The Bologna Process and studying with a disability

esdon esdon@esdon.org +32 485/376 434Gasmeterlaan 134 B-9000 Gent Belgium

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Gilles VerschooreCoordinator esdon

The BP in a few words

• Intergovernmental process• From 29 to 46 countries (Cultural

Convention of the CoE)• The Bologna Declaration• 1999-2010-2020• Creation of a European Higher Education

Area (EHEA)• A process to harmonise European HE

Start and evolution

• 1998: Sorbonne• 1999: Bologna• 2001: Prague• 2003: Berlin• 2005: Bergen• 2007: London• 2009: Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve

Sorbonne

• Celebration 800 years Sorbonne• France, Germany, Italy and the United

Kingdom• Sorbonne Joint Declaration• More cooperation in the field of HE

Bologna

• 29 countries• Harmonisation of HE

• Comparability• Compatibility• Promotion of mobility

• Not a binding international treaty• 3 dimensions

• Comparability• Employability• Attractiveness• Social cohesion??

The Bologna Declaration

• Easily readable & comparable degrees (+ implementation of DS, to promote employability & international competitiveness)

• Two main cycles (undergraduate (min 3 years) & graduate)

• System of credits, such asECTS• Promotion of mobility• European cooperation in quality assurance• Promotion of the necessary European

dimension in HE

Action lines

Qualifications Frameworks / Three-Cycle System Joint DegreesMobility RecognitionQuality Assurance Social DimensionEmployability Lifelong LearningEHEA in a global context StocktakingBologna Beyond 2010

A pedagogical revolution?

• Teaching => Learning• Tutor-oriented => Student-centered

• Year => Semester

• Class hours => ECTS

• Class content => Learning outcomes

How does studying (and working) with a disability fits

in the Bologna Process?

BP and disability (1/8)

• 3-cycle system and ECTS• Flexibilisation => flexible and individual

pathways

REMARK: Is this inclusive for all? Maybe some students like ex cathedra classes?

=> Yes, both systems can exist in a parallel way

BP and disability (2/8)

• Mobility• Disabled students (and staff) must be able to

be mobile as well• Should focus on a free choice of institution and

be based on the educational opportunities an institution can offer a disabled student, not just based on the availability of specialised services

• => Study abroad without limits

BP and disability (3/8)

• Quality assurance• Embed student services in general and

services for disabled students in the quality assurance review process

• Monitoring of the impact of the quality assurance system

• Continuous professional development of staff (‘teaching the teachers’, ‘training the trainers’)

BP and disability (4/8)

• Lifelong learning• Flexible, individual and alternative pathways

to enjoy higher education

BP and disability (5/8)

• Employability• HE must prepare students to function properly

in a working environment• => disabled students as well

• Raising awareness amongst employers, empowerment of people with disabilities and provision of specialist career and guidance services

BP and disability (6/8)

• Social dimension• => start to act, clear goals and benchmarks

regarding accessibility, services, guidance and counseling, reasonable adjustments and non-discrimination legislation

BP and disability (7/8)

BP and disability (8/8)

• Stocktaking• => put accessibility, services, guidance and

counseling and reasonable adjustments in the stocktaking under the social dimension

• Data collection!

Thank you for your attention!