As maintained by information provided by the community executive, the goal is to create a European diploma, recognising the quality of institutions in the 27 countries of the bloc and enhance European university education.

“A voluntary academic degree would benefit the higher education community by increasing learning mobility within the European Union and improving young people’s transversal skills”, stated the European Commission.

The initiatives presented by the European Commission “will impact the legal and administrative barriers of partner universities”, with the aim of creating a joint bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorial programs.

“The proposals are based on the institutional and academic autonomy of universities, taking into account the competences of Member States and regional governments in the area of higher education”, added Ursula von der Leyen’s executive.

Brussels proposed the creation of a “European label” which will establish the “European brand” in higher education, with its own criteria, as well as the classification of a “European diploma”.

However, this diploma requires the student to study at several universities in different countries within the European Union. The Commission intends to speed up the awarding of diplomas from various universities, overcome existing obstacles, and prevent a student “from wasting two, three years” when entering the job market, explained the Commissioner for Education, Iliana Ivanova.


Ursula von der Leyden’s team recalled this diploma is “something universities have been asking for” and the Commission’s proposals to eliminate “existing barriers”, describing even the paper used to print the diplomas.

“It is time to see the bigger picture and put an end to everything that is an obstacle to European higher education”, they added.

With these proposals, Brussels hopes that there will be homogeneity at an academic level, in the job market, and officially recognising several institutions.

The team concluded that “they would like the European diploma to find its place alongside Schengen, the Erasmus program”.