ENHANCING EUROPEAN EMPLOYABILITY:

“The Implications of the Bologna Three Cycles for Employability”

FINAL DRAFT PROGRAMME FOR  BOLOGNA SEMINAR 
13-14 JULY 2006

Rationale

The Bologna Declaration which aimed to create the “European Higher Education Area” (EHEA) by 2010 was signed in 1999 by Baroness Blackstone, former UK Minister for higher education, and Ministers from 28 other European countries.  Through specific objectives, the Bologna Process is working towards developing a coherent European higher education space to foster employability and mobility in Europe.  It also aims to increase the competitiveness of European higher education in the world.

'Bologna' is an inter-governmental process resulting in a common commitment by Ministers to an action programme.   As an intergovernmental process, Bologna decision-making takes place through the biennial Ministerial summits.  The first summit took place in Prague, in 2001, and the most recent took place in Bergen in May 2005.  London will host the next ministerial review in May 2007.

The work programme is taken forward in working groups and through intermediary official Bologna seminars.  Seminar recommendations are submitted to the Bologna Follow Up Group for discussion and, if accepted may influence the next Ministerial communiqué.

The Bergen communiqué identified a need to increase the employability of graduates with bachelor qualifications and to create opportunities for flexible learning paths, including the recognition of prior learning.  An indication of progress made in both these areas will form part of the next stocktaking process in 2007. 

The focus of this seminar on “Enhancing European Employability” Seminar will be: 

•	how we ensure that higher education, particularly at the Bachelor level, is relevant to the labour market 
•	how we ensure that employers are aware of the additional skills that a graduate, exiting at the three cycle stages, can offer.

DAY 1

9:00-9:05  Introduction by the Chair

9.05-9.15  Welsh Assembly Government’s Minister for Educatiom, Lifelong Learning and Skills’s opening  address

9:15-10:30 Session  1: Employability at Bachelor level    

Key themes:  Presentations to explore what makes the Bachelor education relevant  to the labour market  ; and how can we educate employers better?  The presentations would also explore university/business links and highlight international good practice.   (Three presentations of 15-20 minutes duration.)  
  
Speakers to be confirmed

10:30-11:00  Open mic session

  11:00-11:20 Break for Refreshments
  
11:20-11:40 UK Minister for Higher Education – to be confirmed
  
11:40 -12:25 Session 2 : Employability at Masters and Doctorate levels
  
Key  themes: Presentations to  explore the notion that higher degrees are a route through to employment, not  just academia.  What is the added value of a higher degree for the employer?  Progression routes  – highlighting  good international practice.  How higher degrees respond to employers needs through effective university/business links.  The presentation will also have input from professional bodies. (Two  presentations of 20 minutes).
  
Speakers to be confirmed  
  
12:25-12:45  Open mic session
  
  12:45-13:30    LUNCH
  
13:40-15:00 Session 3:  Stakeholders  
  
Key themes:  Presentations will explore the understanding and expectation of employability – and job relevant skills, from the various stakeholders’ points of view – students, employers and academia.  The session will also explore statistical trends on graduate employment across Europe and the Bologna countries, where this data exists.  (Four presentations of 20  minutes.)
  
Speakers to be confirmed
  
15:00-16:30  Discussion

DAY 2

9:30 – 11:30 Session  4: Interactive workshops to  explore the key themes of the Seminar, identified  as:  
  
1.	Embedding in the curriculum  – soft skills/ sector skills
2.  Links to Industry – including foundation degrees
3.	Internationalisation, including mobility – work  placements/ teacher mobility
  
11:30 - 12:00 Refreshments while rapporteurs and facilitators give feedback on recommendations (Working with Industry; Bologna Tools).
  
12:00-12:30  Final Plenary / closing thanks by Chair