Creation of a Common Higher Education Policy at the EU Level

Europska zajednica je već 1955. godine uvidjela potrebu stvaranja zajedničke visokoobrazovne politike kako bi se bolje iskoristio europski intelektualni i znanstveni potencijal te kako bi se taj potencijal približio potrebama gospodarstva. Prva faza razvoja zajedničke visokoobrazovne politike u šezdesetim godinama 20. stoljeća obilježena je pokušajem pronalaženja adekvatnog institucionalnog okvira za promicanje visokog obrazovanja na razini Europske zajednice. U drugoj fazi u sedamdesetim godinama suradnja na području visokog obrazovanja priznata je kao zajednička politika za koju institucije EZ-e mogu formirati određene aktivnosti te je definiran potreban administrativan aparat unutar Europske komisije. Uspostavljeni su oblici suradnje koji su istovremeno predmet odlučivanja svake članice te aktivnost na razini EZ-e koja može dodatno unaprijediti kvalitetu i služiti kao nadopuna nacionalnim aktivnostima. U zadnjoj trećoj fazi od 1985.–1993. godine osigurana je široka podrška za pravovaljano donošenje odluka o visokom obrazovanju na razini EZ-e. Europsko vijeće je 1987. godine odobrilo ERASMUS program čime je završen ciklus nastajanja visokoobrazovne politike na razini EZe. Ovaj model nastajanja i kreiranja visokoobrazovne politike unutar EZ-e značajan je jer pokazuje na koji je način moguće ideju pretočiti u zajedničku politiku EZ-e, uz istovremeno očuvanje i poštivanje sveučilišne autonomije i nacionalnog suvereniteta. Suradnja na razini EZ-e pokazala se puno dinamičnijom i efikasnijom od međuvladine suradnje. To je otvorilo put nastanku i razvoju Bolonjskog procesa krajem 20. stoljeća. Europska unija je dobila pomoćnu i nadopunjavajuću ulogu u visokom obrazovanju jer su glavne kompetencije i dalje ostale na državama članicama.Even back in 1955, the European Community was already aware that a common higher education policy was needed in order to make a better use of the European intellectual and scientific potential, especially to connect this potential with economic needs. The first stage of the development of a common higher education policy in the 1960s was marked by the search for an adequate institutional framework. In the 1970s, during the second stage, cooperation in higher education was recognized as a common policy. The EC institutions could take action on the basis of this policy. The basic administrative framework in the European Commission was defined. At that time, different models of cooperation were established, which allowed decision making at the level of member states as well as at the EC level. The EC activities improved the quality of higher education policies and effectively supplemented national education policies. Higher education cooperation received major support in the third and last stage from 1985 to 1993, which enabled the European Commission to make decisions concerning higher education at the EC level. The European Council approved the ERASMUS programme in 1987, which concluded the creation of a common EC higher education policy. The creation of this policy shows that it is possible to create a common policy that respects both university autonomy and national sovereignty. The cooperation at the EC level proved to be more dynamic and more efficient than cooperation among governments. This insight opened the door to the Bologna process in the late 20th century. The European Union has obtained a complementary role in higher education, while the main decision making competencies remain within the member states