The European Research Council (ERC) receives many high-quality applications, but funds only a few. We analyze how members of ERC review panels assess applications in the first, highly competitive step of evaluations for ERC Starting and Consolidator Grants. Drawing on interviews with ERC panel members in different fields, we show that they adopt a…

This chapter outlines the instruments approach to studying European governance used in this book. It draws from public administration, political science and public policy literature that (1) evaluates the effects of policy instruments, (2) appreciates the choice of policy instruments and (3) unpacks the process through which policy instrumentation…

The European University Association (EUA) has continuously supported European universities in the transition towards Open Science and, in particular, to Open Access. Upon recommendation of its Expert Group on Science 2.0/Open Science, EUA has developed a variety of initiatives in this area, as outlined in the "EUA Roadmap on Open Access to…

With the increasing number of English language learners in global classrooms, it has become more and more difficult for teachers to maintain their role as the primary communicator with students via one-on-one interactions. As a result, teachers often assign duties to their students. This change of power may be difficult for teachers and students…

In this article, we discuss the process of standardization of Higher education (HE) initiated by the Bologna Process bringing to the forefront the temporal politics of the standardization of European Higher Education Arena (EHEA). Empirically, we perform a comparative review of the Scorecards indicators at the base of the Bologna Process…

In recent years, e-learning and b-learning designs for graduate courses have proliferated in the European Higher Education Area. This paper includes the definition for a model for the assessment of the quality of on-line teaching based on an audit by specialised technical personnel who are independent of the design of the teaching materials and…

The evaluation of learning and teaching is one central activity through which universities monitor the fitness-for-purpose of their education provision. This paper represents the outcomes of the work carried out by the European University Association (EUA) Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group on "Evaluation of learning and…

Since (higher) education is more important than ever in knowledge societies, high priority should be ascribed to quality management in higher education institutions and its effectiveness. However, there is still a lack of systematic evaluation of the latter, particularly analyses which are not restricted to ex-post gathered data and expert…

The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) assesses the extent to which 15-year-old students near the end of their compulsory education have acquired the knowledge and skills essential for full participation in modern societies. The assessment does not just ascertain whether students can reproduce knowledge; it also examines…

The underlying methodological approach of the CEFR is defined as being "action-oriented" and task-based (Council of Europe. 2001. "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment." Cambridge University Press: 9), although it explicitly leaves room for a variety of approaches, since the CEFR…

This article analyses moves towards good multilevel governance approaches in Vocational Education and Training (VET) as an effective way to improve VET policy making in transition and developing countries, focusing on the Southern Neighbourhood of the EU (ENPI South). The centralised approaches in public administration and to VET governance still…

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) -- the phase before primary education -- is increasingly acknowledged as providing the foundations for lifelong learning and development. This second edition of 'Key data on early childhood education and care in Europe' charts the progress made in the key quality areas identified in the Council…

This paper describes the experience of introducing ethical, social and environmental issues in undergraduate ICT engineering degrees at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. The experience before the Bologna Process was concentrated on developing elective courses related mainly on the field of the International Development Cooperation. The…

This paper, fundamentally a procedural paper, outlines pedagogical practices which others may want to adapt for their own purposes. We demonstrate how a strong form of task-based language learning and teaching (TBLT), classroom implementation of the CEFR, cyclical learning, and assessment fulfilling roles, such as informing the next learning…

Describes the use of a working conference to train teachers and education students to use the computer in mathematics education. Group work is discussed that focuses on two main components of the conference--software evaluation and lesson creation; and adaptations for Eastern European schools with few computer resources are described. (Contains…