{"id":1197,"date":"2019-03-26T14:59:48","date_gmt":"2019-03-26T14:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/akokvo.me\/?page_id=1197"},"modified":"2026-09-01T08:35:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T06:35:31","slug":"bologna-process","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/akokvo.me\/en\/bologna-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Bologna Process"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bologna Process and Montenegro\u2019s Activities in the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bologna Declaration is a joint declaration of European Ministers of Education, signed in Bologna in June 1999, aimed at reforming Europe\u2019s higher education systems and serving as the foundation of the Bologna Process.<\/p>\n

By participating in the Bologna Process, the countries that signed the Bologna Declaration also confirm their participation in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).<\/p>\n

The EHEA initiative was formally launched on 12 March 2010 at the Ministerial Conference held in Budapest and Vienna. The aim of this initiative is to intensify cooperation among higher education institutions across Europe and to promote mobility. Currently, the European Higher Education Area comprises 49 countries.<\/p>\n

The fundamental objective of implementing the Bologna Declaration is to guarantee that every student acquires high-quality knowledge, abilities and skills that make them competitive in the local, regional and global labour markets.<\/p>\n

The Bologna Process pursues this objective through a reformed higher education system based on three cycles of study and the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), which measures the workload of studies. The reformed system is also characterised by the introduction of quality assurance and continuous quality monitoring; the introduction of the Diploma Supplement as an accompanying document describing the study programme and the knowledge, skills and competences acquired; increased mobility of students and teaching staff; recognition of acquired qualifications and diplomas in accordance with the Lisbon Recognition Convention; the involvement of students as partners in the educational process and decision-making; and the development of the concept of lifelong learning.<\/p>\n

Montenegro has participated in the Bologna Process since 2003. In 2007, at the Ministerial Conference held in London, Montenegro\u2019s membership and status in the Process as an independent and internationally recognised state were confirmed. Through its participation in the Bologna Process, Montenegro also confirms its engagement within the EHEA.<\/p>\n

At the Ministerial Conference in Yerevan in 2015, Montenegro committed itself to consistently applying the\u00a0European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG)<\/em>. Guided by this objective, in 2017 the Government of Montenegro adopted a decision establishing the Agency for Control and Quality Assurance of Higher Education (ACQAHE). Following the entry into force of the new Law on Higher Education in October 2025, the Agency changed its name to the Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (HEQA).<\/p>\n

Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG) is an executive structure established in 1999 and entrusted with preparing ministerial conferences and policy forums, monitoring the Bologna Process between ministerial conferences, and preparing reports on the implementation of the Bologna Process.<\/p>\n

In March 2023, the Ministry of Education appointed Milica Kaved\u017ei\u0107, Deputy Director of HEQA, as Montenegro\u2019s representative in the BFUG. Through this appointment, Montenegro renewed, after a longer period, its international presence in the umbrella structure of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).<\/p>\n

At the Ministerial Conference held on 29 and 30 May 2024 in Tirana, Albania, the new\u00a0Tirana Communiqu\u00e9<\/em>\u00a0<\/a>was adopted. This document provides an important framework for action in the higher education systems across the EHEA.<\/p>\n

The Montenegrin delegation also participated in the Ministerial Conference and, through its participation, committed to implementing the reforms adopted across the EHEA.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Tirana Communiqu\u00e9<\/em>\u00a0reaffirmed the commitment of EHEA countries to fulfilling the three key commitments of the Bologna Process: three cycles of study, recognition of qualifications and diplomas, and quality assurance in higher education.<\/p>\n

Co-Chairing the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG)<\/strong><\/p>\n

On 1 July 2026, Montenegro officially began its six-month term as co-chair of the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG), together with Ireland, for the period until 31 December 2026. This represents a significant step in Montenegro\u2019s continued engagement within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).<\/p>\n

In this role, Montenegro will contribute to coordinating activities aimed at implementing the priorities of the Bologna Process and strengthening cooperation among members of the European Higher Education Area. The co-chairmanship confirms Montenegro\u2019s active contribution to European cooperation in higher education and its commitment to improving quality, inclusiveness, mobility and innovation in higher education.<\/p>\n

As part of its mandate, Montenegro will host a meeting of the BFUG Board, to be held on 29 September 2026 in Podgorica. The meeting will bring together representatives of the BFUG Board members: Ireland, Cyprus, Norway, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Romania, the European Commission, the European Students\u2019 Union (ESU), the European University Association (EUA), the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE), and the Council of Europe, as well as the co-chairs of BFUG working structures.<\/p>\n

The meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss current priorities of the European Higher Education Area, monitor progress in implementing the commitments undertaken within the Bologna Process, and further coordinate joint activities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bologna Process and Montenegro\u2019s Activities in the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG) The Bologna Declaration is a joint declaration of European Ministers of Education, signed in Bologna in June 1999, aimed at reforming Europe\u2019s higher education systems and serving as the foundation of the Bologna Process. By participating in the Bologna Process, the countries that signed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/akokvo.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1197"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/akokvo.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/akokvo.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/akokvo.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/akokvo.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1197"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/akokvo.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1197\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20408,"href":"https:\/\/akokvo.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1197\/revisions\/20408"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/akokvo.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}