Arabs’ own Bologna process

Arabs’ own Bologna process, Published in Jordan's JORDAN TIMES on April 25, 2008, Al Arabiya, News channel.

(Article on Al Arabiya : A voice of moderation helps transform Arab media, IHT January 4, 2008.)

Ahmad Y. Majdoubeh

"Life is full of ironies and paradoxes. We, Arabs, have a lot in common: language, religion, history, heritage, customs, etc. Many Arabs believe in their heart of hearts that they are one people, one nation. Not long ago, in fact, the various territories occupied by the more than 22 Arab states at this point in time used to form one territory, one nation.

Europe, by contrast, is composed of several nations, with different languages, cultures and geography. In several individual European countries, there are two or three (or more) different languages spoken, and people of different ethnic origins. Nevertheless, the Europeans (27 or more countries so far) have succeeded in forming a union - one which actually works: despite some snags here and there.

Europeans travel within all countries belonging to the European Union as if they were travelling within one country: no borders, no visas. Foreign nationals who obtain a Schengen visa from one European country can travel as freely as European nationals within the European Union.

Arabs, who claim to be one nation, cannot do the same in the Arab countries. In most cases, visas are required, and borders separate all 22 or more Arab countries. And, of course, there is no Arab union. And the Europeans have done more than ease travel.

Last week, I took part in a seminar in Brussels on the Bologna process, and in a follow-up seminar on the same subject on the campus of the University of Jordan a few days ago. The Bologna process is an initiative which is seen as part of an overall European drive to develop and modernise the higher education systems throughout Europe.

It took shape (though it started earlier) in the city of Bologna, in Italy, when 19 European ministers of higher education met and drafted a declaration, pledging to develop and upgrade the European systems of higher education (the so-called Bologna Declaration). These ministers (others were added later) meet every two years in a European city to evaluate progress.

The declaration (the process at large) focuses on a number of key components, summarised in the so-called ten action lines: system transparency, compatibility, student mobility, credit transfer, quality assurance, the three cycles, and many others.

In layman terms, the process aims at developing higher education throughout the European Union, creating an “area” of higher education which enables European students and faculty members to move within it with ease and effectiveness.

Just as travel among countries within the union has been made easy, “travel” of students and faculty members within European institutions of higher education (i.e., mobility) has been made easy.

Recently, 10 Arab countries have been allowed access to the process, and started taking part in cooperation programmes with European universities and student mobility.

Several Jordanian students are now studying at European universities, and several European students are studying at Jordanian universities as a result of this involvement.

Arab involvement in the Bologna process is important for many reasons. One is that many specific benefits emanate from specific bilateral and multilateral cooperation projects. Another, more important, is that as Arabs are thinking of developing and modernising their higher education systems, they can learn lessons from the Bologna process.

Furthermore, as cooperation within the process allows several partners to meet, Arabs meet other Arabs within the context of European programmes.

Engagement with the Bologna process, for Arabs and for Europeans, is beneficial. But should not Arabs develop their own Bologna process?

Let’s not talk about Arab unity. Let’s not even talk about an Arab Union (though we should). Let’s talk about an inter-Arab, intra-Arab cooperation programme.

Should not there be an Arab “Bologna process”?"