Drawing on previous research on the Bologna process and the implications of the policy of “standardisation” of higher education (Karseth 2006, 2008, Solbrekke 2008) this paper investigate the expectations of the “new architecture” of The European Higher Education Area. These expectations underline connections, coherence and measurability between certain curricular, pedagogical and evaluative elements.  In the Bologna documents there is a strong belief that when putting these elements; qualifications frameworks, cycles, learning outcomes, quality assurance, credits, recognition and lifelong learning together, something new and powerful will be created (Adam 2007).  Although these elements are based on scientific tools and technologies we may ask whether they also partly represent imaginative speculations. In this paper we will critically examine these expectations by analysing a sample of Bologna texts developed on the European as well as on the national and institutional level. The analysis is based on the following three main questions: 1.      What is the dominant storyline presented in the Bologna texts? 2.      On which scientific principles is the story based? 3.      What is the degree of resonance or dissonance between these principles and the traditions of higher education?