The Bologna Process: A Tool for Europe's Hegemonic Project on Africa

Abstract

This article treats the Bologna Process as a tool that European countries used for their hegemonic project on Africa's higher education. It is based on a normative perspective in which it is proposed that the creation of the worldwide higher education area should be a place of knowledge circulation where all scientists can collaborate in a free and open way, and that the ultimate goal of science is to make the world a better, easier and more just place. This article attempts to explain how the Foucauldian concept of ‘apparatus’ can help us understand the attitude of the European countries with regard to the Bologna Process and why, since 2003, they have not associated African countries with the process despite establishing relationships with other world regions. The article will analyse the long-term disregard of Europe for Africa and will show how and why the attitude of the Bologna Process' actors (especially the European Commission and the European University Association [EUA]) towards Africa has been evolving since 2007. Finally, this article will explain why the 3-5-8 or Licence-Master-Doctorate (LMD) Bologna model's transfer in Africa does not give fair results today.