Annexes to COM(2024)144 - DE LA COMMISSION AU PARLEMENT EUROPÉEN, AU CONSEIL, AU COMITÉ ÉCONOMIQUE ET SOCIAL EUROPÉEN ET AU COMITÉ DES RÉGIONS Un schéma directeur pour un diplôme européen - Main contents

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dossier	COM(2024)144 - DE LA COMMISSION AU PARLEMENT EUROPÉEN, AU CONSEIL, AU COMITÉ ÉCONOMIQUE ET SOCIAL EUROPÉEN ET AU COMITÉ DES RÉGIONS Un ...
document	COM(2024)144
date	March 27, 2024

Annex II to the proposal for a Council recommendation on a European quality assurance and recognition system in higher education.

The proposed criteria for a European degree are:

- excellence of transnational programme organisation and management: joint programmes are built on Bologna and EU tools and standards, are jointly designed and delivered, based on joint quality assurance arrangements.

- relevance of the learning experience: joint programmes are student-centred, embedding labour market relevant opportunities, interdisciplinarity components, student mobility and the acquisition of horizontal and digital skills.

- adherence to European values: joint programmes promote democracy, multilingualism, inclusiveness and environmental sustainability.
They aim at fostering the development of more joint programmes in line with the vision set out in the European strategy for universities, in particular when it comes to enabling the development of learners as creative and critical thinkers, problem solvers, active and responsible citizens, engaged as actors of change in their community to positively impact the society around them.

By setting demanding standards, the European criteria underpin the excellence of transnational cooperation between institutions, the provision of a transnational learning experience, student-centred teaching and learning (including some provision of interdisciplinarity, mobility and student-centred approaches), the relevance to the labour market and to societal needs (cooperation with businesses, public sector and civil society, provision of transversal, green and digital skills), and the respect for common values (multilingualism, inclusiveness, democratic values). As there is no one-size-fits-all solution, the European criteria are flexible enough for the European degree to be accessible to all types of universities, all fields and disciplines and at all levels, respecting the diversity of academic traditions and systems.

The proposed European criteria build on the use of existing tools developed in the EU and the Bologna process and ensure that the European degree meets the highest standards in higher education cooperation. They offer a framework for universities to work together to address strategic skills shortages on the European labour market. They respect subsidiarity, institutional autonomy and academic freedom.

As Europe has a diverse higher education landscape, with different historic backgrounds and traditions, bringing about a common understanding of the essence of a European degree requires common reflection and a collective effort.

This reflection process started just after the adoption of the Council conclusions on a European strategy empowering higher education institutions for the future of Europe in April 2022 ¹⁷. Preliminary draft criteria have been co-developed with national and regional authorities, higher education institutions, accreditation and quality assurance agencies, students’ organisations, and representatives from the public and private sectors.

Once defined, they were tested by 6 Erasmus+ policy experimentation projects. The testing involved more than 140 higher education institutions across all Member States, 60 national and regional authorities involving 17 ministries and 20 national quality assurance agencies, students’ organisations and economic and social partners. As a result, the pilots proposed a revision of the criteria. The proposed European criteria as set out in Annex II to the proposal for a Council recommendation on a European quality assurance and recognition system in higher education are the results of this revision.

As a next step, the Council of the EU is expected to take forward this proposal.

The tested criteria will be the basis for thorough discussions and dialogue with Member States, the higher education sector, economic and social partners to move forward on the next steps with the creation of a European degree and provide further guidance on their implementation.

Actions:

The Commission invites the Council of the EU to take forward the proposal for a Council recommendation on a European quality assurance and recognition system in higher education, including Annex II, which sets out the European criteria for a European degree.

The Commission will support the dialogue with Member States, the higher education sector, economic and social partners, to move forward on the next steps with the creation of a European degree and to accompany a collaborative process with Member States and stakeholders on its implementation.

2. Member States to choose their entry level into the pathway towards a European degree

Given Member States’ respective starting points, views, and traditions, which will inevitably differ, the development of the European degree cannot happen overnight. It also cannot be achieved based on a one-size-fits-all approach.

This Communication sets out a gradual approach and ultimate level of ambition for Member States who opt to embark on the pathway towards the European degree. This approach embraces the diversity among Member States and their higher education institutions, allowing them to proceed towards the European degree at their own pace. Member States could move forward, step-by-step, towards a commonly defined goal with two entry-points: a European degree and a preparatory European label indicating that the European criteria have been met.

Any consortium of higher education institutions would be able, if they so wish, to find the right starting point and move towards an increasingly integrated path over time.

Two different entry points could be used on the path towards a European degree:

Entry point: a preparatory European label

Joint degree programmes meeting the European criteria may receive a European label from the competent authorities in charge of accreditation and/or quality assurance of higher education programmes (self-accrediting universities, accreditation agencies, quality assurance agencies). While the label will provide a powerful branding tool, it will not solve the obstacles encountered by universities to establish and run joint degree programmes. This path would be open to universities after adopting the proposed European criteria and developing guidance to implement these.

Entry point: a European degree

A degree would be awarded jointly by several universities from different countries (e.g. a European University alliance). The European degree would be integrated into national legislation as a new type of qualification. This would offer a significant simplification for universities and students by removing disparities between national rules and provides EU universities with a common and clear framework for creating joint degree programmes. As with any degree, the European degree would be accredited in accordance with national legislation and national qualifications frameworks by the competent authorities at institutional, regional, or national level.

A European degree could also be awarded by a legal entity established by several universities from different countries (e.g. a European University alliance with a legal status). Some alliances of universities have already set up such legal entities, and are exploring the use of existing European legal tools like the European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs). This path would possibly be the simplest and most efficient for universities, in terms of associated costs and required resources.

3. Fit-for-purpose quality assurance systems

Quality assurance systems are necessary conditions for accountability and to improve universities’ performances. They build the foundation for trust in the quality of higher education that is delivered to students. A European degree, more than any other type of degree, would depend on mutual trust and credible quality assurance systems. That is why building fit-for-purpose quality assurance systems is a pre-condition for delivering a European degree, while also having benefits for all programmes, including those leading to micro-credentials, and further enabling automatic recognition of qualifications. For this, Member States would need to:

- build stronger, more effective, and simpler quality assurance processes for all types of programmes;
- set-up a new European framework for an external multi-institutional-based approach to quality assurance that allows sustainable alliances of higher education institutions to self-accredit their joint degree programmes and joint micro-credentials, building on the outcomes of Erasmus+ QA fit ¹⁸ and IMINQA projects ¹⁹; and
- use suitable quality assurance processes to accompany higher education institutions in the implementation of automatic recognition of qualifications and learning periods abroad.

Actions: The Commission proposes, together with this Communication, a Council recommendation on a European quality assurance and recognition system in higher education. The Commission invites the Council of the EU to take forward the proposal and plans to support its future implementation through targeted actions detailed in point 5.2.4.

4. More attractive academic careers in higher education

In the global knowledge economy, Europe’s future will be shaped by the performance of its education systems and competitiveness in the global race for talent. Delivering on this ambitious vision of a European degree will depend on excellent academics to teach and equip graduates with the right skills. We will not be able to build excellent transnational programmes without providing incentives for excellent people to engage in this endeavour. That is why making academic careers in higher education more attractive is a key enabling factor for a European degree. For this, Member States would need to:

- better promote, recognise, and value the work of academics building deep transnational cooperation, such as developing joint degree programmes;
- better promote, recognise, and value diverse academic roles and tasks, including innovative and effective teaching; and
- promote competitive, safe, fair and non-discriminatory working conditions to attract and retain staff.

Actions: The Commission proposes, together with this Communication, a Council recommendation on attractive and sustainable careers in higher education, which is complementary to the Council Recommendation on establishing a European Framework to attract and retain research, innovation, and entrepreneurial talents in Europe ²⁰. The Commission invites the Council of the EU to take forward the proposal and plans to support its future implementation through targeted actions detailed in point 5.2.5.

2. The Commission will act as a facilitator and supporter

Building on a wide empirical evidence base, the aim of this Communication is to provide a vision on possible ways forward to make the European degree a reality. It also seeks to feed an open dialogue with the Member States, higher education stakeholders, and economic and social partners on the next steps forward. The Commission will facilitate and support Member States with the following actions.

1. Facilitate a dialogue on the results and recommendations of the Erasmus+ policy experimentations on a European degree label and legal status for alliances of higher education institutions

The Commission will publish a report in autumn 2024 on the final outcomes of the Erasmus+ policy experimentation projects.

Following this, in 2025, it plans to set up a ‘European degree policy lab’. A series of dedicated in-depth discussions and focused sessions would be launched, involving experts from Member States, higher education institutions, quality assurance/accreditation agencies, student representatives, and economic and social partners, with the aim of accelerating action and any necessary national reforms, and developing implementation guidelines and action plans. Its goal would be to foster peer learning and provide guidance on moving towards a European degree.

Action: The Commission plans to foster cooperation through a European degree policy lab supported by Erasmus+, to be set up in 2025, to engage Member States and the wider higher education community to develop and implement guidelines towards a European degree.

2. European funding incentives

The Erasmus+ programme will continue to offer support to European Universities alliances, Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) Joint Doctoral Programmes, and European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)-labelled programmes that act as trailblazers to implement European degrees. In addition, Erasmus+ will support the design and take up of European degrees through dedicated support, building on the successful example of the Erasmus Mundus Design Measures.

In 2025, the Commission plans to launch ‘European degree pathway projects’ as part of the forward-looking cooperation projects action within Erasmus+. This will provide financial incentives for Member States, together with their accreditation and quality assurance agencies, universities, students, economic and social partners, to engage in the pathway towards a European degree.

The Technical Support Instrument ²¹ may also provide technical expertise to design and implement the necessary reforms with guidance and support to improve legal and administrative frameworks, foster cooperation between universities, research and businesses, improve quality assurance mechanisms and the attractiveness of careers in higher education.

Actions:

The Commission plans to make European funding incentives available, as of 2025, through programmes like Erasmus+, to support the creation of European degrees. The Commission also plans to launch ‘European degree Pathway Projects’ to incentivise the engagement of all actors.

The Commission invites universities and the higher education community to make the best use of EU funding opportunities, such as from Erasmus+ or Digital Europe programmes, to support universities and staff to start designing and offering European degrees in full cooperation with national and regional authorities, and economic and social partners.

3. Support and accelerate the implementation of the Council Recommendation on building bridges for effective European higher education cooperation

The full uptake of the Council Recommendation on building bridges for effective European higher education cooperation, adopted in April 2022, would considerably facilitate the path towards a European degree. The report on its implementation, to be published by mid-2024, and of which a summary is provided in the accompanying staff working document, shows the diversity of the European higher education landscape in terms of measures enabling deeper transnational cooperation, with uneven progress in this field. While some Member States seem to implement the different principles of the Recommendation, and have already started to carry out reforms, other countries report slower progress.

Based on the outcomes of the report, the Commission is proposing to organise a series of peer learning activities between Member States from autumn 2024 to deepen the discussion on tackling administrative obstacles in order to accelerate progress on implementing the Recommendation.

Actions:

The Commission will support the uptake of Council Recommendations, including the one on building bridges for effective European higher education cooperation. Peer learning activities can be organised, from autumn 2024, to tackle remaining obstacles.

The Commission invites Member States to consider the current and future Council recommendations in the field of higher education to continue removing obstacles to transnational cooperation and to pave the way for a European degree.

4. Support the implementation of the future Council recommendation on Quality Assurance and recognition

Making a European degree a reality requires a voluntary approach that offers all higher education systems a way to embark on this journey, whatever their own starting point. It also requires active involvement of students and institutional leaders to create a conducive environment for universities to establish European degrees, ensuring that these are student-centred, strategically driven, and aligned with best practices within the European Education Area. In its proposal for a Council recommendation on a European quality assurance and recognition system in higher education, the Commission is proposing:

- the setting up of a European degree policy lab: on top of providing guidance and concrete action plans on moving towards a European degree (see section 5.2.1), it would also develop guidelines on the implementation of a cross-institutional quality assurance framework of alliances of higher education institutions;
- the setting up of a ‘European degree forum’ as an annual event, organised by the Commission, in cooperation with the Council Presidency, for all stakeholders to meet and take stock of the overall progress made towards a European degree, including through the European degree policy lab. The forum would include high-level representatives from Member States and regions, most representative stakeholders’ organisations in quality assurance (e.g. ENQA, EQAR), the network of National Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARIC), national qualifications frameworks, education social partners and representatives from economic and social partners;
- further development of the database of external quality assurance results (DEQAR)²² to make it more user-friendly and to link it directly with automatic recognition of qualifications;
- further support the implementation of the European graduate tracking system ²³ to improve quality and relevance of higher education by providing feedback on graduate outcomes, as well as improving comparison and benchmarking across countries and institutions.

Actions:

In 2025, the Commission plans to set up a European degree forum to monitor progress on moving towards a European degree.

The Commission plans to further support the development of a European graduate tracking system.

The Commission invites Member States, universities, the higher education sector, economic and social partners to co-design implementation guidelines and action plans for a European degree by participating in the European degree forum and being actively involved in the work of the future European degree policy lab. They are also invited to embrace this opportunity to engage in active cooperation and offer students truly transnational learning experiences that prepare a skilled workforce ready to take up challenges on a European and global scale.

5. Support the implementation of the Council recommendation on attractive and sustainable careers in higher education

Effective and innovative transnational cooperation in higher education requires the commitment of high-quality academic staff who can engage in deep long-term partnerships with peers from other institutions. In its proposal for a Council recommendation on attractive and sustainable careers in higher education, the Commission is proposing to:

- prepare guidelines on good practice in higher education careers and staffing policies, as well as a competence framework for academic staff, building on existing relevant competence frameworks at Union level, such as the European Competence Framework for Researchers;

- support organisation of dedicated social dialogue;

- monitor key elements of the Recommendation through the European Higher Education Sector Observatory ²⁴;

- foster synergies with the Council Recommendation on establishing a European Framework to attract and retain research, innovation, and entrepreneurial talents in Europe, developed in the context of the European Research Area and applicable to research careers in all sectors, including academia;

- facilitate peer learning among Member States, higher education institutions, Erasmus Mundus practitioners and European Universities alliances on appropriately recognising academic staff engaged in transnational cooperation and teaching; sustainable career perspectives; and talent management measures for staff involved in coordinating and developing sustainable alliances, such as European Universities alliances.

Action: The Commission plans to support the uptake of the Council recommendation on attractive and sustainable careers in higher education through support, peer learning and monitoring.

6. Synergies with other related actions

The Commission is committed to ensuring synergies with other relevant actions and policies to support a smooth and successful path towards a European degree. To this end, it is planned to:

- continue to support the implementation of the Bologna process instruments and the National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) network, via ‘acceleration support teams’, financed by the Erasmus+ programme, to ensure quicker progress on the automatic recognition of qualifications;

- continue to promote the opportunities to use the learning programmes, content and materials produced by European Net-Zero Industry Academies for joint degrees targeted at skills shortages for the green transition and net-zero technology industries;

- explore synergies and links between the Directive that sets out an EU framework on recognition of qualifications for access to regulated professions ²⁵ and the European degree; and

- ensure consistency and synergies between the European degree and further work on the European Qualifications Framework ²⁶, the multilingual Europass platform ²⁷, the European digital credentials for learning²⁸ and the European classification of skills and occupations (ESCO)²⁹.

Actions:

The Commission will continue its support for the implementation of the Bologna process instruments through the 2024 Erasmus+ European Higher Education Area call.

It plans to explore links between a European degree and the Professional Qualifications Directive, and ensure consistency with the European Qualifications Framework, Europass, the European digital credentials for learning and the European classification of skills and occupation (ESCO).

7. Take stock of progress in close cooperation with Member States and stakeholders

Based on the progress achieved and the assessment of the fitness for purpose of the two entry points for a European degree, the Commission plans to launch further future-oriented work, including to:

- review progress in Member States towards a European degree, together with the European degree policy lab and the European degree forum;
- work with Member States to take further steps towards establishing a legal status for alliances of higher education institutions ³⁰.

Action:

The Commission plans to take stock of progress, in cooperation with Member States and stakeholders, at every step towards the establishment of a European degree.

The Commission invites Member States to work towards a European degree by making use of the support provided through EU instruments and peer learning, to engage in the necessary reforms.

8. Monitoring and support for reforms

The Commission is highly committed to ensuring continued support to Member States in their path towards effective reforms leading to a European degree and encourages them to undertake steps to maximise the use of the EU budget and to leverage fully the support of appropriate and existing EU funding instruments. In addition, the Commission reminds Member States of the high relevance and importance of the Education and Training Monitor and European Semester process in supporting and accelerating the pace of national reforms.

As regards future support beyond 2027, the Commission recalls that its proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework and the related outcome of negotiations cannot be prejudged at this stage.

Action:

The Commission plans to support Member States in their reforms towards a European degree and invites them to make use of appropriate EU instruments to engage in the necessary reforms.

6. Conclusion

With this Communication on a blueprint towards a European degree, the Commission invites Member States, competent regional governments and their higher education communities to join forces for the benefit of students, employers, universities and of the European Union as a whole.

The European degree is envisaged as a voluntary and flexible solution to overcome existing obstacles preventing the European Education Area from reaching its full potential. The staged approach will enable all educational systems, in full respect of their diversity, to choose their entry point onto a pathway towards a European degree. Member States will be in the driving seat and advance at their own pace with support from the Commission to facilitate dialogue and peer learning, provide incentives and explore synergies with other initiatives.

Just as Erasmus+ has had spillover effects in creating more exchange opportunities and a more flexible learning environment, the European degree would help to make joint educational programmes more widespread for all higher education institutions, in full respect of subsidiarity.

By taking a further step towards the creation of a European degree, and by leveraging their unique European dimension, we are honouring the transnational collaborative efforts of European higher education institutions to provide students with unparalleled opportunities for personal growth, academic achievement, and European citizenship, giving them a better chance to succeed in today's global economy.

A European degree would prepare students to navigate and succeed in a world where challenges and opportunities have no borders. This is how we must prepare our students to not only participate in the global economy but to lead it. In doing so, we are not just increasing our Union’s competitiveness, we are contributing to a more prosperous and more connected world.

1 The term ‘university’ is used as a reference to the broader sector, representing the entire area of tertiary education, thus including all types of higher education institutions, including research universities, university colleges, universities of applied sciences, higher vocational education and training institutions, and higher arts institutions.

2 European Universities initiative.

3 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a European strategy for universities, 18 January 2022, COM(2022) 16 final.

4 Inforegio - Harnessing talent in Europe’s regions (europa.eu)

5 Eurobarometer survey 2018.

6 European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Burneikaitė, G., Pocius, D., Potapova, E. et al., The road towards a possible joint European degree – Identifying opportunities and investigating the impact and feasibility of different approaches – Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

7 Joint European degree label and a legal status for European universities alliances: 10 Erasmus+ projects to put them in place.

8 U-Multirank. The indicators used are strategic partnerships, international joint degrees, internships, international co-publications, co-publications with industrial partners, regional co-publications, and co-patents with industry.

9 A set of criteria were developed with Member States and higher education stakeholders in 2022. They were tested by six Erasmus+ pilot experimentation projects between April 2023 and March 2024. The pilots proposed changes to the criteria resulting in the list set out in Annex 2 of the proposal for a Council recommendation on quality assurance and recognition.

10 National Qualifications Frameworks (NQF) means an instrument for the classification of qualifications according to a set of criteria for specified levels of learning achieved, which aims at integrating and coordinating national qualifications subsystems and improve the transparency, access, progression and quality of qualifications in relation to the labour market and civil society.

11 The digital format should be secure and compatible with the European Learning Model as multilingual data model in the field of learning.

12 Council Recommendation of 26 November 2018 on promoting automatic mutual recognition of higher education and upper secondary education and training qualifications and the outcomes of learning periods abroad (OJ C 444, 10.12.2018, p. 1).

13 European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Burneikaitė, G., Pocius, D., Potapova, E. et al., The road towards a possible joint European degree – Identifying opportunities and investigating the impact and feasibility of different approaches – Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

14 Council Recommendation of 5 April 2022 on building bridges for effective European higher education cooperation (OJ C 160, 13.4.2022, p. 1).

15 Regulation (EU) 2021/817 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 establishing Erasmus+: the Union Programme for education and training, youth and sport (OJ L 189, 28.5.2021, p. 1).

16 See results in the accompanying Staff Working Document SWD(2024) 74.

17 Council conclusions on a European strategy empowering higher education institutions for the future of Europe (OJ C 167, 21.4.2022, p. 9).

18 Quality Assurance Fit for the Future (QA-FIT).

19 Implementation and Innovation in Quality Assurance through peer learning (IMINQA).

20 Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe (OJ C, C/2023/1640, 29.12.2023).

21 Technical Support Instrument.

22 DEQAR is the Database of External Quality Assurance Results for quality assurance agencies listed on the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR). All EQAR-registered agencies can publish their reports in the Database. Participation in DEQAR is voluntary (https://www.eqar.eu/qa-results/search/).

23 Council Recommendation of 20 November 2017 on tracking graduates (OJ C 423, 9.12.2017, p. 1).

24 2024 annual work programme “Erasmus+”: the Union Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport

C(2023)6157 of 18 September 2023.

25 Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications (OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 22).

26 Council Recommendation of 22 May 2017 on the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (OJ C 189, 15.6.2017, p. 15).

27 Europass.

28 European Digital Credentials for learning.

29 European classification of skills and occupations.

30 As announced in the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a European strategy for universities, 18 January 2022, COM(2022) 16 final.

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