Striving for Uniformity, Hoping for Innovation and Diversification: a critical review concerning the Bologa Process

Author(s):

Monne Wihlborg(presenting / submitting)Christine Teelken(presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2014

Network:

22. Research in Higher Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

22 SES 05 B, Policy, Management and Governance in Higher Education

Paper Session

Time:

2014-09-03

11:00-12:30

Room:

B021 Anfiteatro

Chair:

Liudvika Leisyte

Contribution

Research topic and question

The implementation of the Bologna Process (BP) did not go as smoothly as the Bologna Follow-Up evaluations suggest, and the consequences of the BP for the various European higher education systems and universities are much more diverse than represented in these various studies. Relatively few research and policy documents taking up a more critical stance are currently available while a systematic overview of such studies is still lacking. Purpose of this paper is to provide an overview and consequently reveal the most prominent views concerning the BP, as well as emphasize the critical developments over a longer time period. A longitudinal literature review was carried out, consisting of 161 studies between 2004-2013, resulted in a final selection of 91 studies. Our paper demonstrates that the studies available in our search show that issues concerning challenges, tensions and critical viewpoints about BP exist and yet confirms that further research is called for. It is further suggested that the impact of the BP discourse would benefit from the adaptation of a continuously critical reflective approach, as an on-going part in the overall discussion about the BP.

Theoretical framework

We are using the following steppingstones (Sursock & Smidt, 2010) as they illustrate, the inherently controversial character of the BP that is of interest in our literature search, and frame our point of direction and research inquiry:

(i) Critical reflections about the concretizing of internal and external quality assurance processes involved in the BP discourse. ‘Are internal and external quality assurance processes supporting the modernisation agenda of higher education institutions, their strategic orientations and the requirements of knowledge-driven societies?’ (ibid).

(ii) Critical reflections about the use of indicators: ‘Is the use of indicators or criteria sufficiently flexible to support the diversification of national higher education systems?’ (ibid). The conditions are that on an ‘European level the challenge is to support diversity across – and within – 46 countries while adhering to unifying principles and values’, and also that ‘common standards’ must be framed in such a way that they do not stifle diversity, innovative teaching practices and creative research, and that they do promote quality levels substantially through the central role of HEIs.’ (ibid).

These stipulated and unification intentions represent the core nature of the BP. Together, both (i) and (ii) show a contradiction, as on the one hand, the Bologna intentions attempt to stimulate comparability, and search for equality of higher education provision at macro level. Higher education institutions should supposedly be able to compete, support creativity and stimulate innovative developments at the level of the individual courses at the micro level. This contradiction between homogeneity versus heterogeneity is an essential cause for the creation of strains within the ongoing Bologna Process, as both parts of the coin apparently need to be present in coherence, at one and the same time (authors, 2010). A longitudinal search and analysis of research studies found in research databases (ERIC) was conducted. Given the complexity and the impact of this process, which has been going on for more than a decade, it should be noted that at least up to 2008, there were few studies that took a distinct critically stance on matters concerned with the BP. To our knowledge a systematic, longitudinal overview of such studies is currently unavailable. Therefore, our attempt has been to trace, frame and draw from policy documents and research studies about the BP, by selecting those retro perspective studies providing any attempt for conducting a critical view, in order to adopt a more balanced picture of the ongoing Bologna process and higher education in Europe.

Method

The study involves two parts, one focuses on policy documents concerning the higher education sector in relation to the Bologna process in Europe. The results from that part are incorporated in our background and discussion. The second part is a literature search and review focusing on retro perspective critical reflections and viewpoints in relation to the Bologna Process, based on a selection of research studies. The literature review intends to establish an up to date position on our topic. The rationale, Hart (2003a, 2003b), for conducting a literature review is to be able to get a relevant and up-to-date overview about the topic, consequently providing some critical points of current knowledge about BP and its consequences. Few studies have been conducted from an explicit critical standpoint, to our knowledge. We have therefore decided to carry out a targeted review in one database that holds studies about education and policy concerning higher education. The process of reading, analyzing, evaluating and summarizing scholarly materials about a specific topic in a systematic way is of interest. All in order to frame the critical studies available, and consequently, enable a review both of the broadness, the longitudinal approach, and the nature of their viewpoints grasping the specifics. Data collection and analysis process In order to select relevant studies and data we have turned to the international database ERIC - Education Resource Information Center (EBSCOhost) focusing on social sciences an education. In order to enclose data which was manageable and relevant, some additional pre conditions for the search have been stipulated: Studies published between 1st of January 2004 and 1st of March 2013 and written in English are included. We chose these dates, because we wanted to include studies concerning the implementation phase of the BP, such as the reflections in relation to quality assurance and diversifications. Since we did not want to miss out any of the current outcomes of the BP, we decide to incorporate all studies available until March 2013, when we conducted our literature search. The international database ERIC was used to search data (research studies), the following inclusion criteria were used in different combinations: Bologna process AND reflecting/reflection/reflections, criticism, educational assessment, assessment, quality, critical analysis, critical review, comparative studies, retro perspective, students attitudes, students experiences, teaching, all in the purpose for framing the topic for this study.

Expected Outcomes

Results The papers that have been reviewed and analysed concerning the BP can be placed in a certain order, differing from taking a mildly critical stance, by referring to possible disadvantages towards using a critical viewpoint on Bologna as the central topic of discussion. Within this order, we distinguish the three following themes: Challenges, involving studies about potential disadvantages caused by the BP, tensions, referring to the incompatibility of certain BP measures and third, the studies that take a critical standpoint, exploring and analysing the actual problematic or biased consequences of the BP. All the papers, 91 in all, which are part of our analysis are mentioned in the reference list marked with an*. Conclusions When perceiving the results of our literature review, there are three relevant findings: First, our literature review shows that related to the importance of the BP, the number of studies using a critical or at least reflective perspective is relatively low. Closer scrutiny revealed even fewer relevant studies. Consequently, we broadened our selection categories to studies discussing hypothetical challenges and tensions. Interesting, while the total number of relevant studies has not increased significantly over the years, on average share of studies using a critical stance grew extensively, for example from one out of 10 studies in 2007 to 8 out of 14 studies in 2010. Our aim is to raise awareness and contribute to the discussion about this issue. The question we need to discuss more thoroughly is what consequences are to be avoided and which are to be strived for? Striving for homogeneity of curriculum and syllabus in delivering fixed standardised and measurable standards, easy to compare grade wise, or do the future European higher education systems need to prepare for multiple variations in order to be part of a global knowledge society.

References

A list of all included reviewed articles is provided in the original paper. The Bologna Process 2020 (2009). The European HE Area in the new decade… Bucharest Communique (2012) Making the Most of Our Potential: Consolidating the European HE Area Budapest-Vienna Declaration on the European HE Area (2010) *Cernetic, M. (2011) Lisbona's Goals and Bolonian Process-Issue of Education in EU Integration… *Dahl et al (2009). Conformity or Confusion? Changing HE Grading Scales as a Part of the Bologna Process. .. *Damian, R.M. (2011). The bologna process as a reform initiative in HE in the Balkan countries: The case of Romania. European Education… *Despotovic, M. (2011). The interpretation and implementation of the bologna process in Serbia. European Education… European Commission (2013) The Bologna Process - Towards the European HE Area *Greenwood. D. J. (2009). Bologna in America: The Spellings Commission and Neo-Liberal HE Policy…The International Journal of HE in the Social Sciences… Hart, C. (2003b) Doing a Literature Review. London: SAGE. Huisman, J. (2009). The Bologna Process towards 2020: Institutional diversification or convergence? in B. Kehm, J. Huisman & B. Stensaker (Eds.), The European HE Area… Leuven Declaration (2009) The Bologna Process 2020 - The European HE Area in the new decade Communiqué of the Conference of European Ministers Responsible for HE, Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve, 28-29 April. *Luchinskaya, Daria ; Ovchynnikova, Olena (2011) The Bologna Process Policy Implementation in Russia and Ukraine: Similarities and Differences. European Educational Research Journal… *Portela, M., Sa, C., Alexandre, F and Cardoso, A-R. (2009). Perceptions of the Bologna Process: What Do Students' Choices Reveal? HE: The International Journal of HE and Educational Planning… *Rauhvargers, A. (2011). Achieving bologna goals: Where does Europe stand ahead of 2010. Journal of Studies in International Education… Sursock, A & Smidt, H. (2010) Trends 2010: A decade of change in European HE. EUA-publications… *Teelken, C. & Wihlborg, M. (2010). Reflecting on the bologna outcome space: Some pitfalls to avoid? Exploring universities in Sweden and The Netherlands European Educational Research Journal… Trends IV (2007) Universities shaping the European HE Area. An EUA report. Trends V (2011) Universities shaping the European HE Area… Van der Westerheijden, D.F. van der, et al., (2008) The first decade of working on the European HE Area, The Bologna Process Independent Assessment Volume 1… Wihlborg, M. (2009) Quality in internationalising H E - A challenging pedagogical & didactical issue for the 21st century. European Educational Research Journal…

Author Information

Monne Wihlborg (presenting / submitting)

Lund University

Lund

Christine Teelken (presenting)

University Amsterdam, Netherlands

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