Over the past year we have worked very hard in the European Students' Union (USE) to the views of the European governments to change when it comes to the commodification of higher education.
We have student-organized protest from north to south and from east to west testify, as governments choose to raise tuition fees or administration, or to install penalties for extensive study. Some countries, however, cut back on tuition fees or maintaining a zero-student contribution attitude.
Germany had to cut along each budget line to make, but secure education, setting an example that investment in education is all about priorities and long-term prospects, it is not about the financial crisis, it is not about the Bologna process - that tells you your pastor.
With regard to the Bologna process, this is an area where the USE will naturally tighten again its work next year, with the forthcoming ministerial conference in April 2012 in Bucharest.
Over the past year, the USE has failed to implement the change enthusiasm among the signatory countries find made the Bologna process so successful in the early years. Governments suffer reform fatigue; another, in my opinion, never had any purpose other than that of merely a part of the club.
A major challenge for the ESU, and for all the members of the consultative process of Bologna, will be the implementation process further pushing and fighting for concrete measures implementation.
Some of the signatory countries need to press to start working on Bologna action lines. Others need to implement it in to complete a holistic manner, and others require those who supported with special problems of implementation so that all European students can finally enjoy the real benefits of an area a major European Higher Education.
Over the past year, I have experienced a change in attitude Directorate General of the European Commission's Education and Culture.
I assume and would demand, given the discussions at various consultations with stakeholders and other commission events, the next version of the higher education modernization agenda much more student-friendly than its predecessor will be. And it's time!
Renewed attentions to issues of access for under-represented groups are needed, investment in higher education as a social tool mobility is needed, and so is investment in the flagship program of education agenda of the European Union: Erasmus study periods and positions.
It would hypocritical not realizing it be in the next EU budget and I hope that European officials argue over the budget will realize that without properly investing in it, they cannot declare that the European youth on the move, cannot promise to allow 20% of the students in Europe and be mobile studied abroad, and the citizens of Europe for a stronger community feed.
I also hope Europe pushed the idea of student-centered learning to the next level. Over the past year, the ESU and I'm encouraging our definition and checklist on student-centered learning in higher education institutions heavily by our Toolkit for Student-Centered Learning, presented in Leuven in October 2010.
Although everyone is enthusiastic about the idea and everyone recognizes it is vital to change the mentality of teachers, I see rarely governments introducing measures to actually allow student-centered learning.
More focus and time for quality teaching and more rewards for good teachers, teaching methods or teaching innovation will be a few ways to this and I hope modernization agenda of the EU can push governments to these measures.
It is a challenge, but to get this idea into practice in a large number of European countries where many formal types of education still exist, and teachers are still stuck in ivory towers, entirely focused on research-based performance indicators.
Next year will be another turning point for being all these issues and I hope that the EGE to continue a reputation for building a strong and professional student representation despite the multiple actions required at the same time.
We live through very difficult times, with a crumbling Europe - including borders, Euro zone threats of Greece - and a growing intolerance across Europe, with populist right-wing parties gaining a majority in many countries.
Education is the answer to these problems. The best way out of the economic crisis by upgrading and if necessary skill development Europe's workforce. The best way to prevent Europe to return to the dark days of the early 20th century, through the teaching of history and ethics and the public as educated as possible by widening access.
Higher education has an important role to play in building tolerance. Furthermore, mobility students, a goal all benefit, is the ideal way of increasing tolerance and the promotion of European values and cross-cultural understanding among our citizens.
Invest in the access to and quality of higher education will help create a stronger economy, a more cohesive and tolerant Europe and a chance to climb the poorest to build learning in society.
This is a chance for the baby boomer generation to make some of their irresponsible and unethical mistakes in the future. Young European citizens are tired of the abuses of the current generation of politicians.
EGE's challenge in the next year will be to vote, with the 11 million students in Europe will be represented, and to argue for a better part of the EU budget, for faster and more holistic Bologna implementation for a cleaner higher education financing system and a more student-centered and accessible learning environment.
* Bert Vandenkendelaere is outgoing President of the European Students' Union, and a master's degree in law from the Catholic University of Louvain.
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