Romania hosts the 2012 Bologna / European Higher Education Area Ministerial Conference and the Third Bologna Policy Forum. In preparation for these meetings, The Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) organised the Future of Higher Education - Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference (FOHE-BPRC) in Bucharest on 17-19 October 2011, with the support of the European University Association (EUA) and the Romanian National Committee for UNESCO. The conference brought the voices of researchers into international-level policy making in higher education. The results of the conference are presented in this book. Until now, empirical evidence supporting policies and reforms in higher education has often been a matter of local or regional focus. The development of a pan-European process in higher education policy drives a need to explore wider research topics on which to base policies. This book offers an unprecedented opportunity for higher education researchers to interact and contribute to the political process shaping the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and to national policy agendas in more than 100 participant countries for the 2012 ministerial events. The book collects more than 50 articles focusing on vital issues in European higher education. These are arranged in sections addressing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) Principles; Teaching and Learning; Quality Assurance; Mobility; Higher Education Governance in the EHEA; Funding of Higher Education; Diversification of Higher Education Missions; Higher Education Futures and Foresight.

This volume addresses the conceptions of actors and actorhood in higher education research. It explores the range of actors that are (or should be) recognized and theorized in higher education research, the processes that shape actorhood in the higher education reforms and explores the relations between the actors and higher education reforms. Drawing on a range of theoretical frameworks and research projects, the volume provides in-depth analyses of higher education actors and reform issues through institutional, system or international comparative perspective. The volume celebrates and is in conversation with the intellectual contributions of Professor Pavel Zgaga whose work advances our understanding of actors and actorhood in higher education and higher education reforms.

This volume offers a comprehensive discussion of implementation analysis in higher education and an extensive review of relevant recent literature. Coverage analyzes the effective and specific complexities of the implementation of higher education policies in several countries, including: Australia, Austria, Finland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

This volume addresses the conceptions of actors and actorhood in higher education research. It explores the range of actors that are (or should be) recognized and theorized in higher education research, the processes that shape actorhood in the higher education reforms and explores the relations between the actors and higher education reforms. Drawing on a range of theoretical frameworks and research projects, the volume provides in-depth analyses of higher education actors and reform issues through institutional, system or international comparative perspective. The volume celebrates and is in conversation with the intellectual contributions of Professor Pavel Zgaga whose work advances our understanding of actors and actorhood in higher education and higher education reforms.

The central focus of this monograph is the concept of higher education reform in the light of an international and global comparative perspective. This volume takes a close look at these changes, the drivers of change, their effects and possible future scenarios.

Bridging the gap between higher education research and policy making was always a challenge, but the recent calls for more evidence-based policies have opened a window of unprecedented opportunity for researchers to bring more contributions to shaping the future of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Encouraged by the success of the 2011 first edition, Romania and Armenia have organised a 2nd edition of the Future of Higher Education – Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference (FOHE-BPRC) in November 2014, with the support of the Italian Presidency of the European Union and as part of the official EHEA agenda. Reuniting over 170 researchers from more than 30 countries, the event was a forum to debate the trends and challenges faced by higher education today and look at the future of European cooperation in higher education. The research volumes offer unique insights regarding the state of affairs of European higher education and research, as well as forward-looking policy proposals. More than 50 articles focus on essential themes in higher education: Internationalization of higher education; Financing and governance; Excellence and the diversification of missions; Teaching, learning and student engagement; Equity and the social dimension of higher education; Education, research and innovation; Quality assurance, The impacts of the Bologna Process on the EHEA and beyond and Evidence-based policies in higher education. "The Bologna process was launched at a time of great optimism about the future of the European project – to which, of course, the reform of higher education across the continent has made a major contribution. Today, for the present, that optimism has faded as economic troubles have accumulated in the Euro-zone, political tensions have been increased on issues such as immigration and armed conflict has broken out in Ukraine. There is clearly a risk that, against this troubled background, the Bologna process itself may falter. There are already signs that it has been downgraded in some countries with evidence of political withdrawal. All the more reason for the voice of higher education researchers to be heard. Since the first conference they have established themselves as powerful stakeholders in the development of the EHEA, who are helping to maintain the momentum of the Bologna process. Their pivotal role has been strengthened by the second Bucharest conference." Peter Scott, Institute of Education, London (General Rapporteur of the FOHE-BPRC first edition)

This open access book presents the major outcomes of the fourth edition of the Future of Higher Education – Bologna Process Researchers Conference (FOHE-BPRC 4) which was held in January 2020 and which has already established itself as a landmark in the European higher education environment. The conference is part of the official calendar of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) for events that promote and sustain the development of EHEA. The conference provides a unique forum for dialogue between researchers, experts and policy makers in the field of higher education, all of which is documented in this proceedings volume. The book focuses on the following five sub-themes: - Furthering the Internationalization of Higher Education: Particular - Challenges in the EHEA - Access and Success for Every Learner in Higher Education - Advancing Learning and Teaching in the EHEA: Innovation and Links With Research - The Future of the EHEA - Principles, Challenges and Ways Forward - Bologna Process in the Global Higher Education Arena. Going Digital? While acknowledging the efforts and achievements so far at EHEA level, the Paris Ministerial Communiqué highlights the need to intensify crossdisciplinary and cross-border cooperation. One of the ways to achieve this objective is to develop more efficient peer-learning activities, involving policymakers and other stakeholders from as many member states as possible for which this book provides a platform. It acknowledges the importance of a continued dialogue between researchers and decisionmakers and benefits from the experience already acquired, this way enabling the higher education community to bring its input into the 2020. European Higher Education Area (EHEA) priorities for 2020 onwards. European Higher Education Area: Challenges for a New Decade marks 21 years of Bologna Process and 10 years of EHEA and brings together an unique collection of contributions that not only reflect on all that has been achieved in these years, but more importantly, shape directions for the future. This book is published under an open access CC BY license.