Qualifications Frameworks: The Avenue towards the Convergence of European Higher Education?

Autor/inn/en	Karseth, Berit; Solbrekke, Tone Dyrdal
Titel	Qualifications Frameworks: The Avenue towards the Convergence of European Higher Education?
Quelle	In: European Journal of Education, 45 (2010) 4, S.563-576 (14 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0141-8211
DOI	10.1111/j.1465-3435.2010.01449.x
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Qualifications; Academic Standards; Educational Policy; Policy Analysis; National Standards; International Cooperation; International Education; Comparative Education; Educational Environment; Politics of Education; Educational Change; Political Power + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Qualifikation; Qualifikationsstufe; Politics of education; Bildungspolitik; Politikfeldanalyse; Internationale Kooperation; Internationale Zusammenarbeit; Internationale Erziehung; Vergleichende Erziehungswissenschaft; Lernumgebung; Pädagogische Umwelt; Schulumwelt; Educational policy; Bildungsreform; Politische Macht
Abstract	This article analyses one of the most important aspects of the journey towards the vision of a European Higher Education Area, namely the development of a "new architecture" in which compatible qualifications frameworks are one of the main building blocks. The overall question addressed concerns how and whether signatory countries of the Bologna process, although committed to this "new architecture," share the same understanding of the intentions of the qualifications frameworks. The article shows that, while the main policy documents of the Bologna process cling to the saga of successfulness with regard to the implementation of compatible qualifications frameworks at national levels, our analysis demonstrates major shortcomings which cannot be explained within a rational approach. Rather, our study indicates that the shortcomings are better understood as the lack of a shared epistemic as well as cultural understanding of the aim of a qualifications framework. By employing a theoretical lens based upon different perspectives on institutionalism and governmentality, we argue that qualifications frameworks can be understood as part of a rapidly-expanding myth of rationality which offers global scripts to follow. On the other hand, the translation process of the qualifications frameworks shows that there are different "windows of opportunities" which offer the different countries a space to manifest national mindsets and institutional practices. This becomes evident when looking into the self-certifications reports on national qualifications framework of three countries. Finally, to understand what is at stake, the issue of power needs to be taken into account. As we suggest, it comes as no surprise that the countries in the "leading group" of introducing national qualifications frameworks are all "well-established" members of the European Union. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10