Background
In 2022, the European Commission launched a call for European University Alliances to examine and facilitate the delivery of a joint European degree label. The ED-AFFICHE Project consortium, composed of six university alliances (Una Europa, 4EU+, CHARM-EU, EC2U, EU-CONEXUS, and Unite!) and 51 higher education institutions from 22 different countries, have secured European support.
In consultations with experts, the ED-AFFICHE consortium, together with the other 5 pilot projects funded under the same call for proposal, proposed possible improvements to the criteria associated with the European degree label and co-developed recommendations on the possible assessment procedure, as well as the design and delivery of a future European Degree label.
Together, the consortium has been successful in securing the support of 19 national and regional ministries in charge of higher education as well as 15 national accreditation and quality assurance agencies. It is the exchange of best practices between those actors and the open dialogue with their universities that carries the real potential to move forward the European Higher Education Area.
The Joint European Degree will represent a new flagship initiative of the European Commission for the years to come and it has been constantly presented as a game changer in the field of Higher Education in Europe and beyond.
In March 2024, the European Commission, based on the results of the pilot projects, adopted a package of ambitious proposals for Europe’s higher education sector, with the aim of working towards a European degree. The package contains a blueprint for this new and universally recognised qualification, as a result of deeper and wider transnational cooperation between higher education institutions - a key component of the European Education Area.
The blueprint proposes a concrete cooperation path and outlines support measures for European Union (EU) countries and their higher education systems towards the creation of a European degree.
As part of the package, the Commission has also adopted 2 proposals for Council recommendations on:
- a European quality assurance and recognition system in higher education
- attractive and sustainable careers in higher education
Both proposals go beyond the pure ambition of developing a European degree and are advantageous for the wide and diverse higher education sector.
In
brief: what is a European degree?
- A new type of degree awarded after transnational Bachelor, Master, or Doctoral programmes delivered at national, regional, or institutional level
- Automatically recognised everywhere in the EU
- Awarded jointly and on a voluntary basis by a group of universities across Europe
- Based on a common set of criteria agreed at European level
The European degree would support the creation of labour-market relevant joint programmes. The key competences associated with a European degree would position graduates as sought-afer professionals in the European and global job market where they would stand out as highly qualifed with a combination of problem-solving prowess, adaptability, multilingual skills, multicultural awareness, and interdisciplinary expertise that aligns seamlessly with the changing demands of the global workforce.
The European degree is a way to simplify processes and cut red tape in creating joint degree programmes, ensuring that universities in Europe can efciently work together. In turn, this will support the development of more joint programmes benefting a greater number of students.
The European degree would encourage the creation of many more joint degree programmes that are competitive and attractive globally, both for European and third-country nationals, including EU candidate countries, and that equip Europe with the talents and skills it needs to thrive, innovate and grow.
Objectives and added value
- Contribute to Europe’s competitiveness by equipping graduates with future-proof skills to master the green and digital transitions.
- Provide a strong symbol of our common European identity and strong sense of European belonging, reinforcing our common academic values and bringing people and universities together.
For students, it will offer more opportunities to study at various universities in different EU countries and to graduate with one universally recognised diploma. It will give access to innovative and transdisciplinary learning opportunities across campuses to acquire the future-proof skills that Europe needs.
For higher education institutions, it will make it simpler to set up a joint degree programme with several universities across Europe, by removing unnecessary barriers. It will also help those universities to increase their competitiveness and attractiveness.
For employers, it will ease the recruitment
of highly skilled qualified graduates who are ready to face the challenges of a
rapidly changing world.
Next steps
In view of the diversity of the European higher education systems across Europe, the Commission proposes a gradual approach for EU countries towards a European degree, with 2 possible entry points:
1. A preparatory European label - given to joint degree programmes that meet the European criteria; this means students receive a European degree label certificate together with their joint degree
2. A European degree - a new type of qualification awarded either jointly by several universities from different countries or possibly by a European legal entity established by such universities; this means students receive a ‘European degree’
How the Commission will support EU countries and the higher education sector
A European degree policy lab to develop detailed guidelines and action plans for the implementation of a European degree with national experts, higher education institutions, quality assurance/accreditation agencies, students, and economic and social partners
A new annual European degree forum that monitors progress and provides guidance, gathering high-level representatives from EU countries, key organisations in quality assurance and recognition, and representatives from economic and social partners
New Erasmus+ support for European degree Pathway Projects enabling EU countries, together with their accreditation and quality assurance agencies, universities, students, economic and social partners, to navigate the pathway towards a European degree; and for European degree Design Measures to enable higher education institutions to adapt existing joint programmes or to create new ones leading to a European degree
Why do we need joint degree programmes?
Transnational education is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ option but a necessity, as the key challenges of our time are becoming increasingly global, and Europe’s open strategic autonomy increasingly urgent future generations must be equipped with the competences and skills that European societies will need to thrive in an ever more interconnected world.
European Degree criteria
To be added when European Degree criteria is approved and guidelines for interpretation are published