The Council of the European Union has announced it has set out its vision for the future of European higher education

In a recommendation and parallel resolution agreed at a meeting held earlier this week, education ministers have laid the groundwork for the implementation of a joint European degree label and set out the next steps towards the possible introduction of a joint European degree.

The two texts approved at the meeting set out the Council’s “ambition for the future of European higher education, while also outlining the practical elements of the process towards achieving this ambition,” a statement from the Council of the EU said.

“Taken together, they respond to the pressing need to strengthen the attractiveness of Europe’s universities and raise their global standing at a time of increasing geopolitical challenges.”

The council’s resolution sets out the member states’ vision for a joint European degree label and proposes a roadmap towards a possible joint European degree, with three phases to be carried out by 2029.

Manuel José Damásio, Associate Professor and the Head of the Film and Media Arts Department at Lusófona University and coordinator of FilmEU said that this step is “crucial towards the full implementation of European degrees”.

“The FilmEU European University is convinced, and our previous work in the context of the EU-funded ETIKETA project highlights this, that European degrees are the spearhead of the international competitiveness of European HEIs and should be implemented as soon as possible.”

“We are very happy with this decision!”