne.pdf)