Terms of Reference
of the BSEC Working Group on Education

The “Terms of Reference of the BSEC Working Group on Education” were agreed upon the Resolution of the 12th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the BSEC Member States, Komotini, 23 April 2005, establishing the BSEC Working Group on Education.

The Revised Terms of Reference were agreed upon the Resolution of the 20th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the BSEC Member States, Yerevan, 16 April 2009.

The mission of this Working Group is:

- to accord great importance to Education in general and specifically to Higher Education,
by means of:
• Developing study programs and encouraging students’ mobility;
• Facilitating access to Higher Education
• Expanding Lifelong Learning;
• Developing quality education for all and inclusive education.

-to support University research in the Black Sea Region through:
• Conferences on Education development;
• Expanding the scientific exchange among the BSEC member states;
• Promoting joint research programs.

The Working Group on Education is assigned with the following tasks:

-to cooperate in the development of national frameworks of qualifications to secure compatibility of the educational systems in the BSEC region;

-to create and develop a network and a web-site, which will provide all the information about the educational reforms and the innovative practices in each Member State;

-to work for implementation of standards, procedures and guidelines on quality assurance as agreed for the European Higher Education Area;

-to stimulate Higher Education Institutions to incorporate principles of democratic society and intercultural education in their programmes;

-to investigate the possibility of elaborating joint post-graduate programs between the Universities;

-to encourage mobility of academic staff and students within the BSEC Member States through multilateral agreements among respective institutions of higher education;

-to propose BSEC signing agreements (MoU, protocols, etc.) with national and international organizations and institutions related to the mandate of the Working Group on Education;

-to promote the use of advanced information and communication technology which will provide the BSEC Member States with a wider scope for cooperation and a prompt access to the unrestricted information;

-to promote the studies on the use of information and communication technologies effectively in the fields of primary and secondary education;

-to support development of modular education and training programs;

-to support cooperation with the BSEC Related Bodies and, in particular, with PABSEC relevant committee.