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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 12

Publication Date: December 25, 2021

DOI:10.14738/assrj.812.11377. Papadakis, N., & Drakaki, M. (2021). Prometheus Bound? European Initiatives and Trends on Higher Education and Their Association

with Economic Competiveness, Skills and Employability. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(12). 105-111.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Prometheus Bound? European Initiatives and Trends on Higher

Education and Their Association with Economic Competiveness,

Skills and Employability

Nikos Papadakis

Professor & Director of the Center for

Political Research and Documentation (KEPET)

Department of Political Science, University of Crete

Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Academy of Globalization and

Education Policy (AGEP) of the Zhengzhou University (ZZU), China

Maria Drakaki

Contracted Teaching Staff at the Department of Social and

Educational Policy of the University of the Peloponnese

Collaborative Teaching Staff, Hellenic Open University

ABSTRACT

Globalization and increasing internationalization of Higher Education has clearly

resulted in a persistent demand for the further transformation of Higher Education

Institutes (HEIs), towards competitiveness and contribution to development. What

is actually in stake is the employability, while another key issue is the

harmonization with the economy and the labor market. That raises, of course, a lot

of issues concerning the gradual transformation of the Higher Education and the

relation between Higher Education and Society at Large. Globalization has affected

all the abovementioned, which is crystal clear in large scale initiatives, in Europe,

such as the “Bologna Process” and the subsequent development of the European

Higher Education Area, in the case of Europe. Given all the abovementioned, the

present article mainly focuses on the European trends, transformations and

initiatives in Higher Education, related to HEIs’ active and potential contribution to

economic development and the enhancement of graduates’ employability and

skills.

Key words: European Higher Education Area, EU2020 Strategy, Supranationalisation,

Internationalization, Benchmarks, Competitiveness, Policy Making, Employability, Skills

INTRODUCTION

There is no doubt that the Academia is changing all across the world, gradually and

substantially detached from the Humboldt-ian, traditional, approach to University’s role and

operation. According to Morley “the rise of academic management, together with the rise of

consumerism and political concerns with the exchange and use value of higher education, have

produced new organisational cultures and professional priorities........There is a more explicit

concern with universities producing new workers and the values of the consumer society are now

embedded in educational relationships” (Morley 2001: 131).

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 12, December-2021

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

This statement reflects the state of play regarding the international trends in Higher Education,

as well as in Higher Education Policy agenda, which is substantially affected by the ongoing

globalization, which increasingly “addresses the notion of international competitiveness”

(Chiang 2018: 114) and the growing market-driven approach to Higher Education (HE). It

should be noted at this point, that “whereas the growth of systems and networks multiplies

possible contacts and exchanges of information, it does not lead per se to the expansion of an

intersubjectively shared world and to the discursive interweaving of conceptions of relevance,

themes, and contributions from which political public spheres arise. The consciousness of

planning, communicating, and acting subjects seems to have simultaneously expanded and

fragmented. (Habermas 1999: 110 cited in Downey and Fenton 2003: 189). Within the context

of globalization and its effects resulting (among others) in a multi-level “intensification” of

social relations (see Giddens 1990: 64), we truly live in momentus times (see della Porta 2020),

characterized by “deeply unequal capitalist societies, driven by profit and competition

operating on a global scale” (Fenton 2007: 225). Universities are called (or even forced) to

adapt in the changing demands of this context, which could result by the over-determination of

Higher Education by the Economy and the Market (see analytically Papadakis 2020 and

Gravaris 2005).

This trend is more than clear in the USA, where universities are under on ongoing

transformation, mainly driven by the economy and labour market demands. According to

Drucker (2011: 1188), “universities became more deeply and intentionally engaged in an

expanding assortment of economic development activities.... these activities include technology

commercialization, cooperative research, consulting, supporting innovation and

entrepreneurship, and resource sharing, in addition to the traditional missions of research and

teaching. (UYARRA, 2010)”.

THE STATE OF PLAY IN THE EU: KEY POLICY INITIATIVES AND MAJOR TRENDS

In Europe, a major project of forming a common policy agenda concerning Higher Education is

in progress: the Bologna Process aiming at the development of the European Higher Education

Area (EHAE). EHAE is a configuration of common structures of the European higher educational

systems aiming at their comparability and compatibility (Lavdas, Papadakis, Gidarakou 2006:

134), as well as at a quasi harmonization towards a joint direction (Teichler 2011: 3). The

ongoing Bologna Process (even from its declaration) has marked the important, enhanced role

that higher education is called to play in the achievement of a European Economy, competitive

worldwide (Crosier & Parveva 2013). In September 2003, a third decisive ministerial meeting

was held in Berlin. It aimed at the definition of the priorities set in previous meetings and

mainly at the establishment of a quality network concerning Higher Education services

(Conference of Ministers responsible for Higher Education 2003). Ever since, the emphasis on

quality indicators and subsequently quality assurance and control is growing (see ENQA, ESU,

EUA, EURASHE 2015), while the issue of quality became gradually “the key for realizing the

desired outcomes” (Lavdas, Papadakis, Gidarakou 2006: 134). It should be noted that “with the

Bologna Process public policy (in Higher Education) moved from the national to the European

level of policy making. It did so, as a transnational venture creating a new mode of governance

based on policy networks but without being a European Union’s policy, even though the

outcomes of the Bologna Process are supported by the EU” (Papadakis, Tsakanika, Kyridis

2012: 86-87). Within this framework, joint indicators were developed aiming at reflecting the

learning outcomes (knowledge-skills- competences) and the qualifications (such as the