On May 29-30, 2024, the ministerial conference of the countries of the European Higher Education Area EHEA, which today already unites 49 countries, was held in Tirana, Albania. This is the next conference shaping European policies for the harmonization of higher education following the Bologna Declaration 25 years ago. The ministers agreed to build an inclusive, innovative and interconnected European Higher Education Area EHEA by 2030 and, for this purpose, to strengthen the basic mechanisms of the EHEA and create a permanent international secretariat.
At the end, they issued a more extensive communique confirming key commitments as well as core values. In the document, they call for an update of the ECTS credit system, especially by expanding it with micro-certificates, as well as an update of standards and guidelines for ensuring the quality of ESG higher education and a European approach to the accreditation of joint study programs. They are committed to fight against fraudulent practices in qualification works, against fake diplomas, schools and accreditations, or cheating on orders. Ministers also committed to measure progress in the implementation of principles and guidelines to strengthen the social dimension of higher education in the EHEA.
In the Slovak delegation, in addition to representatives of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic, representatives of the Slovak Rector’s Conference and the Slovak Accreditation Agency for Higher Education participated in the conference.
More on the website: ehea2024tirana.al, the ministerial communique itself, Appendix: EHEA STATEMENTS ON FUNDAMENTAL VALUES, EHEA Global Policy Forum Statement
More on the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the Bologna Process: ehea.info
Press release (in Slovak) here.
