GENERAL INFORMATION
TAM title: European Integration of Ukraine’s Higher Education in the Context of the Bologna Process: Values in Higher Education
Type of Event: Conference session, online follow-up meeting
Modality: Hybrid
Country: Ukraine
Dates: 7 & 14 November 2025
Participants: Ninety participants attended the main TAM event, with an additional 50 following the live broadcast online. Participants represented the Ministry of Education and Science, the Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency, universities, research institutions, VET institutions, and the HERE team. Participants included vice-rectors, deans, professors, university staff, international office staff, researchers and students.
THEMES COVERED
- European integration of Ukraine’s higher education system
- Implementation of EHEA fundamental values in higher education
- Relationship between fundamental values and sustainable development
- Academic freedom and institutional autonomy
- Academic integrity and public responsibility in higher education governance
- Policy and institutional strategies for implementing EHEA values during crisis conditions
KEY OUTCOMES
During the workshop, participants:
- Gained a deeper understanding of the EHEA fundamental values, their evolution, and their current role in European higher education.
- Examined how academic freedom, integrity, autonomy, and public responsibility can be implemented under conditions of crisis and war.
- Reflected on Ukraine’s national and institutional positioning in relation to the EHEA values agenda.
- Contributed to discussions informing future policy directions and Bologna Process–related recommendations.
OVERVIEW
The Technical Assistance Mission event focused on the implementation of fundamental values of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) in Ukraine and their role in supporting the European integration of the Ukrainian higher education system.
The first session, held within the framework of the Bologna Conference on 7 November 2025, featured expert presentations by Prof. Liviu Matei alongside contributions from Ukrainian speakers. These presentations examined the concept of fundamental values within the EHEA, the policy framework governing them, and the role of higher education institutions in promoting academic freedom, institutional autonomy, academic integrity and public responsibility.
Ukrainian speakers presented the national context, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for implementing these values in conditions shaped by the ongoing war and the broader process of European integration. The discussion also addressed how EHEA principles can support the modernization and resilience of the Ukrainian higher education system.
A second session took place online on 14 November 2025, bringing together HERE experts, policymakers and the TAM expert to reflect on the outcomes of the conference and discuss possible policy recommendations and further steps for strengthening the implementation of fundamental values in higher education.
The event combined expert input, national perspectives and interactive discussions, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of the role of fundamental values in shaping higher education policy and institutional governance.
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY
Title of the activity: Digital Proceedings of the TAM XIV International Bologna Conference – European Integration of Ukraine’s Higher Education in the Context of the Bologna Process: Bologna Process Principles and Tools, EHEA Values
Dates: The follow-up activity was conducted between 7 November and 29 December 2025. The digital conference proceedings compiling the contributions from the TAM event were finalized and published on 29 December 2025.
Audience: The follow-up activity targeted the Ukrainian higher education community, particularly representatives of higher education institutions involved in the TAM event. The publication included contributions prepared by 66 representatives of Ukrainian HEIs, who submitted abstracts addressing the themes of EHEA fundamental values and Bologna Process principles. In addition, the dissemination of the publication through the National Erasmus+ Office communication channels allowed approximately 15,000 subscribers to access the materials.
Description: As a follow-up to the TAM event, the HERE team and the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine, in cooperation with the Institute of Higher Education of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, prepared a digital publication compiling the contributions presented during the TAM conference. The objective of this follow-up activity was to broaden the dissemination of the discussions and insights generated during the event and to promote a deeper understanding of the Bologna Process principles and EHEA fundamental values among the wider academic community. The publication invited participants of the TAM event and related national events to submit short abstracts reflecting on the implementation of fundamental values in higher education.
The compilation process involved establishing submission guidelines, collecting abstracts from participants, and organising them into thematic sections aligned with the main themes of the event. The proceedings were structured around three core areas:
- quality assurance and academic integrity;
- academic freedom, autonomy and participation in higher education governance;
- public responsibility of higher education institutions.
The resulting publication was disseminated through the websites of the National Erasmus+ Office and partner institutions, enabling broader access to the outcomes of the TAM event and supporting continued dialogue on the implementation of EHEA principles within the Ukrainian higher education system.
ENHANCING IMPACT: PROPOSED NEXT STEPS
- Continue national dialogue on the implementation of EHEA fundamental values, with particular attention to crisis and post-war recovery contexts.
- Extend similar awareness-raising and capacity-building activities to broader segments of the higher education system, beyond the initial group of participants.
- Strengthen institutional implementation mechanisms for academic freedom, integrity, autonomy, and public responsibility.
- Further clarify the role of public authorities in supporting and safeguarding fundamental values in higher education.
RESOURCES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL
European Higher Education Area (2024). EHEA Statements on Fundamental Values: Annex 1 to the Tirana Ministerial Communiqué. Available at: https://ehea.info/Download/ANNEX-1-EHEA-STATEMENTS-ON-FUNDAMENTAL-VALUES%20(1).pdf
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