Download AEGEE`s, the European Students Forum`s, point of view on the

AEGEE’s, the European Students Forum’s, point of
view on the Future of European Education.
Following the on-going debates in the field of education, especially concerning the topic of
internationalisation of education, AEGEE-Europe – representing 20 000 students from 40
European countries and 261 branches, wishes to present its statement on this topic.
AEGEE-Europe has been carefully following the discussions concerning Education, which take
place within the Bologna Process, EU activities – such as the Lisbon Process, as well as the
impact of General Agreement on Trade on Services on Education. AEGEE representing active,
European-minded students, working without a national level, sees the need of stronger
involvement of students in the discussion.
AEGEE-Europe strongly supports the developments of the Bologna Process. In particular we see
that certain areas need further action:

the further promotion of mobility of all parties involved in Education, also removing the
still remaining structural barriers to free – horizontal and vertical - mobility

the building of the European Identity through Higher Education, whilst preserving cultural
differences, a tool for this should be the promotion of use of foreign languages, especially
English

the recognition of non-formal education as a part of curricula

the involvement of all European countries – also those of South East Europe, Eastern
Europe and Turkey – in the process, and especially in the mobility programmes
The debate concerning ‘commodification’ and internationalisation is also very relevant to AEGEE.
Here we wish to stress our belief in the Free Trade and the need to commitment to cross-boarder
liberalization of trade. The deregulation of ‘educational services’, we believe, is a needed and
valuable process, and the commitment to the Rules of GATS covering ‘educational services’
needs to take place. Nevertheless, we wish to state that:

regulations need to be undertaken which would counteract:
1) massification of taught courses and pure market orientation of higher education
2) social exclusion and the abolishment of equal opportunities
3) carrying out of market-oriented research only

the position of national and international decision-makers needs to be clarified in order to
ensure equal opportunities to all national governments and market players on the global
market
Education is a service of extremely high national interest and access to it is recognized as basic
human right. Therefore we believe any decisions on its evolution need to be consulted with all
involved parties.
This Statement has been ratified by the General Assembly of the European Students Forum, Amsterdam,
5th May 2002.