National conditions of cross-national policy convergence in the context of the Bologna-process

The research project examines national conditions which lead to cross-national policy convergence under the influence of transnational communication. Political science research on convergence focuses on the conditions under which policies of different countries resemble over time. Policy convergence is analysed through an international comparison of national higher education policies and its potential alteration in the course of the Bologna-Process.

To measure the through the Bologna-Process initiated process of convergence, the higher education policies of 21 OECD countries are analysed for the period between 1996 and 2008. The sample encompasses 14 EU countries which participated from the outset of the Bologna-Process. Furthermore, seven OECD countries are incorporated in the study; these countries do not form part of the signatory states and therefore will serve as a control group.

While measuring and explaining convergence, it is analysed to which extent the higher education policies of the examined countries have approximated over time (σ-convergence). Additionally, it will be investigated to which extent higher education institutions’ governance structures have adapted to the market-model (δ-convergence). The research integrates macro-quantitative, macro-qualitative and qualitative procedures in its methodological approach. It therefore pursuits an innovative approach through the application of diverse methods in order to reach further insight about the subject matter.

The research is aimed at systematically explaining convergence of higher education embedded in the context of international and national explaining factors. Here from, findings about the alteration of national policies under the influence of transnational communication are derived.