Activites

• 1998/10/07 Final act published in Official Journal
• #2117
• 1998/09/24 Council Meeting
• 1998/09/24 End of procedure in Parliament
• 1998/09/24 Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
• 1998/07/02 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1998)0405 summary

    In its re-examined proposal, the Commission has incorporated the single amendment adopted by Parliament at second reading. This calls for encouragement and help for higher education institutions to use quality assurance to improve the quality of teaching, learning and training in research (an important aspect of the task of higher education institutions which is often closely linked with education in general).�

• 1998/05/28 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T4-0312/1998 summary

    In adopting the recommendation for second reading by Mrs Renate Charlotte HEINISCH (EPP, D) Parliament regretted that the Council had not considered it appropriate for the Commission to oversee the creation of a European quality assurance network. It introduced only one amendment into the common position calling for encouragement and help for higher education institutions to use quality assurance as a means of improving the quality of teaching and learning as well as of training in research. �

• 1998/05/27 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    Stressing the importance of this recommendation in terms of promoting quality education in Europe, Commissioner Cresson said that the amendment proposed by the rapporteur could be accepted as its scope was clearly defined and restricted to training in research. She said in this respect that, in the teaching provided by higher educational establishments, training in research was often intimately tied to general education.

• 1998/05/20 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A4-0191/1998
• 1998/04/02 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #2071
• 1998/02/26 Council Meeting
  • 05723/1/1998 summary

    In its common position on the Council recommendation on cooperation in quality assurance in higher education, the Council has taken account of the spirit of most of the amendments proposed by Parliament at first reading (13 amendments of the 38 adopted). These are the amendments which are primarily concerned with the issue of diversity of national cultures concerning evaluation, the definition of a higher education establishment and the impact on higher education of the information society and economic and technological developments. The Council, like Parliament, stresses the importance of transnational mobility for quality education and the importance of quality education for employment. It has also adopted the idea of a link between the socio-cultural and economic functions of education. Other important amendments have been incorporated such as those on the exclusive responsibility of Member States for the organization and structure of higher education systems and on autonomy of universities. Apart from the amendments which were not incorporated by the Commission in its modified proposal, the Council has not adopted some more technical amendments on the education and research mandate of higher education establishments, the expansion and completion of existing structures for the creation of a 'European quality assurance network' and examples of exchanges of information, experience and/or assistance. At the same time, the Council has made some changes to the Commission's basic text and modified the general structure of the initial text by reinforcing the elements of the proposal concerned with 'cooperation between Member States and weakening the role of the Commission. In particular, the Council considered that the detailed request addressed to the Commission to support the establishment of a European quality assurance network was not appropriate. It proposes to transfer this part of the text to Part 1, addressed solely to the Member States. The follow-up measures needed after a teaching quality evaluation also apply exclusively to educational establishments. The new recommendations to the Commission are concerned with intra-Community cooperation in the area of quality assurance (in close cooperation with the Member States and on the basis of existing programmes) and on progress reports carried out in this area. The Council also considered that it was more appropriate to transfer to the annex the principles on which national evaluation and quality assurance systems should be based. The provisions concerning the evaluation procedure itself have been relaxed to take into account the needs of higher education establishments. The Council has omitted a paragraph providing for the Commission to submit appropriate proposals to strengthen quality assurance. �

• 1998/02/02 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1997)0707 summary

    Following the European Parliament's opinion of 18 November 1997, the Commission tabled an amended proposal incorporating almost half the amendments proposed by Parliament on first reading. The amendments are centred in particular on: - the definition of higher education establishments, - diversity of education systems, - independence of higher education establishments, - consideration of the European dimension of teaching and rapid global development (particularly in the technological sector), - calling on the Member States to contribute to the creation of a European quality assurance network, taking account of developments in the field of modern technologies and information. The amendments not incorporated include: - a number of amendments seeking to define the fundamental principles characterizing national quality assessment systems, the stages of this assessment and those involved at each stage. The Commission considers that such amendments raise the problem of subsidiarity, since the area touched upon by this area is relatively new. - an amendment to eliminate the link between quality assurance and the labour market needs. The Commission considers that this link is important in view of the legal basis of the proposed recommendation (Article 127 of the Treaty) and the implications of this in terms of the employability of graduates. - Amendments seeking to include the CEEC, which the Commission considers inappropriate, - the amendment seeking to introduce systems of quality assurance in the field of research, since the Commission considers that this is outside the scope of the proposal, - certain superfluous amendments concerning the autonomy of higher education institutions. �

• #2046
• 1997/11/20 Council Meeting
• 1997/11/18 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0543/1997 summary

    In adopting the report by Mrs Renate Charlotte HEINISCH (PPE, D), the European Parliament has approved the Council recommendation, but feels that a quality assurance system and cooperation among higher education institutions can flourish only on a basis of trust. It therefore considers that a quality assurance system must not be forced on higher education institutions at either national or Community level. It also calls for the cultural multiplicity reflected in the diversity of education systems to be preserved, and the autonomy and distinctive profile of each higher education institution to be maintained. It urges education institutions to ensure that their programmes take account of developments in society and quality criteria on the labour market. In connection with the evaluation report, it suggests involving other interested parties from outside education (social partners, business community, foreign experts, etc.), thus enriching and improving the evaluation process. As regards evaluation proper, it calls for the European dimension of the courses offered to students to be examined as part of European evaluation exercises, but is against laying down centrally determined evaluation standards at European level. It is up to each Member State, in conjunction with its education institutions, to lay down quality criteria suited to its own cultural, educational, economic and institutional traditions, etc. Parliament also stipulates that no opportunity for the promotion of mobility should be overlooked, while upholding the principles of subsidiarity and the autonomy of higher education institutions. Finally, it calls for links to be established in this field with the countries applying to join the Union and for the budget resources and experience gained from the SOCRATES and LEONARDO programmes to be exploited to the full. �

• 1997/11/17 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    The rapporteur stressed the importance of mobility within the current context of economic globalisation. As a result, Mrs Heinisch welcomed the Commission’s proposal which concentrated more on mobility than quality. The rapporteur also stressed the need to preserve the independence of universities and to build a true European network which could only be achieved in a climate of mutual confidence. In the same respect, she proposed that the central and eastern European countries should become involved in creating this network. Commissioner Bjerregaard underlined the difficulty of defining ‘quality’ in terms of further education as it was impossible to unequivocally qualify the different working methods and educational traditions of Member States. While welcoming Parliament’s constructive proposals, the Commission could accept only 17 out of the 38 amendments proposed. All the amendments which referred to third countries and research had to be rejected.

• 1997/11/06 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0358/1997
• #2020
• 1997/06/26 Council Meeting
  • 2020
• 1997/06/13 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1997/05/02 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1997)0159 summary

    OBJECTIVE: The recommendation calls on the Member States to consider establishing quality assessment and assurance arrangements for their higher education systems, with a view to meeting the educational and professional requirements of the 'knowledge society'. It does not make any proposals concerning methods, structures or financing, which are matters pertaining solely to the Member States. SUBSTANCE: The following recommendations are made: 1) concerning the Member States: - to create quality assessment and assurance systems for their higher education systems, with the following objectives: . preserving the quality of higher education while taking account of the European dimension and global needs; . utilizing quality assurance techniques as guiding mechanisms to ensure the organizational flexibility of higher education establishments; . underpinning European and worldwide cooperation in the field; - to base their quality assessment and assurance systems on the following principles: . autonomy and independence of the bodies responsible for assessment (as regards both assessment procedures and methods used); . relating evaluation procedures to the profile of establishments (involving questions of institutions' understanding of themselves and their role); . organization of assessment to include the opinions of external experts and the institutions' internal comments; . involvement of all the players: internal analysis should include the views of teaching staff, administrators and students; external analysis should be based on cooperation between independent experts and persons from the establishment being assessed (experts from other Member States may take part in the assessment); alumni, the social partners and other groups should be represented in the groups of external experts; . publication of evaluation reports; - to ensure that follow-up measures are taken at national and regional level to implement plans for improving the quality of the higher education and integrating graduates more effectively into the labour market; - to exchange experiences and develop cooperation in quality assessment and assurance between Member States and with the international organizations which are active in the field. 2) concerning the Commission: - to create a 'European Quality Assurance Network' of Member State bodies and associations within the Union which are active in the field, to be responsible for: . exchange of information (via European conferences and workshops); . technical assistance to Member States in implementing concrete projects for improving quality assessment and assurance projects in the educational field; . assistance to groups of higher education institutions from different Member States wishing to cooperate in assessment projects under the Erasmus programme; . providing information on methodological developments and sound practice in relation to quality assessment and assurance procedures ('toolkits'); . linking quality assurance to other Community activities (under the Socrates, Leonardo and other programmes); . preparation of methods to achieve better integration of graduates in the European labour market. This network will receive Community support via the Socrates and Leonardo programmes. Involvement of enterprises in the process of quality assessment and assurance will be extremely welcome. A report will be submitted to the Council and the European Parliament every two years on the development of the Member States' quality assessment and assurance systems. A proposal of appropriate nature could be envisaged in relation to the reports' conclusions. �

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1997)0159
• Debate in Council: 2020
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A4-0358/1997
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0543/1997
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1997)0707
• Council position published: 05723/1/1998
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A4-0191/1998
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T4-0312/1998
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1998)0405

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)