Towards the Long-term EHEA Secretariat

ongoing

Up to present, the Bologna Process has had a rotating secretariat, provided by the country hosting the next ministerial conference. In 2022, the Bologna Follow-up Group (BFUG) started to explore through a dedicated task force opportunities for a more continuous secretariat, fully governed by the BFUG, able to deal with the growing work load and focus of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). In the 2024 Tirana Communique, the European ministers of (higher) education invited the BFUG to continue this work, with the goal of establishing a long-term secretariat by 2027. The BFUG set up the Task Force on the establishment of a Long-term Secretariat of the EHEA (TF SEC, 2024–2027), to build on the previous work, especially key principles for the EHEA Secretariat and the roadmap towards its launch. The EHEA Sec project will serve as a resource to the TF SEC and the BFUG, by making available the staff, funding and expertise needed to 1. further explore the legal, financial, and organisational form that the EHEA Secretariat will take; 2. develop an approach for situating the Secretariat under a hosting arrangement in an EHEA countries 3. develop and support the necessary steps to founding and launching the secretariat legally and physically, its staffing , in particular the director, and its training. The consortium of the 2-year project consists of the Czech National Agency for International Education and Research and the European University Association. The project itself will not take decisions, but conduct its work under the instruction of the TF SEC, with regular reporting to and feedback from the BFUG. The two co-chairs of the TF SEC serve as senior experts. The project will engage further experts. Utmost attention will be paid to ensure that options and approaches developed will enable the Secretariat to fulfil its tasks , in compliance with the spirit of the Bologna Process and the established Principles for the EHEA Secretariat.