Programme

Day 1 – Wednesday, 16 September 2026

08:30 – 09:30 Registration of participants. Welcome coffee
09:30 – 10:45 Plenary sessions of The Future of Higher Education: Sharing knowledge and supporting implementation for a stronger Bologna Process
(Participants at the Conference are invited to attend this slot of the parallel event)

  • 09:30 – 10:00 – Plenary session – welcome address from the hosts and the ministers of higher education of Romania and the Republic of Moldova
  • 10:00 – 10:15 – Keynote address from the European Commission: the contribution to the EHEA and synergies with the European Education Area, the European Research Area and the Skills Agenda
  • 10:15 – 10:30 – Growing momentum: moving towards the Iași–Chișinău EHEA Ministerial Conference (2027)
    Presentation of the state of play regarding the Bologna Work Programme and inputs for the Ministerial Conference
  • 10:30 – 10:45 –The impact of the Bologna Process – key commitments and evolving needs
    Mrs. Ligia Deca – author prospective study
10:45 – 12:15 Introduction to the thematic sessions and presentation of the panelsConference Panels I – research paper presentations and debates (4 parallel sessions, based on papers selected)

  • Internationalisation & the Bologna Process
  • Fundamental Values in the EHEA
  • AI & Digital Transformation
  • Models, Mechanisms, and Practices in the EHEA
12:15 – 12:30 Coffee break
12:30 – 14:00 Conference Panels II – research paper presentations and debates (4 parallel sessions, based on papers selected)

  • Internationalisation & the Bologna Process
  • AI & Digital Transformation
  • Models, Mechanisms, and Practices in the EHEA
  • PANEL: Public Responsibility for and of Higher Education: Exploring Tensions between Public Authorities, Higher Education Institutions, and a Culture of Democracy
14:00 – 15:00 Lunch
15:00 – 16:30 Conference Panels III – research paper presentations and debates (4 parallel sessions, based on papers selected)

  • Internationalisation & the Bologna Process
  • Fundamental Values in the EHEA
  • Models, Mechanisms, and Practices in the EHEA
  • PANEL: The European Degree in transformation: institutional, policy, and educational perspectives
17:00 – 18:30 Parallel Groups – Presenting the new Bologna tools: looking forward to 20271. European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and European Approach for the QA of Joint Programmes – Mrs. Anna Gover, ENQA
2. ECTS User’s Guide – Mrs. Kinga Szuly, European Commission
3. Action Plan on Internationalisation and Mobility – Mr. Arthur Belle (BFUG WG on Internationalisation and Mobility Co-chair, Netherlands)

Day 2 – Thursday, 17 September 2026

08:30 – 09:00 Welcome coffee
09:00 – 09:45 Vision on the future of higher education – High level intervention from a global perspective (Speakers TBC)
09:45 – 11:00 Feeding research into Bologna Policy – missing gaps in European research and policy on the Bologna Process

  • Chaired by European University Institute representative (TBC)
11:00 – 11:15 Coffee break
11:15 – 12:30 Anticipatory Science: Future-proofing Higher Education

  • Chaired by Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) (TBC)
12:30 – 13:30 Common challenges across the globe for the future of higher education. Tailored solutions that work (speakers TBC)
13:30 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 15:30 Responsible internationalisation: What does this mean and who is responsible and for what?
Chaired by Giorgio Marinoni (IAU)

  • Andreas Göthenberg, Executive Director, Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT)
  • European Commission (TBC)
  • Hilligje van’t Land, IAU Secretary General

Final remarks
14:30 – 16:00 Fundamental values – Synergies between EHEA – EEA – ERA
Discussions with representatives of the European Commission (DG EAC and DG RTD), the European Parliament, the BFUG Working Group on Fundamental Values and Magna Charta Universitatum on how to improve the efficacy of the European frameworks protecting fundamental values and ensure their alignmentPlenary sessions of The Future of Higher Education: Sharing knowledge and supporting implementation for a stronger Bologna Process
16:00 – 16:15 Coffee break
16:15 – 17:30 Fulfilling the 2024 Tirana Communiqué mandate: Future-proofing the Bologna key commitments
Panel and discussions with co-chairs of the Thematic Peer Groups, EHEA stakeholders and the Task Force on the Future of Bologna on the future-proofing of Bologna key commitments and tools, including for the digital transformation and artificial intelligence(Participants at the Conference are invited to attend this slot of the parallel event)
17:30 – 18:15 Final session: Preparing for the 2027 EHEA Ministerial Conference and Global Policy Forum and beyond
Drawing conclusions based on the key messages identified during the Conference and considering takeaways for the preparation of the Iași–Chișinău Ministerial Conference with the BFUG Vice-chair and the BFUG co-chairs

Plenary sessions of The Future of Higher Education: Sharing knowledge and supporting implementation for a stronger Bologna Process
(Participants at the Conference are invited to attend this slot of the parallel event)

* Sessions highlighted in grey are part of the parallel event “The Future of Higher Education: Sharing knowledge and supporting implementation for a stronger Bologna Process”. Conference participants are invited to attend those slots.