European Higher Education Area 2030: Bridging Realities for Tomorrow's Higher Education

This open access book presents the major outcomes of the fifth edition of the Future of Higher Education – Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference (FOHE-BPRC5), organized by the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) prior to the 2024 Ministerial Conference in Tirana.

The Conference is considered a landmark in the European Higher Education Area, encouraging dialogue between researchers and policy-makers. The resulting book provides a forward-looking perspective on how the EHEA is evolving in response to current challenges and opportunities, by focusing on topics such as internationalization, equity and employability, fundamental values, impact of digitalization or innovative learning and teaching. The papers presented offer insights in these areas, illustrating successful or failed implementations within the EHEA and are published in open access format to ensure that the researchers’ perspectives are widely available to European policy and decision makers.

Since 2024 marks the first post pandemic edition of the Conference, it is a good moment to not only to take stock of the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, but also to explore how scientific research can support policy into shaping the directions for the future to come.

Adrian Curaj is a former minister of education, science and innovation. He is the head of the UNESCO Chair on Science and Innovation Policies at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration. He had been working as a consultant for the World Bank, UNESCO, UNIDO, ETF and EC for studies in Tertiary Education, Science and Innovation and Foresight. Also, Adrian CURAJ is fellow of the World Academy of Art & Science (WAAS). He has been at the forefront of theory & practice of Smart Specialization and Open Science in Romania since the beginning of its development. Adrian Curaj is Conference co-chair for all editions of the Future of Higher Education – Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference (2011, 2014, 2017, 2020, and 2024).

Cezar Mihai Hâj holds a PhD in Political Science from the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) in Bucharest. His experience as policy expert includes coordinating a number of studies on internationalization, equity, university management, internal quality assurance and data collection. He has written articles in Springer and Central European University publications and co-authored the “Study on the impact of admission systems on higher education outcomes” commissioned by the DG-EAC. He is a member of the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG) and co-chair of the Fundamental Values WG. He is currently digital expert for the World Bank and the European Digital Education Hub.

Remus Pricopie is professor and Rector of the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), Bucharest, since March 2012. Mr. Pricopie served as Minister of Education and Research from December 2012 to December 2014. His activity within the Romanian Ministry began in 1996 and includes positions such as Spokesperson, Director, Secretary-General and Deputy Minister for Higher Education, International Relations and Teacher Training. Also, he has extensively collaborated with UNESCO, UNICEF, EU, OECD, World Bank, United Nations University – and ministries of education and research from more than 100 countries. Prof. Pricopie holds a PhD in Political Science at SNSPA and he is a Fulbright New Century Scholar alumnus, and member of the World Academy of Art and Science, the Romanian Chapter of the Club of Rome and the Atlantis Group.  Dr. Pricopie has been Chair of the Task Force on Fostering and Building Human Capital of the Regional Cooperation Council and President of the Board of Directors of the Romanian-US Fulbright Commission. He held the positions of Vice-president of the International Association of Universities (2012-2022) and President of the EU-Latin America and Caribbean Permanent Academic Forum (2018-2022). Since 2021, he has been President of the World University Consortium. Dr. Pricopie’s activity of encompasses trans-disciplinary research in the areas of higher education management, internationalisation of higher education, public communication, public participation and collaborative public management.