Magazine / Society / Mobility / Interview | 07/05/2008

"The fifth freedom"

Allowing European citizens – young and old – to move unimpeded within the territory of the Union is one of the EU's top priorities. eurotopics-editor Nikola Richter asked Ján Figel', European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, about going mobile.

euro|topics: Which member state citizens are the most mobile, and why?

It is not easy to explain the different attitudes towards mobility between – say – Ireland and Greece. Perhaps, we have a better view of student mobility, measured by the numbers of students participating in the Erasmus programme. In the academic year 2006/07 the highest numbers of Erasmus students travelled from Germany (23.884), France (22.981), Spain (22.322) and Italy (17.195). However, looking at the proportion of the total student population, students from Liechtenstein (6.9 per cent) and Luxembourg (6.3 Prozent) are the most mobile followed by Austria (1.6 per cent), Czech Republic (1.5 per cent), Malta (1.4 per cent) and Belgium (1.3 per cent). In 2006/07, about 0.8 per cent of the total EU31 student population participated in the Erasmus programme.

Ján Figel'
Photo: European Commission

euro|topics: Why are students from smaller countries more mobile?

The reason is probably the size of the national higher education system (only one higher education institution in each of the top two countries) which may motivate students to do a study period abroad. The students in those countries may be more internationally minded as most students are studying their full degree abroad. For the bigger countries, possible reasons could be the high profile and the visibility of the Erasmus programme, greater interest on the part of students to study abroad and more encouragement from their home institution to take part in studies abroad.

euro|topics: Why should education be transferable and comparable?

The diversity of education and training systems is such a fundamental feature of the European Union that Europe–wide harmonisation has never really been on the agenda. On the other hand, mobility is also an extremely important feature of the European tradition of education and training, allowing that circulation of ideas and practices that is vital for cultural creativity, scientific innovation and technological transfer. This fact has been recognised by the national leaders of the EU last March when they called for a 'fifth freedom'; the free movement of knowledge. The 'Four Freedoms', which are enshrined in the EC Treaties, are the free movement of services, of persons, of workers and of capital. What the Council had in mind with the fifth freedom was a set of measures that would make life easier for researchers and increase knowledge transfer between universities and business.

euro|topics: But still young Europeans face hindrances when trying to work and study abroad.

Young Europeans find it difficult to have their learning outcomes and credits recognised or adequately appreciated in another country. So they may not be able to find a job abroad, or they may decide not to study abroad because they fear that their credit will not be recognised at home. Therefore, while large mobility actions such as Erasmus provide young learners with a clear framework and financial support for mobility, other initiatives—Europass, the recently adopted European Qualifications Framework (EQF), the proposed ECVET (European Credit-transfer in Vocational Education and Training)—aim at helping people make their skills and qualifications easier understood and better appreciated throughout Europe.

euro|topics: How does the new initiative of the European Commission make it possible to compare learning and training results?

The European Parliament and the Council recently adopted the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), which will act as a translation device between the Member States' own – and sometimes very different – qualifications systems. It includes eight levels from basic to advanced, doctorate-level education, and by 2010 all national qualifications will be related to one of these levels. Subsequently, from 2012 onwards, all newly-issued qualifications in the EU will include a reference to one of the eight EQF levels too.

euro|topics: How does the new framework measure learning results?

The EQF concentrates on 'learning outcomes' – what the person actually knows and is able to do. This is different from the traditional approach of looking at 'learning inputs' such as the length of time a person studied, or what type of institution the studies took place in. By emphasising learning outcomes, the EQF can become a common language between systems. If a Danish applicant, for example, has a certificate pitched at EQF level 6, then the Czech university should not reject an application for a course to begin study at level 7 on purely formal grounds, as is still frequently the case today.

euro|topics: The Bologna process has been under way for nine years now, but it is still difficult to graduate in one country and start a doctorate in another.

Reducing the complexity of national education systems by making them more comparable and compatible is precisely what the Bologna Process is all about. This is a long and demanding undertaking, but the participating countries have made significant advances in recent years. By the way, the Bologna Process now has 46 member countries — in other words, the Bologna Process goes far further than the boundaries of the EU, and shows how this EU initiative to reform higher education has been an inspiration to many additional countries.

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