Europejska polityka edukacyjna wobec szkolnictwa wyższego

Educational policy plays a key role in creating the conditions, defining concepts and directions of development of systems and ways of education in Europe. Based on the analysis of the process of shaping the policy of the Community and then the European Union towards education, the Author identified three stages of education policy development, including higher education. First, the period of faint interest in education, devoid of policy towards higher education. Second, the period of the initial thinking about education policy, including higher education. Third, the period of a separate and specific thinking of higher education policy. During the first period, in political thinking, education has not been given a strategic importance because it was not directly related to the process of building economic competitiveness of the Community. The second stage was largely characterised by linking education policy with economic development, including employability, competitiveness and growth. However, in the third period, the actions that were undertaken by the institutions of the European Union, have contributed significantly to the increase of synergy in European higher education and constituted an investment in the competence of individuals.