The Council of Europe's Subgroup on Higher Education Policy met in Strasbourg on 11 February 2026 to review ongoing activities and address emerging policy priorities in the field of higher education across Europe.
Participants were informed of recent developments within the Council of Europe Education sector, including the establishment of a new Committee of Experts on Education and Artificial Intelligence, which will contribute to the development of policy instruments addressing digital transformation and AI literacy in education.
Preparations for the forthcoming 27th session of the Council of Europe Standing Conference of Ministers of Education, scheduled to take place in Podgorica, Montenegro, in December 2026 were outlined. Academic freedom was highlighted as one of the key themes for discussion at ministerial level. In view of this, the Subgroup discussed possible avenues for strengthening the legal protection of academic freedom at the European level, underlining its fundamental importance for democratic societies.
The Subgroup also reviewed progress on automatic recognition in higher education. Participants were informed of the formal launch of the drafting process of a new Council of Europe Convention on the conditions of transparency and quality assurance for automatic recognition of higher education qualifications. Discussions highlighted the importance of coherent recognition frameworks in supporting academic mobility, trust, and the integrity of the European Higher Education Area.
In addition, the meeting included an update on the development of the European Student Rights Charter. Participants welcomed ongoing work aimed at strengthening the visibility and understanding of student rights within higher education systems. The Charter is expected to further promote fairness, inclusiveness, and democratic participation in higher education institutions.
The meeting reaffirmed the Council of Europe's commitment to supporting member states in addressing evolving challenges in higher education.
