In 2022, the European Commission launched a call for European University Alliances to examine and facilitate the delivery of a joint European degree label. The ED-AFFICHE Project consortium is composed of six university alliances (Una Europa, 4EU+, CHARM-EU, EC2U, EU-CONEXUS, and Unite!) and 51 higher education institutions from 22 different countries have secured European support.
In consultations with experts, the ED-AFFICHE consortium proposes possible improvements to the criteria associated with the European degree label and co-develop recommendations on the possible assessment procedure, as well as the design and delivery of a future European Degree label.
Together, the consortium has been successful in securing the support of 19 national and regional ministries in charge of higher education as well as 15 national accreditation and quality assurance agencies. It is the exchange of best practices between those actors and the open dialogue with their universities that carries the real potential to move forward the Europan Higher Education Area.
The ED-AFFICHE, this year-long initiative to pilot the European Degree, has concluded with promising results. Through mapping existing joint programmes, analyzing joint programmes criteria and legal hurdles, the consortium has developed key recommendations. These recommendations are designed to guide the implementation of the European Degree for all stakeholders, including the European Commission, national education authorities, quality assurance agencies, and universities themselves.
"We saw potential in this call to pilot the European Degree label that goes beyond the immediate objectives of this policy initiative and the lifetime of the project. With this powerhouse of a consortium, we hope to bring about tangible progress towards our common aim of making the development and implementation of joint degrees in Europe a less complex and resource-intensive undertaking. We aim to achieve meaningful impact for all types of universities across the European Higher Education Area”, says Professor Luc Sels, Rector of KU Leuven, representing Una Europa in this project consortium.
EC press point by Commissioner Mariya GABRIEL, Belgian Minister of the Government of the Federation Wallonia-Brussels Valérie GLATIGNY and Rector of KU Leuven (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) Luc SELS
Latest Updates
“Strong coordination” from European Commission needed to advance European Degree, says higher education consortium
ED-AFFICHE, a leading higher education consortium piloting the European Degree, is calling on the European Commission to take a proactive role in coordinating collaboration between all major actors across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) to make the European Degree a reality. The call comes in response to the European Commission’s new Higher Education Package including a blueprint for a European Degree, which was unveiled on 27 March.
Insights from ED-AFFICHE: Navigating the European Degree Label Journey
The ED-AFFICHE Final Dissemination Event, held on March 5, 2024, marked a crucial milestone in the pursuit of a European Degree Label (EDL). The event gathered more than 300 participants, among them were students, student organizations, representatives from the European Commission (EC), ministries, quality assurance agencies, universities and Higher Education associations. The aim was to shed light on navigating joint programs (JPs), legislative best practices, and future developments in the EDL.
Shaping criteria associated to the European Degree label: Insights from ED-AFFICHE Stakeholders’ Meetings
In a week-long series of engagements from February 3 to 9, 2024, the ED-AFFICHE team embarked on a mission to gather diverse perspectives and recommendations on the criteria associated with the European Degree label.