The Project "Trends of European Higher Education" as the Source of Information and the Tool of the Practical Experience Enlargement in European Educational Area

У статті висвітлено роль Європейської асоціації університетів у формуванні політики Європейського Союзу в галузі освіти та стосунки з міжурядовими організаціями; визначено впливовість Європейської асоціації університетів на освітньому просторі та механізми підтримки університетів; висвітлено один із основних проектів Європейської асоціації університетів щодо тенденцій європейської вищої освіти; детально схарактеризовано пріоритетні напрями кожного з проектів; зазначено актуальність проведення кожного проекту; визнано, що проект став основним джерелом інформації та інструментом поширення прогресивного практичного досвіду у сфері вищої освіти; доведено доцільність проведення проекту «Тенденції європейської вищої освіти».The aim of the Trends I has been to provide an overview of structures throughout the European Union and the European Economic Area and an outline of areas of divergence and convergence within these learning structures. Trends II confirms all the main conclusions reached in the Trends I report; reinforces the observation concerning the move towards a two-tier system, but not necessarily corresponding to the definitions used for the degree structure outlined in the Bologna Declaration; confirms the observation concerning the move towards accreditation; shows that long study programmes at all levels, and rather inflexible mono-disciplinary curricula still exist in several countries and would need to be adjusted to meet the principles of the Bologna Declaration. The title "Progress towards the European Higher Education Area" was chosen for Trends 2003 as the report concentrated not only on changes in learning structures in Europe, but for the first time analyses and compares developments from the point of view of all the major actors in the process. Trends IV provided European-wide analysis of how universities were responding to the challenges of implementing the Bologna reforms. It was a significant publication for all those concerned with European higher education, whether universities and students, or governments, business and industry, and other stakeholders. Trends V showed the progress made by Europe's universities in implementing the Bologna reforms, and outlined the main challenges Trends 2010 confirmed that the Bologna method - cooperating with higher education, students, and other participants led to clear advances. Some of the most concrete changes included the reform of Doctoral education and the European quality assurance framework. The success of national implementation had been often predicated on the involvement of higher education institutional participants and students in national policy development. Trends 2015 is the seventh in the series of Trends reports published by the European University Association. The main goal of Trends 2015 is to document the universities' perceptions of the changes that have taken place in European higher education in the past five years particularly in relation to learning and teaching