With the Paris Communiqué, "a structured peer support approach based on solidarity, cooperation and mutual learning" was adopted. In the work plan of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) for 2018-2020, peer support focuses on completing the implementation of three key commitments:
- a three-cycle system compatible with the overarching framework of qualifications of the EHEA and first and second cycle degrees scaled by ECTS,
- compliance with the Lisbon Recognition Convention,
- quality assurance in compliance with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area.
To this end, the BFUG has established a coordinating body, the Bologna Implementation Coordination Group (BICG), to organise three Peer Groups, one for each key commitment.
The BICG is composed by Austria (Co-chair), Bulgaria (Co-chair), Croatia (Co-chair), Italy, the European Commission, EUA, EURASHE and one Co-chair of Working Group 1 on Monitoring.
The Peer Groups themselves, each chaired by three countries, agree on further actions aimed at fostering, improving and speeding up implementation in the participating countries and report to the BICG which makes a summary report to the BFUG on progress achieved prior to the Rome Ministerial Conference in 2020.
In September 2018, the BFUG formally established the following three Thematic Peer Groups based on the interests and needs indicated by the BFUG members and Consultative members in a survey conducted during the summer of 2018:
Specific thematic indications include topics such as:
- self-certification of the national qualification frameworks the overarching Qualifications Framework of the EHEA,
- complete implementation of the ECTS User’s Guide,
- short cycle higher education,
- multiple purposes and use of the qualifications frameworks by the stakeholders,
- study programmes outside of the Bologna three-cycle structure,
- relationship between the qualifications frameworks and quality assurance.
Specific thematic orientations indicated include topics such as:
- establishing the legal framework to allow the implementation of the LRC,
- establishing the distribution of work and responsibilities among the competent institutions that have the right knowledge and capacity to carry out recognition procedures,
- achieving automatic recognition,
- recognition of alternative pathways,
- qualifications held by refugees,
- optimising the potential of digital technology for the recognition agenda and the Diploma Supplement.
Specific thematic orientations include topics such as:
- legislative framework in line with the ESG (introducing changes),
- ensuring effectiveness of internal quality assurance arrangements, including the use of QA results in the decision-making process and quality culture as well as links to learning and teaching,
- the role and engagement of stakeholders in internal and external QA (students, teachers, employers) and
- Cross-border QA and European Approach to accreditation of joint programmes.
Updates from the BICG to the BFUG
BFUG Meeting 63 Vienna September 2018 (under item 8. BICG update: composition of peer groups)
BFUG Meeting 65 Bucharest April 2019 (under item 6. Update from the BICG)
BFUG Meeting 67 Helsinki November 2019 (under item 5.1 Bologna Implementation Coordination Group)
BFUG Meeting 69 Kyiv March 2020 (under item 5.1 Bologna Implementation Coordination Group)
BFUG Meeting 71, online, hosted by Croatia June 2020 (under item 5.5 Bologna Implementation Coordination Group)
Board Meeting 72, online, hosted by United Kingdom (Scotland) September 2020 (under item 7.3 Bologna Implementation Coordination Group)
BFUG Meeting 73, online, hosted by Germany September 2020 (under item 6.3 Bologna Implementation Coordination Group)
BICG Meetings
1. First Meeting of the BICG in Brussels on 5 June 2018
The group discussed the mandate and deliverables of the BICG, on the basis of the Terms of Reference adopted at the Ministerial Conference. The BICG further discussed the concept of peer support and agreed on its next concrete steps.
Outcomes:
- The Co-chairs of the BICG were chosen: Austria, Bulgaria and Croatia;
- The BICG decided to send a letter to all BFUG members to ask them to complete a questionnaire to survey their planned involvement in the Peer Groups based on the three key commitments. The letter was sent and the survey carried out.
2. Second Meeting of the BICG in Brussels on 30 August 2018
The survey results were presented and the Thematic Peer Groups were established according to the country’s and consultative members’ willingness to co-chair and participate in the various groups. The BICG established 3 Peer Groups, one on each of the three Key Commitments. Member countries and organisations in the Peer Groups are encouraged to form smaller thematic groups (3-6 members) within the larger Peer Group, to work on specific themes which contribute to the outcomes of the entire Peer Group.
Outcomes:
- An overview of membership of the different countries and organisations in the three Thematic Peer Groups was elaborated;
- Elaboration of Guidelines for BFUG peer support;
- Organisation of informal networking opportunity to prepare project proposals and sub-groups during the BFUG meeting;
- Proposal of Co-chairs for the Thematic Peer Groups on the basis of the willingness to Co-chair indicated in the survey to be approved by the BFUG.
3. Third Meeting of the BICG in Vienna on 28 September 2018
The BICG and the new Co-chairs of the Thematic Peer Groups met to speak about the organisation and management of the Peer Groups and sub-groups. The networking activity that took place during the BFUG meeting was evaluated and the next steps were planned.
Outcomes:
The following Co-chairs for the Thematic Peer Groups were approved by the BFUG:
- Thematic Peer Group A on QF: Czech Republic, Finland and Kazakhstan;
- Thematic Peer Group B on LRC: Albania, France and Italy;
- Thematic Peer Group C on QA: Belgium Flemish Community, Cyprus and Georgia.
4. Fourth Meeting of the BICG in Brussels on 22 October 2018
The results achieved during the networking sessions at the BFUG meeting in Vienna and the final composition of the Thematic Peer Groups (TPGs), where almost all BFUG members participate in at least one of them, were presented. The dates and practicalities of the first Peer Group meetings were announced and the BICG discussed the Thematic Peer Groups work plans and further organization. The project proposals for the umbrella projects were presented and discussed with the EACEA representatives.
Outcomes:
- Evaluation of the networking sessions at the BFUG meeting;
- Three “umbrella” projects to organise the meetings of the Thematic Peer Groups were elaborated;
- Organisation of the first Thematic Peer Group meetings.
5. Fifth Meeting of the BICG in Vienna on 26 February 2019
The Thematic Peer Groups' Co-chairs reported back from their first meetings held in December and January and organisational issues, like communication, reporting, assessment of outcomes and management of the groups were discussed to improve the present and future work of the BICG .
Outcomes:
- Evaluation of the three first TPG meetings;
- Reflection on improvements in the work of the BICG and the TPGs;
- Elaboration of the report to the BFUG.
6. Sixth Meeting of the BICG in Brussels on 16 September 2019
The BICG met to discuss the current state of the art of the Thematic Peer Groups, the first draft final report to the BFUG and its content and structure, both on the BICG as well as on the TPGs. The BICG also discussed the future of the peer approach after 2020 and agreed to include a recommendation to the EHEA Ministers.
Outcomes:
- Update from the three TPGs activities, meetings, projects and results;
- Decision on the structure and first draft of the BICG's Final Report to the BFUG.
7. Seventh Meeting of the BICG, online, on 8 April 2020
The Co-chairs of the three Thematic Peer Group reported on their activities and provided an update on the projects carried out within their groups. The first results of the BICG questionnaire were presented and the report to the BFUG was discussed. Based on the assumption that the BFUG already supports the continuation of the peer approach, the group discussed the future and the possibility of opening the peer approach to new topics. The European Commission gave an overview of the EHEA call on support to the Bologna Reforms. As the Ministerial Conference has been postponed to November 2020, the TPGs have some more months to finish their work.
Outcomes:
- Update from the three TPGs activities, meetings, projects and results;
- Preparation of the BICG's Final Report to the BFUG;
- Presentation of the first BICG feedback survey results;
- Discussion regarding the future of the peer support approach and possible topics in the next period;
- Overview of the European Commission call and the selected projects.
8. Eighth Meeting of the BICG, online, on 13 May 2020
The focus of this meeting was to discuss the Final BICG Report and the roadmap for the next months until the Ministerial Conference in November 2020. The BFUG Secretariat has clustered the participants of all TPG meetings in a typology file to find out what kind of institutions participated in the single peer approach activities. This and other information was the basis for a discussion about the lessons learned on possible improvements. The observations were incorporated into to the Final Report.
Outcomes:
- In depth discussion on the BICG's Final Report;
- Discussion regarding the typology of participants in the single peer approach activities;
- Discussion about the lessons learned from the peer approach activities;
- Planning of the next months until the Ministerial Conference.
9. Ninth Meeting of the BICG, online, on 12 June 2020
The BICG discussed all the chapters of the BICG’s Final Report and worked in more detail on the executive summary. The TPG Co-chairs prepared the parallel sessions that are organized during the Split BFUG meeting to get feedback from the BFUG on the lessons learned and outcomes of the work based on the peer approach mechanism. The BICG planned and updated the roadmap for the next months until the Ministerial Conference and prepared the call for expression of interest to participate in the future TPGs.
Outcomes:
- In depth discussion on the single chapters of the BICG's Final Report;
- Preparation of the parallel sessions at the BFUG meeting moderated by the TPG Co-chairs;
- Organisation of the call for expression of interest to participate in the future TPGs;
- Planning of the roadmap for the next months until the Ministerial Conference.
10. Tenth Meeting of the BICG, online, on 9 July 2020
The BICG incorporated the comments received by the BFUG to the BICG’s Draft Final Report and reviewed the single chapters according to the indications given by the BFUG. The last steps towards the Ministerial Conference were discussed and planned.
Outcomes:
- Discussion on the single chapters of the BICG's Final Report;
- Planning of the roadmap for the next months until the Ministerial Conference.
11. Eleventh Meeting of the BICG, online, on 27 August 2020
The BICG finalised the Final BICG Report for the Ministerial Conference and discussed the proposal for Terms of Reference for the BICG's work plan 2021-2024. The last steps towards the Ministerial Conference were discussed and planned.
Outcomes:
- Finalisation of the BICG's Final Report;
- Proposal for Terms of Reference for the work plan 2021-2024;
- Planning of the next steps towards the Ministerial Conference.
12. Twelfth Meeting of the BICG, online, on 18 September 2020
The BFUG Members and Consultative Members had expressed their interest to participate in the Thematic Peer Groups during the next period 2021-2024 on a survey. The BICG evaluated the survey results and elaborated the composition of the new Thematic Peer Groups. The chairing and composition of the BICG and the Thematic Peer Groups was proposed to the BFUG at its Berlin online meeting on 24 September 2020.
Outcome:
- Proposal for composition of Thematic Peer Groups in the period 2021-2024 to be approved by the BFUG.