During the second day of the informal meeting of education ministers in Brussels under the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, significant progress was made towards improving mobility and transparency in European higher education.
In his speech, the Head of the Council of Europe's education department M. Villano QIRIAZI highlighted several key initiatives, included in the new 2024 programme, which aims to promote an integrated and inclusive educational environment across Europe. Firstly, the Department is focusing on the automatic recognition of qualifications within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). By developing a new comprehensive framework, the initiative aims to simplify and standardise the recognition process across Member States, thereby facilitating student mobility and ensuring equal access to educational opportunities.
In addition, the creation of a European Observatory for Preventing and Countering Education Fraud was announced. This new body will act as a central hub for collecting data, exchanging information and promoting research to combat fraudulent practices in higher education, such as diploma, visa and accreditation mills. The move comes in response to the growing fake degree industry and aims to promote greater transparency, trust and integrity in educational institutions.
In addition, the Council of Europe is strengthening support for refugee students through the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR), promoting their integration and empowering them through education. The EQPR provides a standardised document recognised in 22 Council of Europe member states, facilitating the mobility and reception of refugee students and professionals.
Finally, in the context of the development of a European Charter of Students' Rights, the possible inclusion of mobility as a fundamental right of students was also raised. This initiative, to be launched jointly with the European Students' Union (ESU), aims to safeguard and enhance the educational and social rights of students across Europe, promoting equity and equal opportunities.
These initiatives are part of the wider #Learners First strategy adopted by education ministers in Strasbourg last September, which aims to create a more dynamic, integrated and inclusive education landscape across Europe by 2030.
