The Bologna Process and studying with a disability

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The Bologna Process and studying with a disability

• Gilles Verschoore
• Coordinator esdon

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The BP in a few words

• Intergovernmental process
• From 29 to 46 countries (Cultural Convention of
  the CoE)
• The Bologna Declaration
• 1999-2010-2020
• Creation of a European Higher Education Area
  (EHEA)
• A process to harmonise European HE

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Start and evolution

• 1998 Sorbonne
• 1999 Bologna
• 2001 Prague
• 2003 Berlin
• 2005 Bergen
• 2007 London
• 2009 Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve

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Sorbonne

• Celebration 800 years Sorbonne
• France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom
• Sorbonne Joint Declaration
• More cooperation in the field of HE

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Bologna

• 29 countries
• Harmonisation of HE
• Comparability
• Compatibility
• Promotion of mobility
• Not a binding international treaty
• 3 dimensions
• Comparability
• Employability
• Attractiveness
• Social cohesion??

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The Bologna Declaration

• Easily readable comparable degrees (
  implementation of DS, to promote employability
  international competitiveness)
• Two main cycles (undergraduate (min 3 years)
  graduate)
• System of credits, such asECTS
• Promotion of mobility
• European cooperation in quality assurance
• Promotion of the necessary European dimension in
  HE

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Action lines

• Qualifications Frameworks / Three-Cycle System
• Joint Degrees
• Mobility
• Recognition
• Quality Assurance
• Social Dimension
• Employability
• Lifelong Learning
• EHEA in a global context
• Stocktaking
• Bologna Beyond 2010

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A pedagogical revolution?

• Teaching gt Learning
• Tutor-oriented gt Student-centered
• Year gt Semester
• Class hours gt ECTS
• Class content gt Learning outcomes

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How does studying (and working) with a disability
fits in the Bologna Process?
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BP and disability (1/8)

• 3-cycle system and ECTS
• Flexibilisation gt flexible and individual
  pathways
• REMARK Is this inclusive for all? Maybe some
  students like ex cathedra classes?
• gt Yes, both systems can exist in a parallel way

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BP and disability (2/8)

• Mobility
• Disabled students (and staff) must be able to be
  mobile as well
• Should focus on a free choice of institution and
  be based on the educational opportunities an
  institution can offer a disabled student, not
  just based on the availability of specialised
  services
• gt Study abroad without limits

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BP and disability (3/8)

• Quality assurance
• Embed student services in general and services
  for disabled students in the quality assurance
  review process
• Monitoring of the impact of the quality assurance
  system
• Continuous professional development of staff
  (teaching the teachers, training the
  trainers)

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BP and disability (4/8)

• Lifelong learning
• Flexible, individual and alternative pathways to
  enjoy higher education

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BP and disability (5/8)

• Employability
• HE must prepare students to function properly in
  a working environment
• gt disabled students as well
• Raising awareness amongst employers, empowerment
  of people with disabilities and provision of
  specialist career and guidance services

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BP and disability (6/8)

• Social dimension
• gt start to act, clear goals and benchmarks
  regarding accessibility, services, guidance and
  counseling, reasonable adjustments and
  non-discrimination legislation

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BP and disability (7/8)
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BP and disability (8/8)

• Stocktaking
• gt put accessibility, services, guidance and
  counseling and reasonable adjustments in the
  stocktaking under the social dimension
• Data collection!

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Thank you for your attention!