Conference Agenda

Kick off the conference by arriving, registering, and connecting with fellow participants. After collecting your conference materials at the registration desk, take the opportunity to explore the venue, enjoy a first coffee, and meet colleagues from across Europe and beyond. The welcome session will officially open the conference, introduce the programme, and provide practical information for the days ahead. We look forward to welcoming you to Bamberg and to an inspiring conference experience.

Join us for the official opening of the conference. Representatives of the organising committee, the University of Bamberg, and partner organisations will welcome participants and introduce the conference theme, objectives, and programme highlights. This session marks the beginning of three days of exchange, collaboration, and reflection on service-learning and community engagement in higher education.

Biography

Sjur Bergan is an independent education expert. He was Head of the Council of Europe’s Education Department until February 1, 2022, where, among other things, he led the Council of Europe projects on Competences for Democratic Culture and the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees. 

Sjur represented the Council of Europe in the Bologna Follow Up Group and Board between 2000 and April 2022 and chaired working groups on structural reforms in 2007 - 15. He was a member of EHEA groups on the fundamental values of higher education 2018 – 24 and a key author of the statements on fundamental values adopted by EHEA Ministers in May 2024.  He is currently affiliated with the Fundamental Values WG as an expert in the NewFAV2 project.

Sjur was series editor of the Council of Europe Higher Education Series. He is the author of Qualifications: Introduction to a Concept and Not by Bread Alone as well as of European Higher Education, Social Responsibility, and the Local Democratic Mission, published by Temple University Press in March 2025. He holds honorary doctorates from Dublin City University (2022) and the University of Oslo (2024) and is the recipient of the 2019 European Association for International Education Award for Vision and Leadership.

Take a break to enjoy coffee, tea, and light refreshments while connecting with fellow participants. The coffee break offers an informal opportunity to continue discussions, exchange ideas, and build new professional connections before the next conference sessions begin.

Accreditation is no longer only about academic rigor and compliance with formal standards. Modern study programmes are increasingly expected to foster societal responsibility alongside academic excellence. If higher education is to prepare graduates to contribute to democracy, uphold shared European values, engage as active citizens, and address complex societal challenges, accreditation and quality assurance standards must explicitly recognise and encourage these dimensions of learning.

Service-Learning and related pedagogical approaches effectively bridge theory and practice by connecting students with communities and complex societal challenges. But how are these contributions recognised within European accreditation frameworks? Can quality assurance and accreditation processes actively encourage educational innovation? Or do existing criteria still privilege more traditional academic models?

This panel explores how accreditation and the broader role of quality assurance agencies can support transformative education. Building on recent European developments, including the criteria for the European Joint Degree Label, it examines how quality assurance standards can enable—rather than constrain—the recognition and promotion of meaningful learning experiences that foster civic engagement, active citizenship, democratic culture, and societal impact. This contributes to the joint work of the Policy-Making and Networks & Alliances EASLHE Working Groups by fostering dialogue on how European quality frameworks can better recognise Service-Learning and other forms of societal engagement as integral dimensions of educational quality.

Panelists:

• Berta Paz Lourido https://www.easlhe.eu /  www.apsuniversitario.org
• José María Nyssen https://www.aneca.es/en/quality-observatory-of-the-spanish-university-system
• Frank Peter Ritter https://akkreditierungsrat.de/person/ph-d-frank-ritter/?lang=en
• Kar-Heinz Gerholz www.uni-bamberg.de/wipaed-p/team/prof-dr-karl-heinz-gerholz/

Join us for the Conference Reception on the first evening of ECSLHE 2026. Enjoy an informal evening with drinks and light refreshments while reconnecting with colleagues, meeting new participants, and continuing conversations beyond the conference sessions. The reception provides a relaxed setting for networking and celebrating the conference community.