Explaining Domestic Responses to European Policies: The Impact of the Erasmus Programme on National Higher Education Policies

Abstract

This chapter tries to explain the impact of the European Commission's ERASMUS programme on national higher education policies of 18 European countries. Based on an analysis of the literature on Europeanisation and policy impact, it is hypothesised that the impact will be very modest, but that there may be indirect impacts and differences in impact across countries dependent on institutional features of the higher education system. The empirical findings support the hypothesis: ERASMUS certainly has increased policy-makers’ awareness of the importance and possible consequences of further internationalisation. Nevertheless, ERASMUS has a more profound effect on higher education institutions and students. In addition, policy-makers have been much more influenced regarding their internationalisation policies by the Sorbonne and Bologna Declarations. There are some noteworthy differences between the countries that relate to specific domestic characteristics (e.g. language and colonial history).

Citation

Huisman, J., Luijten-Lub, A. and van der Wende, M. (2005), "Explaining Domestic Responses to European Policies: The Impact of the Erasmus Programme on National Higher Education Policies", Tight, M. (Ed.) International Relations (International Perspectives on Higher Education Research, Vol. 3), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 5-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1479-3628(05)03002-9