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HK urged to heed Bologna reforms

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Changes vital to Asia say overseas scholars, irrelevant say local academics

Overseas scholars have warned Hong Kong could be sidelined on the global education scene if it ignores sweeping reforms taking place in Europe.

The warning follows an assessment by local academics of the reform of higher education known as the Bologna process as 'irrelevant'.

They spoke as education officials from more than 40 countries in Europe prepared to meet in London to discuss progress establishing a pan-European higher education area.

Started in 1999, the Bologna process proposes credit transfers among European universities and the standardisation of undergraduate degrees to three years, masters to two and PhD to three. It is not limited to the European Union and has so far attracted 47 signatory countries.

Gerald Postiglione, a professor of education at the University of Hong Kong, said: 'Bologna is for Europe. Hong Kong's main trading partners are China and the United States. The world can't be totally standardised and that's a good thing.'

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