The NewFAV2 project builds on the work carried out under the NewFAV project and supports the implementation of the Bologna Process commitments on fundamental values, as set out in the Rome and Tirana Communiqués. Its main aim is to develop and apply a technical methodology framework for monitoring how the fundamental values of higher education – academic freedom, institutional autonomy, the participation of students and staff in higher education governance, academic integrity, and public responsibility for and of higher education – are protected and promoted across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Developed in close cooperation with the BFUG Working Group on Fundamental Values, the project carries out the first systematic monitoring exercise on the state of fundamental values in the EHEA. Its findings will feed into the Bologna Process Implementation Report 2027 and the 2027 Iași-Chișinău Ministerial Conference.
You can find out more about the project, its background and its outputs at fundamentalvalues.info.
Data collection and validation in progress
The project has now reached a key operational phase, as, more than 40 countries have submitted their responses to the dedicated questionnaire for public authorities.
A defining feature of the NewFAV2 methodology is that information is not taken from a single source, but cross-checked across several independent perspectives. This ensures that the monitoring initiative captures how fundamental values are truly implemented on the ground. For each country or system, the overall picture is built and validated through the responses of public authorities, the input of national stakeholders (including student unions, academic staff and trade unions, and rectors’ conferences or other institutional representatives), the views of academic community members gathered directly through a public consultation, and the project team’s own desk research, drawing on existing reports, studies and analyses. Taking into account these different sources reduces reliance on any single viewpoint and supports a more reliable and balanced account that captures both the de jure framework and the de facto situation. The broad participation and strong response rate give the project a solid, well-grounded evidentiary foundation.
Have your say: the academic community survey is open until 31 July
In parallel, NewFAV2 is gathering perspectives directly from members of academic communities through a dedicated survey. The response so far has been encouraging, with over 461 completed responses from 30 countries and higher education systems, capturing a wide range of voices, including teaching staff, administrative staff, students and researchers.
The survey remains open, and we warmly invite members of academic communities across the EHEA to contribute their views. You can take part until 31 July by scanning the QR code below.
Every response helps build a richer, more representative picture of the state of fundamental values in European Higher Education Area.
What comes next
Once data collection and validation are complete, the project team will move into the analysis phase. A first set of draft results is expected to be presented in autumn 2026, offering an early overview of the findings and an opportunity for the stakeholders to react, discuss and provide feedback before the results are consolidated. We will keep you updated on these developments through future newsletters and on the project website.