As education ministers gathered in Belgium to discuss progress in the Bologna Process this week, lobby groups from across Europe were scrabbling to make their voices heard.
Jan Figel', the European Commissioner for Education, said that "good but uneven" progress had been made and the focus should now be on updating higher education policies.
"The universities must modernise, and the widespread recognition of this need by governments not only in Europe, but also around the world, gives the Bologna Process the vital support it needs for success," he said.
Meanwhile, a European Universities Association report warned ministers that the provision of masters degrees would have to be more flexible to satisfy employer needs.