The Bologna Process in German Educational Federalism

State Strategies, Policy Fragmentation and Interest Mediation

Bibliographic Data

ID6263003
AuthorsKatrin Toens (corresponding author)
Year2009
Volume18
Issue2
Pages246-264
Publication date2009-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueGerman Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0964-4008 • E-ISSN: 1743-8993
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09644000902870875
OpenAlexW2005710659
LanguageEN
Citations received6

The article provides an impact assessment of the current European higher education reform (Bologna process) in the context of German educational federalism. The goal is to come to grips with the puzzling observation that the reforms have had a large impact, even though the joint decision-making trap of German educational federalism has continuously impeded structural changes in previous decades. It suggests that the reason why the Bologna process has been so influential is its openness, ambiguity, and the complete absence of binding commitments. These characteristics of soft governance dovetail with the strategy of the central government and the federal states to protect their political autonomy against potential threats resulting from inter- and transnational political cooperation as well as the national reform of the constitutional principles of federalism at home. However, drawing on empirical examples of policy fragmentation, understood as the co-existence of partly incompatible reform islands, illustrates the costs of soft governance in the national implementation process

Ambiguity · Autonomy · Bologna Process · Context (archaeology · Corporate governance · Economic system · Economics · Federalism · German · Higher education · Multi-level governance · Openness to experience · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · European Union Policy and Governance · Law · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies · Political Systems and Governance · Public Administration

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