Building the European degree

Rationale

Europe faces intensifying global challenges and, therefore, also a growing demand for highly skilled, mobile, and adaptable graduates that possess the capabilities and competencies necessary to address complex issues through collaboration across borders. Growing global political tensions have placed Europe in a precarious position, rupturing some of its long-standing ties with allies and deteriorating relationships with other global powers. However, these challenges have also presented Europe with an opportunity to affirm its values and strengthen the ties between Member States.

While many parts of the world are suffering a crisis of faith in science and education with right-wing nationalist ideologies and isolationism dominating the popular discourse, Europe must emerge as a beacon of transnational cooperation and educational excellence, driving forward an era of a “second Enlightenment.” To seize this opportunity and establish Europe once more as a paragon of reason requires tools that support unrestricted knowledge circulation. The current fragmented state of the European Higher Education Area cannot sufficiently address these challenges through isolated national degrees and educational systems that do not prioritize deep European collaboration nor promote democratic resilience.

Europe must focus its efforts on implementing the fifth freedom[1], the “freedom of knowledge,” instrumental to the full realization of the European Single Market[2]. The fifth freedom is founded on the assertion that for a fully integrated, economically competitive Europe to thrive, science and research must flow freely between the Member States. To support the free and equal mobility of researchers and scientists, attaining the fifth freedom necessitates a shift in the higher education paradigm in Europe.

The progress toward an integrated European Higher Education Area that would enable a full-fledged implementation of the fifth freedom began with the Bologna Process that led to the development of the ECTS and the Erasmus+ mobility programme; the European degree is the next step in the evolution towards the unification and accessibility of Europe for the next generation of scientists, researchers and highly-skilled professionals.

The Bologna Process sought to provide higher education institutions in Europe with the tools necessary for modernization and internationalization by creating a space open for transnational collaboration in ways that had never been possible before. What began with the introduction of tools such as the ECTS and Erasmus+ funding mechanisms for student and staff mobility evolved to the creation of quality assurance guidelines like the ESG and bodies such as the ENQA to provide the necessary conditions for an integrated, cohesive European Higher Education Area as one of the pillars of the European Union.

The European degree initiative proposes a transformative next step forward for higher education to achieve a single, harmonized European space for knowledge and skill exchange. Building on the progress of the Bologna Process while directly addressing its unresolved obstacles, the European Degree seeks to simplify and scale up the design, delivery, and recognition of (joint) transnational programmes. By establishing a common European framework and a set of co-created criteria, the initiative aims to cut through legal, regulatory, and administrative barriers that currently hinder cross-border academic cooperation and limit students’ educational experience.

The European degree will unify and elevate education quality in Europe by enabling higher education institutions to pool expertise, deliver innovative curricula, and embed mobility more seamlessly into learning pathways. The European degree will offer students a high-quality academic experience rooted in shared European values. This initiative strengthens the European promise at a pivotal moment in history where European sovereignty and democracy face unprecedented obstacles; it will not only shape graduates for the labour market but prepare a new generation of European citizens capable of thinking and acting beyond borders.

Industry

Europe’s ability to compete with global leaders in technology like the United States and China is increasingly constrained by a shortage of highly skilled professionals. To mitigate the lack of qualified engineers across Europe, it is necessary to address significant obstacles to cross-border professional mobility. Complex degree recognition procedures, language limitations, and limited exposure to international work environments makes it difficult for engineers to move to other European countries for work.

Overcoming these barriers requires a transformation in how European higher education prepares (and supports) graduates for a transnational labour market. The European degree offers a strategic opportunity to meet this challenge through fostering seamless academic mobility, embedding multilingual and intercultural competencies into curricula, and aligning educational outcomes with the evolving needs of a competitive and interconnected European Single Market.

The need for an adaptable, skilled workforce with a European identity

►Discussions with HR departments at European companies (e.g. Airbus, Stellantis) reveal that executives and engineers see themselves as "natioanls within an international company" rather than "Europeans within a European company", limiting employee integration and development (e.g. Airbus Power8 managerial issues).

 
►European Engineers need to be able to work in multicultural and multi-national teams to successfully address the present and future challenges of Europe. Working in diverse and multicultural teams fosters creative thining and problem-solving skill development. The lack of exposure to other cultures through mobility limits the potential and robs students of the opportunity to acquire vital professional and interpersonnal competencies.

Barriers to Degree Recognition

►The current constraints posed by accreditation agencies, professional bodies and other institutions, make it difficult for graduates to have their degrees recognised in other countries. These bureaucratic barriers make it difficult for companies to hire engineers from abroad despite the lack of skilled workers in many sectors across the European Union.

Enabling graduates to work in multiple European languages and multicultural teams
 

►Obtaining a European degree will boost a unified European identity for graduates and foster the practical conditions necessary for graduates’ seamless adaptation to new job contexts.

►The European degree strengthens multilingualism and mobility—two crucial tenets of an interconnected European economic area. By embedding multilingualism into curricula, the European degree ensures that graduates will possess the working command of several European languages, which is crucial for their successful integration into foreign professional contexts.

►The European degree ensures that students have meaningful international mobility experiences that will increase their ability to successfully transition to job settings abroad through enhanced intercultural competency; this will equip companies with engineers who have a deep sense of European society, economy, and citizenship.

Degree programs closely linked to the labour market

►An economically stable and competitive Europe requires degree programs that are attuned to the needs of the labour market. The European degree foregrounds strong ties between degree programs and the industry, ensuring that graduates develop skills that directly match the needs of employers. Industry stakeholder input in curricula and more seamless pathways for graduates into the labour market through training opportunities can build real-world relevance in degree programs.

Key value propositions of the European Degree for industry stakeholders

►Harmonized job market access. A unified degree framework simplifies cross-border hiring by making qualifications more comparable across Europe.

►Skill transparency and trust. Common quality standards and accreditation mechanisms increase employer confidence in graduates’ competencies.

►Increased talent pool mobility facilitates access to a broader, mobile workforce adaptable to regional needs.
►Reduced bureaucratic burden. Streamlined recognition processes lower costs and time for verifying credentials from different countries.

Students

To be prepared for the green and digital transitions in Europe and the inevitable shifts in the labour market, students must have access to degree programs that centre adaptability, innovation, interdisciplinarity, and transversal skill development. The uneven and complicated landscape of study mobility and cross-institutional cooperation limits opportunities for students to develop the skills they will need to succeed in engineering and other professions vital to European economic growth.

The rapidly evolving labour market requires an agile response from higher education systems in Europe

►In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, graduates must be able to quickly adapt to new developments that will inevitably require them to continuously up- and re-skill. Students need to be equipped with skills and competencies that will allow them to pivot according to new technological developments reflected in the labour market.

►The complex global challenges of the future such as climate change, rising inequality, and rapidly developing technologies like artificial intelligence require graduates that can operate across disciplines with a broad understanding of different perspectives. Limited access to innovative and interdisciplinary programs hampers students’ creativity and keeps them locked in silos. To promote collaboration between disciplines and enable cross-sectoral problem solving, programs must evolve to unlock students potential to meet the demands of tomorrow.
 

The importance of equipping students with future-proof skills

►The joint European degree will allow students to receive training at different European universities, leveraging their unique offerings and capabilities through innovative and interdisciplinary joint programs that students do not have access to any single institution alone. Exposure to academic mobility experiences create more resilient and flexible students who are better equipped to handle change and adapt to new contexts. This will impact how well students will respond to inevitable shifts in the labour market, which require new skill development.

►The European degree will enhance interdisciplinarity in study programs, expanding students’ knowledge and skillsets, which will ultimately lead to higher employability.
 

Broadening student perspectives through mobility as a strategic educational priority

►In an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, student mobility is no longer a luxury but a strategic necessity. Exposure to diverse cultural, social, and institutional contexts fosters flexibility, intercultural competence, and adaptive thinking; these skills are essential for navigating complex global challenges. Despite the clear benefits and added value of mobility, hurdles posed by automatic recognition issues, uneven funding structures, lack of foreign language training remain impediments to study abroad.

►Despite the ECTS and Bologna tools, inconsistencies in how institutions or national systems recognise coursework, degrees, or periods of exchange remain a major barrier to student mobility. Students cannot be certain that their home institution will recognize the experience they have gained abroad, which often deters students from pursuing mobility opportunities.

►Many students also struggle with the lack of linguistic and cultural preparedness. A lack of institutional support for language learning or intercultural competence limits students’ confidence or willingness to study abroad.

►Since there are institutions that do not prioritise mobility, many students are unaware of mobility opportunities available to them, or do not understand the academic or professional benefits of mobility.

►Fear of academic failure, social isolation, or lack of support abroad deters students from mobility, which squanders the potential of graduates needed for the global labour market. Degree programs which include mobility as a natural component of the educational experience are necessary to overcome these challenges.

►Through the European degree, students will have access to more opportunities to study in different European countries as mobility is embedded in the curriculum. Full and automatic recognition of the credits earned at other institutions will create a more seamless academic exchange experience and raise students’ confidence and comfort levels with mobility. Through more academic and professional experiences abroad, students will develop the capacity to collaborate across cultures, question assumptions, and approach problems from multiple perspectives, which are critical elements for innovation and workforce readiness in a global economy.
 

Development of foreign language skills as a cornerstone of academic and professional mobility

►It is no longer sufficient nor realistic to rely on the knowledge of a single lingua franca in Europe that requires free mobility of professionals, scientists, and researchers. English as a lingua franca is useful for travel and trade, but it is insufficient for working abroad, which requires a different approach to communication. To successfully cooperate with others, students must obtain working command of other European languages. The mastery of several European languages enables students to not only form a deep understanding of different cultures and to better connect with others; it directly addresses the practical realities of working in a foreign context that mobile workers experience.

►Through an emphasis on multilingualism, the European degree will foster program development that embeds language training and intercultural skill development into curricula, providing students with more opportunities to better prepare for academic and professional experiences abroad.

►Without foreign language acquisition embedded into programmes through the European degree, the vision for an integrated European Higher Education Area and a Single Market will remain out of reach.
 

A stronger Europe requires value-driven education

►To build a resilient, sustainable, and economically competitive Europe, it is essential for graduates to internalize shared European values such as democracy, sustainability, inclusion, and respect for diversity. These values underpin the social cohesion and mutual trust necessary for effective cross-border collaboration, innovation, and policy alignment in Europe. When students adopt these principles through education and transnational experiences, they become agents of integration, capable of addressing common challenges with a future-oriented mindset. Embedding European values in higher education contributes directly to a more cohesive society and a greener economy.

►The European degree weaves core European values like democracy, sustainability, inclusiveness, diversity and others into programs and curricula to ensure a strong foundation for a shared European identity.
 

Key value propositions of the European degree for students

►Enhanced employability. Automatic degree recognition across borders supports job-seeking within the broader context of Europe.

►Wider access to innovative learning opportunities. The European degree will facilitate the development of joint programmes, innovative and interdisciplinary curricula.

►Increased mobility and linguistic preparedness. The European degree will provide easier transitions for students across institutions and countries through mobility embedded into programs, making it an essential component of the student’s academic trajectory. Developing students’ multilingual capacities will create more pathways for mobility for those students who lack the necessary language skills and intercultural competencies to pursue academic and professional experiences outside of their comfort zone.

►Personal development and identity formation. Students will experience degree programs that reinforce a European identity and a sense of belonging to a shared educational space.

HEI

Higher education institutions hold the key to Europe’s future as the educational experience that they can provide to students directly impacts the social and economic fabric of the European Union. The specialists HEIs can prepare to meet local, regional, and pan-European challenges are shaped by the educational offer provided nationally. To increase retention and graduation rates, particularly in fields where Europe faces a dire lack of specialists such as engineering, HEIs must find new, innovative ways of working together in a shift towards collective-minded solutions. The European degree offers a natural step in the evolution of the European Higher Education Area and addresses the individual and global challenges of HEIs in attracting talent, raising the quality of the educational offer, and scaling up internationalization efforts.

Stagnation of the Bologna Process

The Bologna Process has experienced a marked slowdown in recent years in both implementation and political momentum. While the core tenets of the Bologna process—ECTS, diploma supplements, and qualifications frameworks—have been widely adopted, their transformative potential has been constrained by fragmented national reforms, uneven uptake of commitments in Member States, and a lack of coordinated political will.

Persistent disparities in ECTS and degree recognition practices, national regulatory incompatibilities, and insufficient support for joint programmes have hindered the full realization of a truly integrated European Higher Education Area.

►As a result, many of Bologna’s foundational ambitions such as automatic credit recognition, seamless student mobility, and compatible quality assurance across borders remain stifled and only partially fulfilled.
 

Student mobility is a catalyst for European economic growth

►Students who participate in mobility programs gain access to a broader range of educational offerings, exposure to innovative pedagogies, and international perspectives. When students move across borders and graduate with degrees recognised throughout Europe, they can more easily enter job markets beyond their country of origin. This facilitates matching graduates with labour market needs at the European level and helps address regional skill shortages. HEIs are the conduits for these processes in Europe’s development.

►Mobile students often become vectors of innovation, research collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Through cross-border exchanges, they contribute to the circulation of ideas, technologies, and practices among institutions and regions. This fosters innovation ecosystems and supports the knowledge economy, particularly in strategic sectors such as AI, energy, and health.
 

Revitalizing the Bologna Process through the European Degree

►The European degree offers an opportunity to reinvigorate the Bologna Process by fostering deeper cross-border educational cooperation, embedding mobility into curricula and promoting common criteria for degrees. The European degree will lead to meaningful interoperability of higher education, making the vision of a unified European Higher Education Area tangible for students, institutions, and Member States alike.

►Increased mobility opportunities will raise the international visibility and attractiveness of European higher education. This can help attract global talent and support Europe’s position in the global knowledge economy.
 

National barriers for a collaborative, pan-European approach to higher education

►National legal, regulatory, administrative, and cultural barriers continue to fragment the European higher education landscape, limiting the potential for joint degrees, student mobility, and institutional cooperation.

►Differences in accreditation procedures, quality assurance standards, and degree awarding regulations make it difficult for higher education institutions to co-develop and deliver integrated programmes across borders.

►Administrative burdens such as duplicative reporting requirements, incompatible digital systems, and misaligned academic calendars further complicate transnational collaboration. In some cases, cultural and institutional resistance to shared governance models and pedagogical innovation impedes progress toward deeper cooperation.
 

Opening and energizing the European Higher Education Area through the European Degree

►The European degree directly targets the barriers posed by national, legal, administrative, and cultural differences by promoting a common framework for transnational education that would streamline credit recognition and quality assurance procedures, enable mutual trust between Member States and higher education institutions, and provide clarity for joint qualifications. By reducing institutional and regulatory fragmentation, the European degree will re-launch the full integration of the European Higher Education Area by fostering cross-border academic innovation and student mobility that is structurally supported rather than administratively constrained.
 

Europe faces a persistent threat of foreign influence

►Europe faces increasing pressure from non-European actors influencing European higher education through different mechanisms. In some European countries, this has led to a growing reliance on external accreditation models and the adoption of standards that do not reflect European values of academic freedom, diversity and inclusiveness, democratic governance, and quality assurance rooted in public accountability.

►The proliferation of foreign influence risks undermining the coherence of the European Higher Education Area and weakening Europe’s capacity to set its own educational priorities.
 

The European degree will prevent non-European standards from dominating

►A strong, recognizable, and value-based European framework for transnational education will provide a robust foundation for higher education institutions vital for autonomy and independence. The European degree will reduce the reliance on foreign frameworks and guidelines in higher education, enhancing the use of European quality assurance mechanisms such as the European Approach.

►Enabling the development of joint programmes grounded in shared criteria and subject to common quality assurance principles through this initiative will strengthen Europe’s educational sovereignty and ensure that cross-border cooperation advances the democratic, social, and academic principles of the European Union.
 

Key value propositions of the European degree for HEIs

►Institutional visibility and attractiveness. A European degree could serve as a mark of distinction, attracting international students and research partnerships.

►Inter-institutional collaboration. The initiative will facilitate partnerships, joint programs, and shared curricula across borders.

►Administrative simplification. The European degree will reduce fragmentation in accreditation and programme validation processes across national systems.

►Capacity for innovation. Flexible and interdisciplinary programme design will be facilitated through embedded mobility.

Member States

Many European Member States face increasing geopolitical uncertainty that is further exacerbated by social fragmentation and the rise of national populism. These conditions affect the Member States’ ability to cooperate with one another to address common challenges and efficiently pool resources. Issues posed by differences in accreditation systems, quality assurance frameworks, and legal constraints create barriers difficult to surpass without strategic coordination at the European level.  

It is essential that Member States recognize the opportunity offered by the European degree initiative to enter a new era of higher education that can answer local, regional, and pan-European challenges through improved collaboration with other European countries. The European degree offers Member States a pathway toward a high-quality education based in shared European values while keeping national degrees intact. Mobility opportunities embedded as a natural part of any higher education experience will draw students from within and outside of Europe to regions that severely lack specialists. Innovation and real-world connections in degree programmes will boost student enrolment and rejuvenate sectors that have fallen behind.

Addressing regional disparities in attracting skilled workers

►Several regions in Europe experience talent drain or lower levels of internationalisation; particularly, Member States in Southern, Eastern, and rural Europe struggle with the outpouring of students and graduates, which contribute to talent shortages and regional stagnation. Member States require more effective tools to retain skilled graduates and attract international talent.

►The European degree can help integrate peripheral regions of Member States into transnational education networks, boosting their attractiveness and potential for growth in the long-term.

►The European degree will make it easier for Member States to collaborate in R&D, developing innovation ecosystems, and delivering innovative degree programmes that attract both local students and global talent.

►Brain circulation and regional development will be promoted by making high-quality, mobile, and attractive study options available throughout Europe, including in less central or economically weaker regions. The European degree will become a globally recognised, quality-assured European “brand” of higher education, enhancing the visibility and attractiveness of higher education institutions from all Member States.

►By embedding mobility within high-quality programmes and improving access to innovative joint degrees locally, regions will be able to offer more attractive, internationally recognised educational opportunities without requiring students to relocate permanently.
 

Stronger connections with the labour market

►Difficulties with degree recognition, quality assurance, and differences in graduate profiles across Member States complicate the free movement of skilled workers and the integration of the European labour market.

►The European degree encourages regional retention by linking education to local smart specialisation strategies and partnerships with employers.
 

Key value propositions of the European degree for Member States

►Interoperability of education systems. The European degree supports mutual recognition and regional harmonization without full centralization.

►Policy leverage. The European degree serves as a tool for promoting educational quality and modernization in national systems.

►Global competitiveness. The European degree strengthens collective European higher education branding and competitiveness abroad.

►Labour market efficiency. It facilitates student-to-workforce transitions across regions, addressing local shortages.

European Union

Europe must respond to global challenges in a steadfast and decisive manner in unison or else risk falling behind and becoming subject to the influence of technologically more advanced and agile nations. Thus far, the European Union has not been able to successfully keep up with global competitors in technological advancement nor in attracting top talent, particularly in critical fields such as Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, and green technologies. Without a firm resolve by the Member States to cooperate more effectively to respond to these and other challenges, Europe risks deeper fragmentation.

The European degree initiative centres the vision of a Europe rooted in deep scientific, educational, and economic collaboration that instils a sense of belonging in students in any Member State as European citizens. Through access to cutting edge transnational curricula that embrace European ideals, graduates will enter the workforce equipped with the skills and knowledge that no current national degree programme can offer alone.

Economic and strategic imperative

►Europe’s position in technology and engineering is significantly lagging behind the US and China. Fragmented innovation ecosystems, regulatory disparities, underinvestment in R&D, and talent attrition have contributed to a widening gap, particularly in fields that require rapid technological deployment and high levels of public-private coordination. This is particularly evident in strategic domains such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, and green technologies.

►The latest ASPI’s Critical Technology Tracker report underscores Europe’s declining position in critical and emerging technologies. ASPI’s analysis indicates that European countries are underrepresented among top-performing institutions in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing due to fragmented research efforts, lower R&D investment compared to global leaders such as the US and China, as well as challenges in translating research into scalable innovation. Europe must enhance strategic investment and collaboration to regain competitiveness in these critical sectors.

►As an example, in IT and computer sciences, only one European company (SAP) ranks among the global leaders.
 

Engineering skills shortage

►National publications highlight a critical shortage of engineers across Europe. It is crucial to attract young people to engineering, attract talented individuals from outside Europe, and facilitate intra-European mobility for engineers.

►Recent publications by Marta Santamaria Monturiol indicate that while the European economic area is more integrated than the US in terms of goods and services mobility, it faces limitations in the mobility of people.

►There is an urgent need to streamline talent mobility and generate a “shock of attractiveness” for these professions.
 

Elevating Europe’s visibility and international appeal

►In a global war for talent, Europe must forge a distinct path to attract talent, given that the US is perceived as offering the most prestigious technology education and China is seen as a powerhouse of development.

►The European degree offers significant added value in attracting talent, including freedom of movement within the European economic space.

►By promoting pan-European mobility, the European degree emphasizes Europe’s image as a union of diverse yet peaceful cultures, rich in diversity but united in shared values.
 

A tool for European soft power

►This initiative will result in establishing a genuine European Higher Education Area with a common framework for degrees. The common European framework will encourage third-party countries to align with European standards through soft power.

►Projecting Europe as a leading force in HE innovation and transformation with strong values is essential for European economic stability and security.
 

Creating a strong sense of European identity

►By centring European values in degree programs, the European degree promotes social cohesion. Embedding mobility, multilingualism, and collaborative learning into the very structure of programmes, the European degree offers students a shared educational experience that transcends national borders and fosters a sense of belonging to a common European project. Through exposure to diverse cultures, pedagogical traditions, and social contexts, students will develop mutual understanding and a sense of a unified, European identity.
 

Pooling resources for the digital and green transitions

►To drive the green and digital transitions Europe must facilitate greater connectivity and collaboration between higher education institutions in Member States. The European degree offers a powerful mechanism for pooling resources and expertise across borders by facilitating the creation of innovative degree programmes with interdisciplinary curricula that address complex challenges in areas such as renewable energy, circular economy, digital infrastructure, and artificial intelligence.

►No single university holds all the specialised knowledge or infrastructure necessary to tackle the twin transitions alone, but adopting the European degree allows institutions to combine strengths, share facilities, and co-design programmes that are both technologically advanced and societally relevant.

►The European degree will reduce duplication and inefficient use of resources while ensuring that students across Europe have access to cutting-edge training and innovation ecosystems, regardless of their geographical location.
 

Key Value Propositions:

►Cohesion and integration. The European degree strengthens the EHEA and reinforces European values and identity.

►Strategic global positioning. A unified European degree enhances European international standing and competitiveness.

►Standardization with flexibility. It balances common frameworks with national autonomy, promoting both unity and diversity.

►Soft power through education: The European degree positions the EU as a global educational hub and magnet for international students.