European Education Area Research Articles

Gendering higher education quality assurance: a matter of (e)quality

ABSTRACT Gender equality goals for higher education are found in all national legislations. This notwithstanding, quality assurance conceptual frameworks and practitioners’ work in the European Higher Education Area have tended to be gender-blind and thus remained disconnected from gender equality concerns. Focusing on the policy innovations recently introduced by the Swedish and the Catalan quality assurance agencies, the article addresses two intertwined questions, namely what does a gender-sensitive quality assurance framework look like and how to contextualise quality assessments within the gendered dynamics that pervade the work and study environments of higher education institutions. These two case studies show that gendering quality assurance can stir an institutional self-redefinition in contributing to embedding the gender perspective in their quality culture. Although mainstreaming gender in the operation of higher education institutions and in the design and implementation of their programmes entails a gradual learning process, external assessments constitute an accelerating incentive.

Resgatar a meta-reflexão freiriana em cinco atos: Um marco perene para pensar dilemas do educador-investigador hodierno

In this essay-type text the objective is to share reflections, concerns and cross-cutting dilemmas about the main aspects that have emerged from a trajectory of educational research in the field of social and permanent adult education (ESPA). It presents a balance whose guiding thread is developed in five acts which constitute five convictions that, when elected, convene well-established coordinates of research in this sector and rescue, from literature, a critical theoretical and conceptual framework, whose epicenter are the various contributions of Freirean thought. It ends with a brief,albeit convinced, apology for the contribution that interdisciplinary and collaborative critical researchcan make, if it transcends the current paradigmatic, however instrumentalized, assumptions of lifelonglearning. In this condition, the “European Education Area” could be made an opportunity, withoutborders, to ensure a future with human dignity, which transcends our species to wisely educate, aboveall, for the value of life throughout the ecosystem.

Implementation of European Educational Programs in Context of Kazakhstan’s Policy in Field of Higher Education (1995-2018)

The issues of academic mobility and internationalization of universities of the Republic of Kazakhstan are considered through participation in educational programs of the European Union TEMPUS and ERASMUS+. The main stages of the implementation of European programs are identified, which correspond to the main principles and directions of the policy of Kazakhstan in the field of higher education. Particular attention is paid to Kazakhstan joining “the Bologna Club”. It is emphasized that the TEMPUS program contributed to the integration of the Higher Education system of Kazakhstan into the European Higher Education Area and the country's accession to the Bologna process. The fact that European programs contributed to the implementation of the basic parameters of the Bologna process aimed at internationalization is positively assessed. The data on the involvement of Kazakhstani universities in the educational programs of the European Union, aimed at increasing the international mobility of students and deepening research in the field of European integration, are analyzed. The problems that hinder the development of internationalization and the active participation in European programs are also touched upon. It is shown that Kazakhstan is the only country in Central Asia that is part of the European Higher Education Area and has a national strategy for the internationalization of all universities.

EUROPEAN DIMENSIONS OF ADULT EDUCATION POLICY

The article defines and analyzes the leading factors, mechanisms and tendencies of the Eu-ropean adult education policy formation. It is determined that the leading factors of the European adult edu-cation area formation are processes of globalization, integration, democratization, and informatization. It has been revealed that international conferences on adult education (CONFITEA) have a special significance in shaping the strategy for the development of adult education. International and European documents and programs are the main mechanisms for the implementation of European education policy. It has been shown that although European documents on the development and functioning of adult education systems are advi-sory, each country has an opportunity to relate them to national traditions and adapt to their needs. The trends in the context of the European adult education area formation are identified, which include: the grad-ual transformation of adult education into a key factor of sustainable economic and social development in European countries; strengthening of the European dimension and integration of educational systems; con-vergence in adult education, which provides «mitigation» of the influence of megatrends and the develop-ment of mechanisms for the preservation of the national component and national specificity of adult educa-tion systems; glocalization which enables to optimally harmonize the global and national needs for ensuring the competitiveness of the national economy and education; complementarity, harmonious coherence of adult education systems in European countries. It is shown that the European dimension in national educa-tion policy is able to provide an adult individual with equal opportunities and competitiveness in the Europe-an labour market. Therefore, it is advisable to form the Ukrainian education policy in the field of adult educa-tion in accordance with European approaches that should be considered as a necessary measure which is able of responding to current challenges and ensuring the entry into a single European educational space.

Structural Equation Models on the Satisfaction and Motivation for Retirement of Spanish University Professors

Research on the motives behind a university professor’s decision to retire is scarce. In the present work, we have tried to define and delimit the aspects of the university professor’s satisfaction that have an influence on their motivation to retire. Nine hundred and one Spanish university professors answered the Inventory “Questionnaire for Active, Retired and Emeritus University Professors.” In the analysis, three structural equations were estimated. The overall sample, as well as the professional status subsamples—active or not active—were taken into account. Significant differences were found according to the work status. Three dimensions explained the satisfaction: economic, professional, and relational. The satisfaction of the professors in each of them had an influence on their decision to retire. Work conditions created by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and work conditions due to the educational and/or university laws determined the economic satisfaction to a greater degree. The possibilities of being part of professional networks or teams, and of publishing and disseminating knowledge, have a considerable impact on professional satisfaction. Relational satisfaction was notable for predicting the motivation to retire. Relationships with colleagues had an effect on the relational satisfaction. Policies for improving the satisfaction of the university professors could help delay the exit of talented professors, who are part of the human capital of the universities.

Generalist or specialist music teachers? Lessons from two continents

In this paper, we discuss a perennial question in the field of music teacher education: is school music education better served with generalist or specialist teachers? To answer this question, we discuss the educational policy reforms implemented in two African countries, Uganda and South Africa, and in Spain as well. We also discuss how teacher education is implemented in these countries–in the case of Spain, in the lights of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)–in what refers music teacher education and its professional development. From this policy analysis at curriculum and teacher education levels, we raise implications for teacher preparation and subsequent professional development of music generalist and specialist teachers. In our conclusion, we deduce that students may be well served with either generalist or specialist music teachers as long as they are prepared to move content forward, to meet contemporary global student needs.

Soft privatisation: mapping an emerging field of European education governance

ABSTRACT This paper introduces the concept of ‘soft privatisation’. Departing from a review of the literature examining the growing participation of private sector actors in the provision of public education across Europe, the paper investigates how privatisation has emerged in the context of the European Union as a phenomenon embedded in, rather than a replacement of, public education. Through analysing the creation of a European education area – and the move of European education from being a driver for economic growth to becoming an Economy in itself – the paper argues that privatisation in Europe is deeply imbricated with the network modes of public education governance characteristic of the European Union and the Bologna Process. These entanglements have implications both for the transparency and political accountability of private sector actors involved in public education.

Network time for the European Higher Education Area

In this article, we discuss the process of standardization of Higher education (HE) initiated by the Bologna Process bringing to the forefront the temporal politics of the standardization of European Higher Education Arena (EHEA). Empirically, we perform a comparative review of the Scorecards indicators at the base of the Bologna Process monitoring project. We argue that the fabrication of EHEA could be seen as the installation of new time-space ‘time’ and ‘space’ appear inevitably intertwined. Instead of being a simple addition, the time space of EHEA interferes with the multiple time spaces of educational institutions and is characterized by being a network time, an unbroken and fragmented temporality sustained, enacted through, and controlled by the fluidity and the malleability of standards. They change recurrently over time, playing with different rhythms. What emerges is an overall arrhythmia that maintains the field permanently in tension. This reconfigures temporality as intrinsically manifold: as multiple and heterogeneous. Moreover, the temporal politics of standards reconfigures perception of past, present and especially future. The current state of implementation is constantly being (re)shaped in relation to the present and future performances, where’s one today level of EHEA targets achievement forms the basis for improvement tomorrow. In this scenario, assessing standards and headline targets become a policy instrument for synchronizing the countries performances, by locating them in a temporal framework that encodes future-oriented dispositions.

Towards quality assurance and enhancement: the influence of the Bologna Process in Kosovo’s higher education

ABSTRACTThis paper analyses the unique case of Kosovo alongside the broad context of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) development. Kosovo started implementing the Bologna Process in 2001, although to date, it has not been formally admitted as a member. This paper provides evidence on the impact of the Bologna-influenced reforms on developing quality assurance and enhancement in Kosovo’s higher education during 2001–2019. The study opted for a qualitative method design combining content analysis and semi-structured interviews to investigate both the normative and operational aspects of institutional learning and change that followed these reforms. The study builds on other Bologna-related studies, demonstrating that higher education institutions have placed accountability at the forefront of their ambitions. Findings recommend that a balance between quality control and improvement is imperative towards developing a quality culture. Therefore, there is a need to redistribute quality assessment ‘power’ equally among all stakeholders in higher education.

Educación clínica legal: experiencia ucraniana

The relevance of the article is stipulated by the necessity to study a specific type of legal education – legal clinical education. However, legal clinics are the basis for the practical training and students' practice implementation i.e. they allow to transfer the obtained theoretical knowledge into the practical ones. The purpose of the study is to analyze the peculiarities of formation and development of the abovementioned education in Ukraine in general, and in imitation of the Legal Clinic “Istyna” of Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs activities, in particular, as well as to determine the prospects of the legal clinical movement. The basic methods in the study of this issues are the following: the historical method; the method of analysis. The method of prediction to determine the prospects for the further development of legal clinical education in Ukraine in the context of integration into the European educational area and the Concept of Legal Education Development was also applied. The article elucidates the concept “legal clinical education”, focuses on the necessity for this type of education, and determines the prospects of achieving quality results of legal clinical education, taking into account its components in the domestic legal education by the imitation of the legal clinic “Istyna” of Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs. The materials of the article may be useful in future studies of the legal clinics activities and functioning and implementation of the concept legal of education development in Ukraine.

Razvoj Tempus programa na Univerzitetu u Prištini sa privremenim sedištem u Kosovskoj Mitrovici

Higher Education reform and modernization processes in Serbia were initiated by the overall 'Europe of knowledge' project, which encompassed Bologna and Lisbon declarations aiming to enroll Western Balkan countries into unique European Higher Education Area. By the adoption of the Law on Higher Education in 2005, these processes obtained their legal ground in Serbia and regulated implementation of the principles of both declarations, while Tempus (Trans-European Mobility Programme for University Studies) as the European Union programme for reform and modernization of Higher Education additionally supported internationalization of Higher Education Institutions in Serbia and harmonization of their curricula with highest European educational standards. This essay gives an overview on development of Tempus programme at the University Pristina temporarily settled in Kosovska Mitrovica since 2009, when the university for the first time applied for this kind of donation until its official closure and completion of implementation of all its projects where university was involved.

Fizioterapija u savremenom visokom strukovnom obrazovanju

In the last fifty years there has been a dramatic development and changes in all segments of the biomedical sciences which contributed to the development of expertise in the field of physiotherapy. While the aim of the first higher education cycle is training for basic skills required for independent practice, second education cycle should provide training in planning processes, projects, decision making, development of leadership skills, with the assessment process, as well as special physiotherapy knowledge and skills in selected areas and technologies. The formation and organization of joint master study programs related to the physiotherapy can be very interesting organizational model. This can be achieved by a greater degree of flexibility and adaptability of programs that stimulates the horizontal mobility of students within the European higher education area. The development of the physiotherapy profession was marked by a significant increase in the volume of knowledge and skills, so the World Confederation for Physical Therapy and its European region, developed a strategy according to which are necessary all three cycles of higher education.

ИЗВЪНУРОЧНАТА ФИЗКУЛТУРНА ДЕЙНОСТ В БЪЛГАРИЯ, ЕВРОПА И СВЕТА

The article provides an overview of extracurricular physical activity worldwide. Special and extensive attention is paid to it’s organization in Europe and in particular in the Republic of Bulgaria, as part of the European educational area. The reasons for the current state and the efficiency of the modern forms of extracurricular activity in our country are considered in detail. At the end, the author’s ideas for its improvement are presented in order to provoke motivation and involve adolescents in sports-oriented activities.

Brand of European Higher Education Institution as a Key Factor for Foreign Students

This paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on the issue of brands of European Higher Education Institutions as a key factor for foreign students. The globalization of education processes and the creation of a united European education area have increased foreign students' interest to study in Europe.Increasing unemployment, poverty, inconsistency in education, economic problems, political instability, low job opportunities, and unsafe environment are the undeniable reasons for young students to explore higher education opportunities in foreign countries. The main purpose of the research is to describe the factors affecting foreign students' choice ofEuropean Higher Education Institutions and provide information on the factors, which are of great importance. For achieving the aim, the previous research and scientific literature are studied, and a survey is conducted using a questionnaire. Investigation of the topic of brands of European Higher Education Institutions as a key factor for foreign students in the paper is carried out in the following logical sequence: the study of previous research and scientific literature and analysis of the survey results. Methodological tools of the research methods are the creation of a database of respondents, a survey on the factors impacting the choice of Higher Education Institutions in Europe by foreign students and analysis and interpretation of the survey results using nonparametric tests. The object of research is the field of Higher Education in Europe, and the subject of the research is consumer choice in Higher Education in Europe. The paper presents the results of an empirical analysis on brands of European Higher Education Institutions as a key factor for foreign students. It showed that four groups of factors – regional, political financial, and educational – play a significant role in the choice of European Higher Education Institutions by foreign students. The research empirically confirms and theoretically proves that the most significant role in the choice of Higher Education Institutions in Europe for all level of students – Bachelor's, Masters and Doctors - play educational factors, the least significant role – political factors. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis H test show that there are statistically significant differences in the assessment of the role of factors in choosing the place of studies in Europe in different levels of study programs. The results of the research can be useful for decision-makers in Higher Education Institutions in Europe when working out different student attraction strategies, thus increasing the number of students and competitiveness. Keywords foreign students, globalization, Higher education, International Business Administration, students' choice.

Investing in higher education marketing

The aim of the article is to research the state and prospects of expanding investments in the marketing of higher education and adapting to the fluctuations in the educational services market. The research methodology is based on the methods of scientific abstraction in determining the components of the market, comparative analysis of the world experience and domestic sources of the higher education institutions financing, analysis of the expenditures structure on education in the state budget of the country, monographic method of the studing the state and improving of the competitiveness in domestic institutions of higher education, statistics information. The scientific novelty of the conducted research is that the state of financing of higher education institutions is scientifically substantiated, alternative instruments of financing of investments in marketing of educational services are analyzed, directions of increase in competitiveness of market participants are outlined. Conclusions.Among other important areas of the European Union’s investment model are research, innovation and digitization in research marketing projects, as well as the financing of projects in the fields of skills, education, training and social innovation. Higher education reform in Ukraine aims to integrate into the European higher education area and the research area on the basis of a competitive national higher education system. Expanding the international activity of domestic higher education institutions is aimed at introducing modern global trends ofthe investment in higher education marketing.

Інституційний вектор інтернаціоналізації національної системи вищої освіти Словацької Республіки: національні університети Словаччини та програми міжнародного співробітництва Європейського Союзу

Integration of the Ukrainian national higher education system into the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has already been traditionally identified as one of the priorities of the Ukrainian national education policy determined by the XXI century. The priority character as well as the urgency of the task leave the contradiction between the public need for the Ukrainian higher education institutions to join the EHEA and insufficient scientific validity of the ways providing the solution of this task unresolved. There are also certain discrepancies between Ukrainian higher education officials' perceptions concerning the directions and scope of reforms, since a fierce competition at the international education market and the process of national higher education system internationalization might lead to the situation when particular aspects of the system at times contradict the requirements of modern social environment in which Ukrainian universities operate. The current state strategy, increased media attention, and public Q&A sessions on specific issues within the specified context indicate that the Ukrainian higher education system is gradually adapting to the current globalized conditions while diversifying management mechanisms by means of step-by-step implementation of the internationalization process. The Ukrainian context of internationalization of higher education under study is outlined through the prism of East European, where the end of the XXth – the beginning of the XXI century can be named as the period of transformations in socio-political life of the countries and as the period of convergence of national higher education systems. It has been emphasized that with the establishment of the EHEA in the context of the integration of European education systems, the internationalization is one of the priority directions for reforming national higher education systems; it promotes greater access to higher education for representatives of different countries; universalization of diverse knowledge; enhancement of international cooperation at national and institutional levels; enhancement of academic mobility; orientation of education to the realities of the globalized world of the XXI century which involves an active development of public-private partnerships in education, etc. It can be concluded that the analysis of the East European experience of national higher education internationalization aimed at further implementation of its elements into the structure of the Ukrainian higher education will facilitate the development of new ideas and approaches to training specialists and will create opportunities and mechanisms for quality improvement of the national higher education. The research states that the accession of the East European countries (such as the Slovak Republic) to the European Union (EU) has given them new opportunities to develop national higher education and has ensured theire active participation in the EU-funded international research and education programmes, the access to the EU funds for developing educational infrastructure and improving the education quality. As a result, national higher education institutions (HEIs) in Eastern Europe have experienced an influx of foreign students and have shown an increase in student and staff outcoming mobility. This situation, in turn, has created a competition in the field of international student recruitment and involvement of external funding into the fields of research and innovation. As the result of the research, the following perspective levels of the Ukrainian higher education system reforming have been identified – political, management-centred, organizational and institutional. Keywords: Higher Education System, Institution of Higher Education, Internationalization, Institutional Level of Internationalization, International Cooperation Programmes, Eastern Europe, Slovakia, European Union.

Inverse (A-B/C) translation education in Spain under the EHEA

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this paper is to provide a review on the state of the art of translator education into B/C languages in the Spanish post-Bologna university system. During the last ten years, Translation Studies in Spain have witnessed the implementation of new programmes adapted to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Universities have gained autonomy to design their translation curricula, which has led to significant differences between programmes. This could not but affect approaches to translation into B/C languages, whose role in translator education has long been considered a sensitive issue. Results from an analysis of working languages and A-B/C translation course units embedded in undergraduate and postgraduate (Master) curricula show that a large number of translator-education units no longer offer the ‘inverse’ translation direction. This perception is felt more strongly in Master programmes despite translation out of the A language has been listed in a number of translation competence models. More importantly, it is a competence considered important or essential in the local and European employment markets, especially in translation environments where English has a place.

Die Finanzsituation von Studierenden unter verschiedenen Institutionen der Studienfinanzierung – ein internationaler Vergleich

Abstract Market, state, and the family of students are important sources of student funding. An empirical analysis for 25 countries in the European Higher Education Area reveals that in 80 % of countries, there is a pattern according to which students who depend on self-financing through the market reach the highest level of total monthly income. Their fellow students, who financially depend on their families, have a median income level and students who are mainly funded by the state have the lowest revenue. The significant differences in revenue between the three groups of students also involve financial problems of varying degrees.

In search of a Ukrainian term for Bologna process acquis

The purpose of article is to justify the rationale for applying the term «Bologna acquis» to nominate the corps of documents generated in the course of Bologna process that resulted in the formation of European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and community of higher education stakeholders who share and operate by Bologna values, principles, norms and guidelines.
 The author compares «Bologna acquis» with acquis communautaire, Council of Europe acquis, Schengen acquis, proves that all four have a lot of in common and draws a conclusion that the use of term «Bologna acquis» is acceptable and reasonable.
 The article demonstrates that Bologna acquis - similar to acquis communautaire and Council of Europe acquis - is divided into two large types: those that have a binding character and those of a non-binding nature. Nevertheless, non-binding Bologna acquis cannot be ignored by the community to whom it is addressed and is to be considered in the course of reforms and modernization of national systems of higher education and higher education institutions as its constituents.
 Comparison of Bologna acquis with acquis communautaire, Council of Europe acquis, Schengen acquis is the novelty of the article, as well as delineation of similar features between the four above mentioned acquis. The author mentions that the purpose of all four (among other things) is the formation of a community that voluntarily participates in the generation of acquis and agrees to live by its rules and norms.
 One of conclusions has practical significance: while formation of EHEA and its community simultaneously takes place at the supranational, national and institutional levels, the speed of integration of each separate higher education institution may differ; accordingly different scenarios could emerge: a certain higher education institution may integrate with EHEA faster than the national system of higher education in general, and vice versa: while the national systems of higher education has advanced in integration with EHEA, some higher education institutions will be lagging behind reforms at the national level.

Features of the Formation of a Specialist-Professional in the System of Higher Education in the Context of Modern Challenges and Development Prospects

The article covers a number of issues related to the problem of the specialist-professional formation in the system of higher education of Ukraine, taking into account global challenges and prospects for the development of the world economy, national economies and modern society. In the process of scientific research, an understanding of the basic concepts of «profession», «vocational training», «formation of a specialist-professional», «IHE activity» has been formed. The role and significance of higher education in professional training of specialists, competitive in the labour market are revealed; the priority directions of development of the industry are singled out in accordance with the state educational policy requirements and the Bologna process tasks in the conditions of the European Higher Education Area formation and the integration implementation. The article pays particular attention to analysing the models of national strategies for the higher education development and selecting the model of the Ukrainian universities development strategy on the path to their promotion to world rankings, referring to the experience of autonomy, mission, results of activity and achievements of European and world universities. Consequently the research analyses of the educational institutions network during the years of Ukraine's independence, taking into account external destabilizing factors; gives the characteristic of the local IHEs’ activity, including universities, during the period of reforming and modernizing the higher education system according to European standards and time requirements; determines the new approaches and directions of the IHE's activity improvement in the field of training qualified specialists for the industrial and social spheres. Moreover the article reveals the features of key trends for the modern education sphere, among them there is a globalization, the factor of ICT, the growth of non-system education, individualization and personalization of educational trajectories. It also gives the characteristic features of a competitive specialist-professional who is able to function effectively in the modern labour market. The benefits of this study are: the defined forms of the educational process organization at IHE in accordance with the Law of Ukraine «On Higher Education»; the given classification of innovative teaching methods for realizing of the educational process participants’ abilities and talents, basing on the study of scientific and methodological literature; the determined new approaches and directions of the IHE's activity improvement in relation to the training of qualified specialists for the industrial and social spheres. On this basis, the training of competent specialist-professionals should be considered as one of the priority areas of scientific research with the definition of long-term educational strategies, including goals, tasks, scientific approaches, positions, directions and ways of their implementation in the higher education system. In the search process, the methods of theoretical research and practical implementation of this problem are used, in particular: analysis and generalization of scientific approaches and ways for improving the professionals formation process in the higher education system; international experience synthesis and comparison, normative legal acts and peculiarities of the IHE work in the professional staff training; induction and deduction when disclosing forms and methods of future specialists’ educational activity, gaining their professional qualities and characteristics.