"The Bologna Process has been misinterpreted, misused and twisted to fit the short-term political goals of the governments. It is sometimes impossible to recognise the goals of the process: better social conditions for students, better recognition of foreign degrees and better possibilities to study abroad", said Ligia Deca, Chairperson of ESU.

While education ministers gather in Vienna to discuss and celebrate ten years of the Bologna Process, students will be protesting in the streets of the same city. Ligia Deca said:

"At the same time, the European Union's agenda for economic competitiveness has often interfered with the Bologna Process goal of better education and better educational cooperation in Europe.

"Successive ESU reports from the last 7 years of the Bologna Process have shown that countries that actively involve students at all levels succeed more often in implementing the process. The Bologna Process at the European level has had good student participation the last years. The national and university levels still have a long way to go in many countries.

"Students represent 90 % of the academic community. It's about time this is reflected by accepting students as real partners in higher education decision-making structures as well as in policy and budget debates.

"Budget was always missing to make ministerial commitments for equitable education a reality. We see that agricultural subsidies currently take up to 40 % of the EU budget, while investments in higher education are ridiculously low and require co-financing from the side of the Member States. We would say that higher education deserves at least the same financial conditions from the EU level as agricultural subsidies have."


For press comments in English, please contact Ligia Deca, ESU Chairperson, on phone +32473669892 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For comments in German, please contact ESU Executive Committee member Andrea Blättler on phone +41796208224 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For comments on the situation for students in Austria, please contact Sigrid Maurer, Chairperson of the Austrian national student union ÖH (Österrreichische Hochschülerinnenschaft) on phone +436505129769 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Click here to download a press photo of Ligia Deca.