RECOGNITION INSTRUMENTS IN EUROPE

The various academic recognition instruments in use in Europe are presented and described. These include the oldest ones, the Council of Europe Conventions and then the so‐called Prague Convention, the two UNESCO Conventions concerning Europe, particularly the UNESCO European Convention, and most recently, the General Directives of the European Union for recognition with regard to regulated professions. Because Europe has undergone major political and social changes since the first of these conventions was signed, and higher education itself has undergone great diversification, the time has come to seriously consider the establishment of a joint Council of Europe‐UNESCO Convention. Whereas the Council of Europe Conventions con‐centrated on outcomes and the UNESCO European Convention focussed on recognition processes within the framework of a divided Europe, a combined Convention should be oriented toward acceptance for given purposes. It should include the establishment of a code of conduct and involve the participation of subject‐oriented networks and a system of intermediate classification. It should also rely on a combined system of information networks.     

THE MUTUAL RECOGNITION OF ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND THE USA 1

The origins of the problem addressed by this article go back to the Fourteenth Session of the Standing Conference on University Problems (CC‐PU) of the Council of Europe, meeting in March 1991, during which the delegation of Austria evoked certain difficulties which Austrian and other European university students and graduates were having in obtaining proper recognition for their credentials by higher education institutions in the United States. As the Council of Europe requested the collaboration of UNESCO in dealing with the problem, a Working Group was formed in 1992 to propose solutions. The present article is an abridged version of the draft report of this Working Group which is to be presented at the Seventh Session of the Regional Committee of the Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas, and Degrees concerning Higher Education in the States Belonging to the Europe Region, meeting in Budapest on 18 June 1994. It outlines and explains the differences in role, scope, structure, and philosophy of higher education in the USA and in Europe that have given rise to problems of recognition and equivalence and proposes solutions.

     

学术职业化与美国高等教育的发展

本文借鉴职业社会学的相关研究成果 ,通过探讨 16 36～ 1914年间 (特别是 19世纪后期 )美国学术职业化进程以及在这个过程中发挥作用的主要因素 ,分析了美国高等教育发展的内在动力机制。     

THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE IN ASSISTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Most of this article consists of the reproduction of Recommendation No. R (95) 7 of the Committee of Ministers [of the Council of Europe] to Member States on Brain Drain in the Sectors of Higher Education and Research, adopted by the Ministers’ Deputies on 2 March 1995 and of its Annex consisting of a set of concrete measures to be taken in order to enact and to support the Recommendation. The Recommendation and Annex statements are preceded by two background statements, one suggesting ways in which the Council of Europe might aid the development of science and science policy in the countries of central and eastern Europe undergoing transition, the other, giving the background to Recommendation No. R (95) 7.     

ACADEMIC FREEDOM IN EUROPE: REVIEWING UNESCO'S RECOMMENDATION

ABSTRACT:  This paper examines the compliance of universities in the European Union with the UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher–Education Teaching Personnel, which deals primarily with protection for academic freedom. The paper briefly surveys the European genesis of the modern research university and academic freedom, before evaluating compliance with the UNESCO recommendation on institutional autonomy, academic freedom, university governance and tenure. Following from this, the paper examines the reasons for the generally low level of compliance with the UNESCO Recommendation within the EU states, and considers how such compliance could be improved .     

SHORT OVERVIEW OF CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN LITHUANIA IN THE DOMAIN OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND RECOGNITION OF HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

This article describes current developments in regard to quality assurance and the recognition of higher education qualifications in Lithuania. With the aim of internationalizing its higher education system, Lithuania acceded to the UNESCO European Diploma Convention in 1994 and to the Council of Europe Convention on the Equivalence of Diplomas Leading to Admission to Universities in 1996. The Ministry of Education created the Lithuanian Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education in January 1995. It has been very active in a number of directions since then. In addition, Lithuania has subjected its science to international evaluation, is a partner in the Baltic Higher Education Coordination Committee, and is participating in two PHARE projects for the development of co‐operation in higher education. The main obstacle to greater co‐operation in regard both to the recognition of academic qualifications and to quality assurance is lack of financial resources.     

THE CONTRIBUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHANGING SOCIETIES ‐ CEPES ROUND TABLE

The aim of the CEPES Round Table on The Contribution of Higher Education in Europe to the Development of Changing Societies (Bucharest, 21‐23 September 1976) was to exchange ideas and experience on the role of higher education in Europe in view of the general changes in present‐day society, and also with regard to the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference on Security and Co‐operation in Europe. The following eleven participants took part in the meeting:

• Professor György Adam (Hungary), Rector of Budapest University;

• Professor Gunnar Adler‐Karlsson (Sweden), Roskilde University;

• Professor Hélène Ahrweiler (France), President of the University of Paris I;

• Professor Johan Galtung (Norway), Director General of the Inter‐University Centre of Post‐Graduate Studies in Dubrovnik;

• Dr. Stefan Kwiatkowski (Poland), Deputy Director of the Institute of Science Policy and Higher Education in Warsaw;

• Professor Mircea Malita (Romania), Bucharest University,’ Counsellor to the President of the Socialist Republic of Romania;

• Professor Manfred Nast (GDR), Secretary to the Council of Higher Education Institutions of the German Democratic Republic;

• Professor James A. Perkins (USA), Chairman of the International Council for Educational Development (ICED);

• Professor Branko Pribicevic (Yugoslavia), Belgrade University;

• Professor Ludwig Raiser (FRG), President of the Standing Conference of Rectors and Vice‐chancellors of the European Universities (CRE);

Professor Yuri Zhdanov (USSR), Rector of Rostov University.

Also at the meeting were observers and representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Council of Europe, International Association of Universities (IAU), the European Cultural Foundation and Association des Universités Partiellement ou Entièrement de Langue Frangaise (AUPELF).

The meeting was opened by the Representative of the Director General of UNESCO, Mr. René Ochs, Director of the Division of Higher Education and of Training of Education Personnel.

H.E. Mrs. Suzana Gddea, Minister of Education and Learning of the Socialist Republic of Romania, addressed the meeting during the inaugural session on behalf of the Romanian Government.

We give below a summary of the discussions. This is not an official report of the meeting. (For further information on this meeting and its follow‐up see page 32 in this issue.)     

RECENT TRENDS AND FUTURE TENDENCIES OF HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOCIALIST COUNTRIES OF EASTERN EUROPE

Developments in higher education in the socialist countries of Eastern Europe are of interest to a large number of the Bulletin readers. In the context of the topic on which this issue of the Bulletin is con‐centrated, the following information is presented. It is based on an article entitled “Recent Trends and issues in Higher Education in Eastern Europe”, which was written by Professor Stefan Kwiatkowski, Deputy Director of the Institute of Science Policy, Technological Progress and Higher Education in Warsaw.     

DISCUSSION PAPERS OF THE CEPES ROUND TABLE ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHANGING SOCIETIES

We continue to publish extracts from the discussion papers presented by participants at the CEPES Round Table on the Contribution of Higher Education in Europe to the Development of Changing Societies, held in Bucharest from 21 to 23 September 1976. Previous papers were published in the January‐February 1977 issue of this Bulletin.

The full text of these papers and the working documents of the Round Table will be published by CEPES, in the near future, in the form of a monograph.     

DISCUSSION PAPERS OF THE CEPES ROUND TABLE ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHANGING SOCIETIES

The November‐December 1976 issue of this Bulletin gave information on the work of the CEPES Round Table on the Contribution of Higher Education in Europe to the Development of Changing Societies, which was held in Bucharest from 21 to 23 September 1976. In this and the next issues we are publishing resumes of the discussion papers presented by participants at the meeting.

The full text of these papers and the working documents of the Round Table will be published by CEPES, in the near future, in the form of a monograph.     

TRANSFORMATION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITIES IN EUROPE

Because of the fundamental importance of science in economic, social, and cultural development, and because the structures supporting science have been weakened by the transition process in the countries of eastern and central Europe, various strategies are needed to relaunch science on a new basis. The activity of UNESCO in general, and of ROSTE, its Regional Office of Science and Technology for Europe, in particular, is described with regard to this problem. Among other actions, a seminar was held in 1992 on Organizational Structures of Science in Europe. A more recent UNESCO initiative calls for a wide discussion of the role and place of science in the contemporary world. The holding of the Academies in Transition international workshop fits well into the scope of this initiative.     

DISCUSSION PAPERS OF THE CEPES ROUND TABLE ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHANGING SXIETIES

We continue to publish extracts from the discussion papers presented by participants at the CEPES Round Table on the Contribution of Higher Education in Europe to the Development of Changing Societies, held in Bucharest from 21 to 23 September 1976. Previous papers were published in the January‐February 1977 issue of this Bulletin.

The full text of these papers and the working documents of the Round Table will be published by CEPES, in the near future, in the form of a monograph.     

THE PRESENT CONTEXT OF EUROPEAN ACADEMIC EXCHANGE: THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE TO EUROPEAN CO‐OPERATION IN THE DOMAIN OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

This article outlines the activities of the Council of Europe in favour of inter‐university co‐operation and exchange. First, the role and tasks of the CC‐PU and then the work programme of the Council of Europe on higher education and research are examined. With regard to academic mobility and European inter‐university co‐operation, the Transfrontier Regional University Co‐operation Programme, the European Postgraduate Training Programme, and the Inter‐university Co‐operation Programme between Europe and Latin America are described. Finally, both the European Networks for Scientific and Technical Co‐operation and the Open Partial Agreement on the Prevention of, Protection Against, and Organisation of Relief in Major Natural and Technological Disasters and their constituent activities are evoked.     

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN COMMUNITY/JUNIOR COLLEGES: THE STATE OF THE ART AS VIEWED BY THE ACADEMIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

The purpose of this study was to determine the state of the art in curriculum development in U.S. community/junior colleges. Responding to a questionnaire of 33 items, 184 academic affairs officers expressed their perception of community/junior college curriculum development including (1) goals and objectives, (2) content, (3) learning experiences, (4) learner characteristics, and (5) planning and evaluation. Several areas are identified as needing attention that provide direction for improved curriculum development.