Bologna plan divides Swiss

Relations between Swiss students and university planners are under strain over a perceived lack of consultation in implementing the Bologna reforms.

There have been several public confrontations between the Swiss University Conference (SUK) and the National Union of Swiss Students (VSS) over the reform plan, which involves a fundamental restructuring of Swiss higher education, including the introduction of internationally recognised BA and MA degrees.

The VSS has called for a "democratisation" of the process and demanded that the SUK and university rectors open consultations to the public.

The students organised a sit-in that led to the cancellation of a closed meeting of university deans from the funding and planning body and from the rectors' conference in Berne at the beginning of April. Students attacked the lack of transparency and the minimal involvement of university staff and students.

The rectors' conference has subsequently announced that student unions would be invited to meetings scheduled for May and June.

The protest led to a government commitment to a national conference on Bologna in December, organised by the rectors and student union. "The aim is to enable a broad debate to take place, so as to discuss the problems of 'Bologna implementation' in more detail," one student leader said.

Some cantonal universities have already restructured their courses in line with Bologna, among them the universities of St Gallen and Basel, as well as the law school at the University of Lucerne and the polytechnique in Zurich.

Yet students remain concerned at the lack of scholarships and educational quality and the political motivation behind the proposals.

VSS insists that the universal transition to the requirements of the Bologna model can only harm students. According to the union, Swiss students will have to streamline their studies, with less emphasis on interdisciplinary research and more on the economic relevance of course content.

They fear that single mothers, part-time students and students who need to work during the semester - the last being the majority in Switzerland - will be penalised under the new system.

The Rectors' Conference has said it understands the students' concerns, but maintains that these will be addressed at all stages of the implementation process.

"The introduction of the MA should only be possible if it does not lead to a worsening of the general conditions for studying in Switzerland," a spokesman said.

The rectors see the main area of debate as the extent to which the cantonal governments will continue to offer scholarships to eligible students.