The European Degree: Why it would work

To many now, the EU is in the most volatile position it has been since its inception. Swarmed by problems both from within and without, ranging from the continuing war in Ukraine and the seemingly unending migrant crisis to the quickly rising power of nationalistic populist parties and the unceasing sabotage of some of its member states, it seems accurate to say that the EU is experiencing a period of strive. Yet, among all these problems, I wish to examine a topic that, though not necessarily a pressing issue the EU must face immediately, is still pressing and essential for the long-term prosperity and survival of the EU – education. “Ok, but why is this important?” you, dear reader, may be asking. “Why should I care about some joint degree when the EU has more important fish to fry?” That is a fair question to ask. To answer it, I would argue that all fish are essential to fry. The education problem is a rather big fish indeed, one that has been one of the most outstanding achievements and misses of the EU.

On March 27, 2024, the Directorate-General for Communication of the European Commission published a news article about the Commission’s plan to facilitate the creation of a ‘European Degree’. This Degree would be a new voluntary joint programme between universities in different EU countries that would be recognised across the EU. (Commission 2024). This plan wouldn’t just give students more mobility and opportunities to find work in other countries or employers a more comprehensive range of experts. In my opinion, this European Degree would also pave the way for greater European integration, allowing citizens of the EU to migrate within the Union more efficiently without the fear and frustration of being discriminated against just for the fact they finished university in Prague and not Paris. According to the article, this new European Degree would “<…> benefit students by boosting learning mobility and making graduates more attractive to employers. At the same time, it will help to meet labour market demand, ultimately boosting Europe’s competitiveness.” (Commission 2024). If truly successful, such a project would most likely benefit the EU and its member states, building on the foundation laid by Erasmus and the Bologna Process. Migration within the EU, though not as widely talked about as immigration into the EU from other continents, is still a serious topic. Since the large waves of expansion in 2004 and 2007, the different quality of degrees from the many universities within the EU member states has been a point of contention. Let me give you a hypothetical scenario to illustrate my point – a student who finished dentistry in Romania wishes to emigrate to Belgium, where the demand for dentists is high. Sadly though, once he reaches his destination, he finds nobody wants to hire him, as his Romanian diploma is considered inferior to French or Belgian diplomas, forcing him to either return home or go through six more years of studying in a Belgian university to gain the needed credentials finally or, if he’s lucky, be accepted and reviewed by some EU institutions according to the Bologna Process. A European degree would solve this issue, as, according to the Commission, the Degree would be viewed by employers across the EU as of equal worth, whether that be in Brussels, Bucharest or Helsinki. Of course, discrepancies would still exist, but the bar would be much less strict, allowing for easier migration and integration within the EU. It would achieve this by first giving existing joint university programmes that meet the proposed European criteria a preparatory European label. Students would receive a European degree label certificate and their joint Degree. Later, they would create a separate degree anchored in national legislation, awarded jointly by several universities or a common legal entity and immediately recognised (Commission 2024).

Of course, there are critics and sceptics of this new idea. Universities have already expressed their apprehension, decrying the lack of a dedicated budget for the proposed plan. Creating new programmes and courses, especially joint ones, requires capital and time, as figuring out what would be the suitable courses that professors should teach, not to mention the finding of universities with whom to create the joint programme, takes a considerable investment, something most universities are apprehensive about unless they know such a plan will be profitable. Furthermore, critics cite the lacklustre performance of the Bologna Process and say that the Degree’s voluntary nature could hinder the grandiose claims of the Commission (Francica 2024). Eurosceptics wouldn’t be happy seeing the EU allowing upstart students from other countries to come into their countries and take up high-paying jobs and positions. Thus, the plan would only fan the flames of the current rise of the populist far-right, possibly alienating many from the idea of EU integration, only seeing it as another factor that takes away jobs.

Though these fears are not unfounded, the positives outweigh the negatives if the European Degree and the joint programmes that would give out these degrees are planned and organised correctly. I believe that one of the most important and prudent attributes such programmes should have would be the required study of the native languages and cultures of both universities. If a Spanish and Austrian university heads a joint programme, then the students enrolled in the programme would have to study both Spanish and German, learning the customs and traditions of both cultures. Such courses within the programmes would facilitate the integration of students much more efficiently, as they would be much more familiar with the country’s culture and, therefore, would seamlessly integrate into the workforce. Such a workaround would only silence Eurosceptic critics partially, but they would have fewer cards to play against the idea, as they would no longer be able to say they are getting invaded by young immigrants who only care about spreading their ‘uncultured’ culture within the country. Concerning the fear of a lack of funds, such a problem is also easily solvable. As the plan has only recently been agreed upon and its implementation date has yet to be set, the Commission and many universities can discuss and agree upon a fund package that could fund the creation and implementation of such programmes. Finally, I believe such courses should become mandatory for most high education institutions within the EU, with at least five faculties covering broader subjects (philosophy, physics, etc.) needing a joint programme which would award the European Degree. This would be the actual crowning achievement of such an initiative and plan, benefitting not only the students but also strengthening and adding on to such initiatives as Erasmus and the Bologna Process, allowing for a more streamlined process of uniting the many disparate education systems within the EU.

To conclude, the idea of a European degree, at least in my opinion, is one of the best long-term solutions to the creation of a more vital, more tangible concept of European integration and could pave the way for a shared understanding of ‘Europeanness’, as citizens of EU member states would be more accessible than ever before to travel and work in different countries and environments, not only facilitating economic growth and market demand but also creating a shared understanding of the various cultures within the EU, becoming the first vital step towards a truly united Europe.

Simonas Davidavičius, VU TSPMI 3rd year student

The article was prepared within the framework of the course „Contemporary EU Challenges”.