The purposes of this paper are twofold: a presentation of the theoretical basis of benchmarking and a discussion on practical benchmarking applications. Benchmarking is also analyzed as a productivity accelerator. The authors study benchmarking usage in the private and public sectors with due consideration of the specificities of the two areas.…

The Bologna Process is fostering a change in higher education systems in order to attain the objectives of educational convergence, comparability and mobility of students and academics. As a consequence, the structure of degrees, syllabuses, pedagogy and evaluation and assessment systems (for students, teaching staff and programmes) must be…

Although the idea of a European doctorate has been discussed since the earliest years of the European Union it is only very recently that its time has finally come. This progress is the product of the efforts of a number of important players, including the European Commission, the European University Association, the main representative of…

2010 sees the end of the process of establishing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Although not all countries may have achieved all the objectives, many are those countries and universities who have implemented many of the targets set. Within the Bologna Process, there have been many developments such as: European Credit Transfer and…

The International Research Training Group "Brain-Behavior Relationship of Normal and Disturbed Emotions in Schizophrenia and Autism" (IRTG 1328), funded by the German Research Council (DFG), is a German-American cooperation. Its major aims are interdisciplinary and international scientific cooperation and the support of young scientists…

In 1999, the International Research Training Group "GRK532" was founded as a pilot project for cross-border European postgraduate education along the German/French/Luxembourg borders. The project consists of an interdisciplinary research programme on synthesis, isolation and characterization of new materials accompanied by an ambitious…

The state and status of higher education in different countries and regions has been the subject of considerable debate, research and publication; yet little continental scale research has been undertaken except in the United States of America. This paper reports on large-scale cooperation taking place in European higher education. It particularly…

Europe's higher education system is currently undergoing a process of change and convergence in order to guarantee equal conditions for labour mobility within its borders. Spain, like any other European country, must adapt its legislation, homogenize its studies, and raise awareness among its educational institutions (beginning with their teaching…

The national higher education accrediting, consulting, information, and regulating agencies of 36 Eastern and Western European, North American, and Mediterranean countries are listed, and some addresses are given. (MSE)

The provisions of the Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees concening Higher Education in the States belonging to the European Region, in effect since 1982 are reviewed, along with a report of progress made in putting its principles and provisions into practice internationally. (MSE)

Recent experiences in international, interinstitutional cooperation between Czechoslovakian and foreign higher education institutions show that such cooperative efforts are not only feasible but also stimulate undergraduate student intellectual and emotional development, promote principles of equality, and promote understanding of national and…

This study deals with the introduction of an international grading scheme from the perspective of the educational providers, with the aim of creating a theory that accounts for their problems and actions. Interview data was collected from two institutions in a country participating in the Bologna Process. The results show that the educational…

The status of signature and ratification of six regional cooperative conventions concerning recognition of study abroad is reported. They are conventions for: Latin America and the Caribbean; Arab and European states bordering on the Mediterranean; the Arab states; the Europe region; the African states; and Asia and the Pacific. (MSE)

The status of doctoral programs in western Europe is reviewed by country; initiatives taken by some countries to improve doctoral education are examined; and the establishment of international, interinstitutional doctoral programs is proposed. (MSE)

This paper focuses on two theoretical frameworks of integration (neo-functionalism and liberal inter-governmentalism), exploring their implications for current trends of integration in European higher education: the marketization of and trade in educational services, the involvement of supranational institutions, and the focus on quality…