On 12 May 2025, EU Ministers of Education, Youth and Sport adopted a recommendation on a European quality assurance and recognition system in higher education and approved a resolution outlining the path toward a joint European degree label and the potential development of a fully integrated European degree by 2029. These two texts represent a major milestone in the EU’s ambition to enhance the attractiveness, quality, and international visibility of European higher education.
The recommendation establishes shared criteria for awarding a European degree label to joint programmes offered by institutions in at least two EU Member States, while the resolution sets out a roadmap that gradually deepens cross-border cooperation and lays the groundwork for future legislative alignment. This initiative reflects a growing recognition that stronger academic integration is essential for Europe to respond to global talent competition, skills shortages, and the need for more agile and inclusive learning systems.
The Erasmus Student Network welcomes this important development as a foundational step, but stresses that the label must not become an end in itself. To unlock the full potential of a European degree, systemic reforms are needed to overcome the legal and administrative obstacles that still hinder student mobility and joint programme delivery.
Read ESN’s full reaction and policy recommendations on the next steps toward a truly inclusive and student-centred European Degree below.
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