The implications of the "Bologna Process" for the development of a European qualification in psychology

The Bologna Declaration was signed by signatories from 29 countries on 19 June 1999, just over 40 years after the formation of the European Community by the Treaty of Rome in 1957, and heralded the start of what has come to be known as the "Bologna Process," which aspires to form the "European Higher Education Area" by 2010. The nature, extent, and implications of this process are still unclear, in particular whether it is part of a "harmonization" or "convergence" project or rather more of a comparability and equivalence initiative. Over the past 20 years there have been a number of initiatives within Europe, both at the level of the European Community and within bodies such as the European Federation of Psychologists Associations (EFPA), which have aimed to improve mobility for students and professionals from psychology and other disciplines through attempts to develop systems of mutual recognition of qualifications. One of these initiatives is the development of a European Diploma in Psychology, which aims to set a standard for psychology education and practice; this will be discussed within the context of the "Bologna process".