Serhiy Shkarlet: russia and belarus get suspended from the Bologna Process

On 13 April 2022, the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Serhiy Shkarlet confirmed that the Bologna Follow-Up Group has taken the decision to suspend the right of representation of the russian federation and belarus in the Bologna Process as well as in all working groups and all other parts of the European Higher Education Area structures and work programme.

The decision is based on the respective statement signed by 39 governmental and 6 consultative members of the Bologna Process, and the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education.

The statement has been supported by: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium – French Community, Belgium – Flemish Community, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Commission, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United Kingdom/Scotland, Council of Europe, Education International/European Trade Union Committee for Education, European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, European Association of Institutions in Higher Education, European Students’ Union, European University Association, The European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education.

‘The Bologna Process is the intergovernmental cooperation that should facilitate not only structural reforms in higher education, but also – and, perhaps, first and foremost – trust among our countries, governments, institutions, and people. This trust has been lost for russia and belarus – following all crimes against humanity that they commit right now in Ukraine. Huge thanks to all the BFUG members who have found the courage to withstand the evil’, - noted Kateryna Suprun, the national representative of Ukraine in the Bologna Process.