The European Higher Education Area (EHEA)

Introduction Membership Governance Ministerial conference BFUG BFUG Board EHEA Secretariat

Brief introcution

Over its more than 25 years of existence, since the Bologna Declaration of 1999, the Bologna Process has provided a successful and unique model for coordinated policy reform, taken forward through cooperation between public authorities, higher education institutions, students and staff.

The Bologna Process was established as an intergovernmental framework by European states,  aimed at:

  • enhancing the quality of higher education as well as academic mobility and cooperation; 
  • strengthening the role of higher education in and its contribution to our societies, to make them more inclusive, sustainable and resilient;
  • fostering and consolidating the fundamental values of higher education: academic freedom, academic integrity, institutional autonomy, participation of students and staff in higher education governance, and public responsibility for and of higher education.

In order to achieve these political objectives, the members undertook reforms based on shared policy commitments adopted within the Ministerial Communiqués. In the early days of the Bologna Process, these commitments determined structural changes in the higher education systems in Europe, for example by establishing the three cycles (Bachelor - Masters - Doctorate) scaled by a range of ECTS credits based on learning outcomes.

In 2010, the ministers decided to launch the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), currently used interchangeably with the Bologna Process, marking the progress in implementing common reforms and promoting comparable, compatible and transparent higher education systems in Europe.

The policy objectives pursued by the Bologna Process were supported by the adoption of overarching frameworks and standard-setting documents (‘Bologna tools’), creating the basis underpinning the continuous development of the EHEA. In Paris, in 2018, they were affirmed as key commitments of the EHEA:

  • implement a three-cycle system of programmes and degrees, based on learning outcomes and the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), compatible with the overarching qualifications framework of the EHEA (QF-EHEA);
  • support the recognition of qualifications throughout the EHEA by implementing the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region (Lisbon Recognition Convention) and its principles;
  • promote a quality culture in higher education, fostered by fit-for-purpose quality assurance processes in line with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).

Additional Bologna tools include the Diploma Supplement and the European Approach for the Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes.

EHEA Membership

The EHEA currently has three membership categories: member, consultative member and partner.

The Bologna Process was established as an intergovernmental framework by European states,  aimed at:

  • EHEA/BFUG Member: the members are the 49 countries and the European Commission. Following the decision of the BFUG, maintained by the ministers at the Tirana Ministerial Conference, Belarus and the Russian Federation are suspended from all structures and activities of EHEA;
  • Consultative member: they are a non-voting category of members who represent stakeholder organisations and other institutions that have a European scope to their work and are instrumental in the implementation of the Bologna Process;
  • Partner: organisations that wish to be associated with the Bologna Process, but are not included in the Consultative member category.
  • Further technical experts, such as Eurostat, Eurostudent or Eurydice may be associated with the BFUG and invited to events upon specific request.
EHEA Membership and Criteria

EHEA Governance

The EHEA has the following governance bodies: 

  • The Ministerial Conference
  • The BFUG, which comprises its Board, the two Co-Chairs and the Vice Chair

The EHEA is governed by the EHEA Rules of Procedure adopted by the ministers, complimented and detailed by BFUG Rules of Procedure, which are adopted by the BFUG.

Current EHEA & BFUG Rules of Procedure (PDF) BUFG Rules of Procedure 2021-2024 and Annexes (PDF)
The Ministerial Conference

The Ministerial Conference is the highest decision-making authority of the EHEA, meeting at least once every three years. It is composed of Ministers responsible for higher education or their substitutes of the States members of the EHEA and of representatives of the highest possible rank with competence in higher education policy of the European Commission and of the consultative members.

The Ministerial Conference determines the major goals and priorities of the EHEA and adopts the Ministerial Communiqués, as well as standards, guidelines, and other instruments. In the Ministerial Conferences, the ministers assess the progress made within EHEA and decide on further developments, commitments and priorities.

The Ministerial Conferences have taken place in:

Bologna, 18-19 June 1999 Prague, 18-19 May 2001 Berlin, 18-19 September 2003 Bergen, 19-20 May 2005 London, 17-18 May 2007 Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve, 28-29 April 2009 Budapest/Vienna, 10-12 March 2010 Bucharest, 26-27 April 2012 Yerevan, 14-15 May 2015 Paris, 24-25 May 2018 Rome (virtual), 19 November 2020 Tirana - 29-30 May 2024

The next Ministerial Conference is going to take place in Romania (Iași) and the Republic of Moldova (Chișinău) in May 2027.

Ministerial Conferences and Communiques
The Bologna Follow-Up Group

The Bologna Follow-Up Group - BFUG  is the executive body overseeing and directing the development of the EHEA between Ministerial Conferences. It meets at least every six months and is composed of duly authorised representatives, with competence in higher education policy matters, of the members and consultative members of the EHEA.

The BFUG ensures the implementation of commitments adopted by Ministers, develops its work programme on this basis and prepares issues for discussion and decision by Ministers. 

Among others, the BFUG is entrusted with:

  • the development, adoption and implementation of its work programme based on the priorities decided by the Ministerial Conference;
  • the organisation of its work, in order to implement the work programme, including by setting up working structures, conducting or commissioning studies and projects, and collaboration with any other parties;
  • preparation of the draft Communiqué for the Ministerial Conference and the draft statement for the Global Policy Forum;
  • the representation of the BFUG towards third parties;
  • examination of and support to requests to join the EHEA, and preparation of a recommendation for the decision of Ministers;
  • oversight and steering of the work of the Secretariat.
BFUG Meetings
BFUG Co-chairs and BFUG Vice-chair

The EHEA and its structures are chaired by two Co-Chairs appointed for a period of six months. One Co-Chair represents the European Union member state holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the other a non-European Union member State of the EHEA, usually following the English alphabetical order.

The Co-Chairs in close collaboration with the Vice Chair and assisted by the Secretariat, are responsible for the diligent and timely preparation of the BFUG Board and the BFUG. The Co-chairs lead the way towards decision-making, summarise outcomes and decisions and find the necessary compromises.

The Vice-Chair represents the member State(s) hosting the forthcoming Ministerial Conference. They ensure the liaison between the BFUG and the authorities of the hosting country of the Ministerial Conference and the continuity between co-chairmanships.

List of Co-Chairmanship
BFUG Work Programme

Between Ministerial Conferences, the BFUG develops, adopts and implements the BFUG Work Programme, in accordance with the priorities set by Ministers. The BFUG decides on the organisation of its work in order to implement the Work Programme.

The BFUG reports to the Ministers on the implementation of the Work Programme.It may entrust the implementation of parts of the work programme to Working Groups and similar structures, the terms of reference of which are adopted by the BFUG. All working structures report and submit their proposals to the BFUG, in line with the schedule of the work programme.

The current Work Programme (2024-2027) was adopted by the XCIII BFUG meeting in Budapest in September 2024.

The previous BFUG Work Programmes can be found here:

BFUG Work Programme 2021-2024 BFUG Work Programme 2018-2020 BFUG Work Programme 2015-2018 BFUG Work Programme 2012-2015 BFUG Work Programme 2009-2012 BFUG Work Programme 2007-2009 BFUG Work Programme 2005-2007 BFUG Work Programme 2003-2005 BFUG Work Programme 2001-2003 BFUG Work Programme 1999-2001
BFUG Board

The BFUG Board is an advisory committee of the BFUG to support it in its activities, including the preparation of its meetings, to enhance efficiency in the management of the EHEA, and ensure its continuity. As such, the responsibilities of the Board consist of coordinating and monitoring the effective implementation of the work programme. 

The members of the Board are:

  • the BFUG Co-Chairs ‘double Troika’ (the six outgoing, present and incoming Co-Chairs of the BFUG);
  • the BFUG Vice-Chair;
  • the European Commission;
  • four of the consultative members (Council of Europe, EUA, ESU, EURASHE);

One of the co-chairs of each BFUG working structure is further invited as a guest at the BFUG Board meetings.

The Board, hosted by one of the Co-chairs, meets at least one month (preferably six weeks) before each BFUG meeting.

BFUG Board Meetings
The European Higher Education Area Secretariat

The EHEA Secretariat provides administrative, neutral and operational support for the BFUG, its Board and working structures, assisting in the implementation of the Work Programme and in the follow-up work, including planning activities and following up on the BFUG decisions. The Secretariat maintains the EHEA website and archives and acts as an external and internal contact point for the EHEA. It carries out its activity in close communication with the BFUG and under its authority.

Between 1st of July 2024 and 30th of June 2027, the Secretariat of the Bologna Follow-up Group is held by the Republic of Moldova and Romania, as organizers of the 2027 EHEA Ministerial Conference.

EHEA Secretariat