The trio of initiatives addresses the legal and administrative obstacles hindering partner universities from establishing competitive joint degree programs at Bachelor, Master, or Doctoral levels. These proposals leverage the institutional autonomy and academic freedom of universities while duly acknowledging the competences of Member States and regional governments in higher education.

Today's package includes a Communication outlining a blueprint for a European degree, along with two proposals for Council recommendations aimed at bolstering the higher education sector: one focused on enhancing quality assurance processes and facilitating the automatic recognition of qualifications in higher education, and the other aimed at rendering academic careers more appealing and sustainable.

The blueprint unveiled today for a European degree sets the stage for a novel form of collaborative program, offered voluntarily at the national, regional, or institutional level, and grounded on a shared set of criteria established at the European level.

Such a European degree would streamline bureaucracy and enable higher education institutions from various countries to collaborate seamlessly across borders, establishing joint programs.

The Communication suggests a practical pathway for cooperation between EU Member States and the higher education sector to establish a European degree recognized automatically throughout the EU. Considering the diverse higher education systems across Europe, the Commission proposes a phased approach for Member States toward a European degree, offering two potential entry points:

1. Preparatory European label: This label would offer robust European branding and would be awarded to joint degree programs meeting the proposed European criteria. Students would receive a certificate bearing the European degree label alongside their joint degree.

2. European degree: This novel qualification, anchored in national legislation and based on common criteria, would be conferred either jointly by multiple universities across different countries or conceivably by a European legal entity formed by such universities. Students would be awarded a 'European degree' that enjoys automatic recognition.

The Commission will support and facilitate Member States' efforts toward establishing the European degree through various concrete actions, including the establishment of a European degree policy lab supported by the Erasmus+ program, scheduled to launch in 2025. This initiative aims to involve Member States and the higher education community in developing guidelines for the implementation of a European degree.

In 2025, the Commission intends to initiate 'European degree pathway projects' as part of the Erasmus+ program. These projects will offer financial incentives to Member States, along with their accreditation and quality assurance agencies, universities, students, and economic and social partners, encouraging their involvement in the journey toward establishing a European degree.