The Bologna process and Malta : a comparative study of higher education legislation reforms

Abstract

This thesis aims to provide a detailed study of the higher education reforms promulgated by Ministers responsible for higher education within the Bologna Process with a specific emphasis on Malta's role within the process. It will examine the extent of the Bologna Process' influence on the reform of Malta's national legislation governing higher education and offer a critique of Malta's progress to reaching its targets as a participatory country. The study is also intended to provide an analysis of Malta's higher education legislation when compared to other signatory countries while identifying the areas where Malta has performed well, where reform is urgently needed (in quality assurance for example) and what can be done for Malta to improve - giving good practice examples in the case where Malta can learn. Chapter One is a two-part introductory chapter which first intends to ease the reader into the topic of higher education, giving an overview of what the Bologna Process is, examining its role in higher education reform across Europe. This first part also identifies the key action lines promulgated by European Ministers responsible for higher education in order for the creation of The European Higher Education Area. The second part of the chapter gives a bird's eye view of key features of Malta's higher education system and the actors in Maltese higher education which is necessary before going on to the further chapters which examine the action lines and reforms in greater detail. The remaining chapters analyze in detail the key actual Bologna Process action lines leading to reform in national higher education legislation across Europe. Chapter Two examines the recognition of degrees and the reforms promulgated by the Bologna Declarations and subsequent communiques and gives an analysis of the tools propounded by the Bologna Process and their implementation in European states to facilitate degree recognition (such as the Diploma Supplement and the establishment of recognition information centres). The chapter also gives a view of the situation regarding the awarding and recognition of joint degrees across the continent and the relevant degree recognition tools advocated by the European Union. Chapter Three deals with the introduction of the three-cycle system in European higher education systems. The chapter goes on to examines the over arching qualifications framework agreed by the Bologna Process and contrasts it with the qualifications framework for life-long learning advocated by the European Union. It concludes by examining Malta's proposed qualifications framework. The following chapter ( 4) analyzes the establishment of The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) in various countries across Europe and provides an overview of the systems introduction in various European countries. Chapter Five addresses the burning issue of quality assurance within higher education systems around Europe. It gives an overview of the current situation in Malta before outlining the urgent need for the establishment of an independent quality assurance and accreditation body according to the standards and guidelines advocated by the Bologna Process. The chapter gives a case study of the Irish quality assurance body and ends with an analysis of the new quality assurance framework proposed by Malta's National Higher Education Commission. The final chapter of this thesis deals with the promotion of mobility and the removal of obstacles towards transnational mobility. It focuses on the issues surrounding the portability of loans and grants and the important role played by the European Court of Justice in this regard as well as European Union mobility programmes.