The social dimension: a neglected policy item in the Bologna Process

Since its beginning in 1999, the Bologna Process has influenced various aspects of higher education in its member countries, e.g., degree structures, mobility, lifelong learning, social dimension and quality assurance. The social dimension creates the focus of this research. The social dimension entered the Bologna Process agenda in 2001. Despite a decade of reforms, it somehow remained as a vague element and received low scholarly attention. This research addresses to this gap. Firstly, different meanings of the social dimension according to the major European policy actors are analysed. Unfolding the understandings of the actors revealed that the social dimension is mostly understood in terms reflecting the diversity of population on the student body accessing to, progressing in and completing higher education, with a special concern on the underrepresented groups. However, it is not possible to observe a similar commonality concerning the actual policy measures to achieve this goal. Divergence occurs with respect to the addressed underrepresented groups, i.e., all underrepresented groups or people without formal qualifications and mature learners, and the values and institutional interests traditionally promoted by these actors. Secondly, the dissertation discusses the reflection of this social dimension understanding at the national level by looking at cases of Finland, Germany and Turkey. The in-depth analyses show an awareness of the social dimension among most of the national Bologna Process actors and a common understanding of the social dimension goals. However, this understanding has not triggered action in any of the countries. The countries acted on areas which they defined problematic before the Bologna Process. Finally, based on these findings the dissertation discusses the social dimension as a policy item that managed to get into the Bologna Process agenda, but neither grew into an implementable policy, nor drop out of it. To this aim, it makes use of the multiple streams framework and explains the low agenda status social dimension with: i. the lack of a pressing problem definition: the lack of clearly defined indicators and a comprehensive monitoring system, ii. the lack of a viable solution alternative: the proposal of developing national strategies and action plans closed the way to develop generic guidelines for the social dimension to be translated into national policy processes, iii. low political perceptivity: the recent trends opt for increasing efficiency, excellence and exclusiveness discourses rather than ensuring equality and inclusiveness iv. high constraints: the social dimension by definition requires more public funding which is less appreciated and strategic constraints of the actors in allocating their resources v. the type of policy entrepreneur: the social dimension is promoted by an international stakeholder, the European Students’ Union, instead of the ministers responsible for higher education The social dimension remains a policy item in the Bologna Process which is noble enough to agree but not urgent enough to act on.

Bologna-Prozess vs. ehrenamtliches studentisches Engagement?

„Egoist dank Bachelor?“ (Zeit online 2009). So lautet der Titel einer Leserdebatte zu ehrenamtlichem Engagement an der Hochschule, welche in der Online-Ausgabe der Wochenzeitung Die Zeit angestoßen wurde. Der zur Diskussion beitragende User „taralenatara“ äußerte sich am 27. Dezember 2009 um 18.15 Uhr folgendermaßen dazu: „Ich engagiere mich neben meinem Studium im FSR [Fachschaftsrat] und ich muss sagen, dass diese Arbeit sehr viel Zeit in Anspruch nimmt, die ich eigentlich bei meinem Bachelorstudium gar nicht habe. Ich habe zu tun, alles unter einen Hut zu bekommen. Wenn ich meine Arbeit gut machen möchte, muss ich aufpassen, dass das Studium nicht auf der Strecke bleibt. Zudem kann trotz Interesse kaum jemand für so eine Aufgabe gewonnen werden, da alle als Grund ‚Zeitmangel‘ angeben. Ist natürlich u.a. Studiengang abhängig – aber der Unterschied zwischen Diplom- und Bachelorzeiten ist deutlich zu spüren.“ Ein subjektiver Beitrag wie dieser kann sicherlich nicht als allgemeingültig betrachtet werden. Dennoch kritisieren diese und andere Aussagen weiterer Diskussionsteilnehmer den Bologna-Prozess – auch im Vergleich zu den traditionellen Studiengängen wie Diplom oder Magister – bezüglich seines Einflusses auf ehrenamtliches Engagement Studierender vehement. Unter anderem wird die Kritik über folgende Schlagworte angeführt: Überfüllte Lehrpläne, zunehmender Druck, viele Referate und Klausuren, wenig bis keine Freizeit und (oder dadurch?) eingeschränkte oder keine Zeit bzw. Möglichkeit für ehrenamtliches studentisches Engagement an der Hochschule. Bedeutet dies nun, wie Zeit online (2009) provokativ schreibt, „Ellenbogen statt Ehrenamt“ und steht diese Aussage exemplarisch für die Be- bzw. Verhinderung von ehrenamtlichem Engagement durch den Bologna-Prozess? In der vorliegenden Wissenschaftlichen Hausarbeit zum 1. Staatsexamen soll eben jenes Verhältnis herausgestellt werden, ob und inwieweit sich der Bologna-Prozess und ehrenamtliches Engagement an der Hochschule wirklich unversöhnlich gegenüberstehen. Weiter soll thematisiert werden, welche möglichen Zukunftsperspektiven sich daraus ergeben. Die Arbeit gliedert sich hierfür in fünf Teile (inklusive eines resümierenden Fazits), die nachfolgend erläutert werden.

The Personal tutorial guidance sessions in the framework of the teaching-learning field of the Bologna process: University of Minho (first cycle) courses students’ perceptions

The Bologna Process defends the adoption of a higher education in teaching-learning methodologies that – in contraposition to the previous model based on the transmission of knowledge, which for being essentially theoretical, gives the student a passive role in the knowledge construction process – allows a (pro) active, autonomous and practical learning, where the student acquires and develops his competences. The personal tutorial guidance sessions are included in the teaching contact hours. This abstract presents a study about the University of Minho (first cycle) Courses Students’ perceptions of the personal tutorial guidance sessions’ relevance in the scope of the learning-teaching process, so as to confirm if the implementation/implantation of the commonly called tutorial (type) education, as an approach to an active, autonomous and practical learning, is sensed by the learners themselves

La Fiera del Libro per Ragazzi de Bologna i el Salon du livre et de la presse Jeunesse de Montreuil : dues maneres de posar-se (o millor treure' s) el barret. 'La Fiera del Libro per Ragazzi de Bologna y el Salon du livre et de la presse Jeunesse de Montreuil : dos maneras de ponerse (o mejor quitarse) el sombrero'.

En el artículo la autora nos relata sus experiencias al visitar la Fiera del Libro per Ragazzi y el Salon du livre et de la presse Jeunesse.

Melancholy and power, knowledge and propaganda : discussing the contribution of the bologna process to higher education research in Europe. 'Melancolía y poder, conocimiento y propaganda : discutiendo la contribución del proceso de Bolonia sobre la investigación en enseñanza superior en Europa'.

Resumen tomado de la publicación. Monográfico con el título: El proceso de Bolonia : dinámicas y desafíos de la enseñanza superior en Europa a comienzos de una nueva época

The Bologna process governing higher education in Europe through standardisation

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n. Monogr??fico con el t??tulo: El proceso de Bolonia : din??micas y desaf??os de la ense??anza superior en Europa a comienzos de una nueva ??poca

At the centre of the Bologna process : do European universities train their students to face knowledge based societies?. 'En el centro del proceso de Bolonia: ¿entrenan las universidades europeas a sus estudiantes para enfrentarse a sociedades basadas en el conocimiento?'.

Resumen tomado de la publicación. Monográfico con el título: El proceso de Bolonia : dinámicas y desafíos de la enseñanza superior en Europa a comienzos de una nueva época

Curriculum restructuring in higher educaction after the Bologna process : a new pedagogic regime?

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n. Monogr??fico con el t??tulo: El proceso de Bolonia : din??micas y desaf??os de la ense??anza superior en Europa a comienzos de una nueva ??poca

The role of the humanities in the Bologna idea of a university : learning from the american model?. 'El papel de la humanidad en la idea de Bolonia de una universidad : ¿el aprender del modelo americano?'.

Resumen tomado de la publicación. Monográfico con el título: El proceso de Bolonia : dinámicas y desafíos de la enseñanza superior en Europa a comienzos de una nueva época

Effect of the addition of wheat fiber and partial pork back fat on the chemical composition, texture and sensory property of low-fat bologna sausage containing inulin and oat fiber

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The Bologna Stone: history's first persistent luminescent material

In 1603, the Italian shoemaker Vincenzo Cascariolo found that a stone (baryte) from the outskirts of Bologna emitted light in the dark without any external excitation source. However, the calcination of the baryte was needed prior to this observation. The stone later named as the Bologna Stone was among the first luminescent materials and the first documented material to show persistent luminescence. The mechanism behind the persistent emission in this material has remained a mystery ever since. In this work, the Bologna Stone (BaS) was prepared from the natural baryte (Bologna, Italy) used by Cascariolo. Its properties, e. g. impurities (dopants) and their valences, luminescence, persistent luminescence and trap structure, were compared to those of the pure BaS materials doped with different (transition) metals (Cu, Ag, Pb) known to yield strong luminescence. The work was carried out by using different methods (XANES, TL, VUV-UV-vis luminescence, TGA-DTA, XPD). A plausible mechanism for the persistent luminescence from the Bologna Stone with Cu+ as the emitting species was constructed based on the results obtained. The puzzle of the Bologna Stone can thus be considered as resolved after some 400 years of studies.

Giuseppe Sciortino, Abbasso i genitori (Corriere Bologna 13-6-2007)

Testo da sottoporre ad analisi prevalentemente linguistica, in classe o individuale ("tesina")