Bologna Process: Education Trade unions call on ministries to respect academic freedom in higher education and research
Published:- ETUCE webinar: the importance of safe learning and working environment for inclusive education
- Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention: ETUCE calls its members to support their Turkish colleagues
- ETUCE and EPSU strongly condemning the approval of the Kyrgyz Republic draft law “On Trade Unions”
- ETUCE Conference presents new research on privatisation trends in European education systems
- ETUCE Committee under the new mandate: COVID-19 and solidarity actions on the agenda
- New study on vaccination of teachers by ETUCE
- ETUCE webinar: Effective practices to implement the whole-school approach for inclusive education
- Education social partners discussed the Finnish VET system reform
- ETUCE urges for a clear commitment to implement the new EU Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Education for Social change: ETUCE launches its first-ever project on sustainable environmental development
- Gender equality in the education and trade union sectors’ decision-making positions is a priority!
- Recovery and Resilience Plans: Social dialogue at the heart of an educational recovery in Europe
- How to reach high-quality early childhood education? By supporting the teachers!
- International Women’s Day: women teachers, ‘invisible superheroes’ or taking the lead?
- Intellectual property rights of academics and researchers under pandemic pressure
- Standing Committee for Equality 2021: Ensuring equality and inclusive education in times of emergency
- Teaching the Holocaust: a common responsibility
- Education trade unions bring out their expertise to shape an inclusive learning environment
- Embracing diversity in education: New ETUCE research on inclusive education
- International Migrants Day: Having a migrant background is an asset, not an obstacle
- Education trade unions at the third European Education Summit “online learning cannot substitute schools and teachers!”
- Social partners share good practices on vocational education and training from the COVID-19 crisis
- Education trade unions in Europe kick off ambitious work programme for quality education and elect new leadership
- Central and Eastern European Network Meeting 2020
- International Day of Persons with disabilities: Support Teacher For Inclusion
- 2020 ETUCE Conference – Day 2
- 2020 ETUCE Conference – Day 1
- ETUCE Pre-Conference webinar discusses the challenges of privatisation in and of education
- ETUCE calls on governments to activate resources for recovery and resilience in the education sectors
- ETUCE Pre-Conference webinar on Inclusive education: Shifting diversity from challenge to added value
- International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: Impact of COVID-19 and digitalisation
- Bologna Ministerial Meeting 2020: ETUCE called on 49 ministers of the Bologna Process countries to ensure academic freedom and good working conditions for staff
- Back to School: ETUCE Member organisations hold sub-regional talks on education trade union work under the COVID-19
- Digitalisation in Education: ETUCE holds webinar on the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation for education trade unions
- Towards the ETUCE Conference: Webinar on social dialogue, collective bargaining and trade union rights
- Embracing digitalisation: New ETUCE/ EFEE project to address the potentials and challenges of digital technologies in education
- Bologna Process: Education Trade unions call on ministries to respect academic freedom in higher education and research
- Towards the 2020 ETUCE Conference: Preparing to campaign to enhance the teaching profession for solidarity, democracy, equality and sustainability
- ETUCE becomes an official partner of EU-OSHA’s Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2020-2022
- #OSH4Edu: ETUCE/EFEE workshop on the development and implementation of Online Risk Assessment tools for education institutions
- Higher education and research face new emerging challenges amid COVID-19 pandemic
- Trade unions’ demands to education ministers about the future of the Bologna Process
- Towards the ETUCE Conference: Embracing young members in the education trade unions
- Right to quality and inclusive education and sustainable public investment must be the key to the European Education Area 2025
- ETUCE Position on a new European Research Area for Research and Innovation
- Bologna process: Recognition of qualifications must go hand in hand with academic freedom and institutional autonomy
- Bologna Process: The importance of the Qualification Framework for teachers
- Education trade unions continue fighting for good salary and working conditions for early childhood education teachers
- Bologna Process: Equality in higher education must be based on public investment and cooperation
- Towards the ETUCE 2020 Conference: Workshop on Vocational Education and Training (VET)
- Bologna Process: Academic freedom relies on working conditions and democratic governance
- Gender Equality Index reveals digitalisation can worsen gender inequalities
- Bologna process: Decent salaries and fair working conditions are the pillars for high-quality higher education
- ETUCE webinar discusses recovery and investment needs for sustainable education systems at times of crisis and beyond
- Education social partners in Europe call for strengthened social dialogue at all levels to face transformations
- #JeSuisProf: ETUCE condemns violence against education personnel and threats to freedom of expression
- ETUCE Action Plan on Organising and Renewal: Strengthen each to fortify all
- International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: Access to education at risk amid new economic and climate challenges
- ETUCE Committee: preparation of the 2020 ETUCE Conference
- ETUCE Statement on integration of migrants: Support-based inclusive education and teacher training are crucial
- Skills development must respect holistic education – ETUCE’s views on the European Skills Agenda
- World Teachers’ Day: Celebrating teachers who have led in crisis and reimagine the future
- Trade unions are concerned about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on higher education and research staff
- The sad passing of Jean-Marie Maillard from SNES-FSU, France
- ETUCE Conference “Your Turn! Teachers for trade union renewal” discusses transformative trade unionism in education
- Situation of refugees in Moria: ETUCE calls on governments to respect human rights
- ETUCE/FES webinar: Education Trade Unions and Young Members
- Press Release: ETUCE calls the ministers of education who are meeting today in Osnabrück to provide effective support to VET teachers
- International Democracy Day: no democracy without holistic and inclusive education
- ETUCE among high level stakeholders to discuss the future of European digital education policy at the European Commission
- Belarus: ETUCE denounces the violence and arbitrariness used against peaceful protesters
- ETUCE views on the EU public consultation ‘Achieving the European Education Area’
- ETUCE’s voice is heard as Europe marks 20th anniversary of the Bologna Process
- 2020 ETUCE Conference
- Teachers’ are concerned about the impact of a European-level graduate tracking system on education
- Could micro-credentials undermine VET and higher education qualifications?
- Education trade unions and employers commit to a comprehensive vision to support education systems in the COVID-19 recovery
- The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on VET teachers and schools
- Teachers need more than appreciation! Fair salaries, decent working conditions and meaningful social dialogue are the route to quality education for all.
- Education social partners discuss the aftermath of COVID-19 in Europe
- ETUCE Committee holds multilingual online videoconference
- Let’s learn from this crisis! Will European leaders back our call to put fair, high quality public education at the heart of the recovery from COVID-19?
- ETUCE Committee Members gather to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the education sector
- COVID-19: ETUCE Statement calls on governments to ensure health, safety, and access to education of refugees and migrants in face of the crisis
- COVID-19: Education personnel, School Students and Parents’ organisations share common demands for a safe return-to-school in a joint Statement
- Breaking the silence: ETUCE marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 2020
- Labour Day 2020 – Let’s celebrate education workers and guarantee public investment in quality education for all!
- Shape the Future of Europe with Teachers! Education trade unions call for public investment in quality education as Europe looks to reopen after COVID-19
- As Europe plans the exit from COVID-19 shutdown, leaders must listen to education personnel and their trade unions
- European Commission pushes ahead with European Semester despite economic freefall of COVID-19
- COVID-19 and distance teaching must not widen inequalities in education
- COVID-19: Message from ETUCE President Christine Blower
- European Social Dialogue: ETUCE and EFEE agree new joint work programme
- New ETUCE project will search for the source of trends towards liberalisation and privatisation in European education systems
- ETUCE responds to European Commission’s White Paper on Artificial Intelligence
- The COVID-19 pandemic must not set the clock back on gender equality
- Press Release: COVID-19 is an immediate crisis for education in Europe, but the long-term questions are even more troubling
- Brexit: Education workers across Europe will not be divided
- Education trade unions must be on board in shaping the future EU education strategy
- COVID-19: ETUCE European Director Susan Flocken sends solidarity to member organisations
- International Women’s Day: join the ongoing battle for women’s rights and gender equality!
- Standing Committee for Equality 2020: invest in inclusive and diverse education for the good of society
- European Sectoral Social Dialogue in Education – Trade unions and employers focus on higher education
- Building our future: trade unions explore renewal at YOURTURN! workshop
- Higher education & research trade unions: Growth of private-public alliances means we must act to protect academic freedom and working conditions
- Embracing diversity in education: new ETUCE project inspires trade unions across Europe to take action for inclusive education
- ETUCE joins OAJ’s Educa Fair for seminar on occupational health and safety
- Teaching the Holocaust: ETUCE and member organisations join memorial ceremony at Auschwitz and conference on Holocaust education
- ETUCE launches new Action Plan on Gender Equality
- Opening-up the European Semester: ETUCE-ETUI seminar helps trade unions develop the tools to engage
- International Migrants’ Day - Celebrating migrants and the education staff who help them flourish
- “Early childhood education and care is really on the political agenda right now”
- European Sectoral Social Dialogue in Education – Trade unions and employers agree new work programme
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Education is falling behind on inclusion and support of persons with disabilities
- YOUR TURN! seminar explores the meaning of trade union renewal
- ‘From paper to practice’ – Promoting democratic citizenship and Inclusive Education
- 2019 Autumn Meeting of the ETUCE Committee
- CEE Roundtable sets an agenda for strength in Central and Eastern Europe
- Children and educators suffer the consequences of military action: ETUCE deplores Turkish attacks in Northern Syria
- Conference and European Parliament hearing mark the end of our project on social dialogue in education and migration
- The changing role of VET teachers and trainers: ETUCE represents education unions at the 4th European VET Skills Week
- ETUCE is getting ready for the CEE Roundtable!
- How can we build inclusive schools in diverse societies?
- ETUCE Conference: Education Trade Unions Addressing Gender Equality Through Social Dialogue
- ETUCE supports SBASHK in delivering professional development for teachers in Kosovo
- ETUCE Research: It is time to bring gender equality into social dialogue!
- Trade unions of higher education and research staff continue fight for academic freedom
- Education and Migration: Key policy pillars ‘on the road to integration’
- CONVINCE Report on democratic citizenship and inclusive education is now published!
- Innovation and inclusion in education: education social partners taking the lead
- ETUCE on the 20th Anniversary of the Bologna Process: Academic freedom must be more safeguarded than ever
- ETUCE and EFEE join forces to fully recognise the right to education to migrant and refugee children in the EU
- ETUCE ‘Takes A Step’ towards more inclusive education on World Refugee Day’
- ETUCE stands in solidarity during EuroPride!
- ETUCE demands a new strong EU Strategy on gender equality
- ETUCE at the 14th Congress of the European Trade Union Confederation
- European Social Partners in Education review the testing phase of the OiRA-tool
- ETUCE launches discussions on trade union renewal: building trade union power at the base
- European Education Unions join ‘A Fairer Europe for Workers’ Demonstration
- ETUCE calls on genuine involvement of social partners in the implementation of the EU Copyright directive
- European Demonstration A Fairer Europe for Workers 26 April 2019
- Teacher training on gender stereotypes essential for a society free of sexism
- Education for digital democratic citizenship in the Internet era
- ETUCE requests the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to rectify false information
- It is time to register for the free online course on citizenship and human rights education!
- Promoting migrant and refugee educational inclusion by learning together
- To lift people out of poverty, public investment in quality education is a top priority, ETUCE says at Tripartite Social Summit
- ETUCE Hearing - “Shape the future of Europe with Teachers”
- ETUCE spring Committee 2019
- A whole-school approach and constructive dialogue among education actors are key tools to prevent radicalisation and extremism
- Job security is basis of academic freedom say higher education & research trade unions
- Effective strategies for quality teaching and learning in higher education and research: a pressing priority for the social partners
- ETUCE Public hearing: Shape the future of Europe with teachers
- Gender equality should be featured in all topics of social dialogue
- HERSC supports French member organisations in their fight against increased tuition fees
- The next step for the EU online risk assessment tools for education
- Standing Committee for Equality promotes a holistic approach to the diversity to create inclusive working and learning environments
- Education trade unions, employers and school leaders discussing successful practices on democratic citizenship and inclusive education
- To represent the under-represented, education trade unions in Europe engage on renewal
- Education trade unions to lead by example on gender equality in the teaching profession
- Gender Equality: what have our member organisations being getting up to?
- ETUCE engages for equality, justice and human dignity on the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Moving forward the EU online risk assessment tools for education
- Education trade unions adopt ambitious priorities for education and the future of Europe
- ETUCE Special Conference 2018 kicks-off discussions on trade union renewal and education for democracy
- Education trade unions at the forefront of the campaign to eliminate violence against women
- Towards the ETUCE Special Conference 2018: what is the role of education trade unions in shaping the future of Europe?
- Education social partners committed to enhance the attractiveness of the teaching profession
- ETUCE joins the “EU digital skills and jobs coalition”
- Say no to teachers’ denunciation platforms ! GEW and VBE raise their voice for teachers’ freedom and professional autonomy
- Shaping the Future of Europe: The Role of Education Trade Unions
- Shape the Future of Europe with Teachers

The upcoming Rome Ministerial Meeting on 19 November 2020 is an important milestone for the Bologna Process, as the education ministries are called to adopt the Rome Communiqué which sets the main goals and challenges of Higher Education and Research for the next decade. ETUCE and its high-level representatives, on behalf of 127 Education Trade Unions and 11 million teachers in 51 European countries, urge education ministries to respect the fundamental value of academic freedom in higher education and research. Despite national laws and the statutes of higher education institutions formally guarantee academic freedom, in practice respect for this fundamental value is missing. Among the challenges undermining academic freedom in higher education and research, the ETUCE representatives within this video point out:
- Weak protection of academic freedom in some national legislations;
- Lack of long-term public funding, in favour of project-based funding that restricts the freedom of research and penalises its quality;
- Uncontrolled precariousness and abundance of fixed-term contracts with short duration that do not guarantee academics and researchers of their right of freedom in research and pedagogical choices;
- Increasing marketisation of higher education and research based on performance assessment, high tuition fees and managerialism;
- Increasing top-down governance models that deteriorate democracy and freedom of academic teaching and research in higher education.
In light of the abovementioned factors which deteriorate academic freedom, education trade unions expect European education ministries to take effective actions for the protection of academic freedom in legislation and to establish measures and guidelines to guarantee the effective implementation of academic freedom in higher education and research.