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This paper summarizes the experiences to date of the new EU countries (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia-the EU8) in the reform of higher education systems in a period of growing demand; changing patterns of access; rapid expansion and increased participation rates; and an apparent dilution of average quality. The study discusses the growing experience with a variety of financing mechanisms in EU8 countries, drawing on detailed country case studies, and seeks to develop some useful lessons from experience, mindful that each country will con

Cover -- 1. Introduction -- 1.1 The Research Question -- 1.2 Importance of the Topic -- 1.2.1 Theoretical Relevance -- 1.2.2 Political Relevance -- 1.2.3 Social Relevance -- 1.3 State of the Art -- 1.3.1 Relevant Literature -- 1.3.2 Overview of the Literature -- 1.3.3 . Contribution to the Existing Literature -- 2. Line of Theoretical Reasoning, Concepts and Hypotheses -- 2.1 Neo-classical Realism -- 2.2 Rational Theories -- 2.2.1 Neo realism -- 2.2.2 Liberal Inter-governmentalism -- 2.3 Constructivism -- 2.4 Rationalism vs Constructivism -- 2.5 Concepts and Variables -- 2.5.1 The EU as a Normative or Strategic/Pragmatic Power? -- 2.5.2 Why EU Strategy instead of EU Grand Strategy? -- 2.5.3 Independent Variable: EU's Assessment of Interests (Normative and Rational Interests) and Foreign Policy Goals -- 2.5.4 Dependent Variable: EU Policy Implementation -- 2.5.5 Intervening Variable: Member State Policies -- 2.6 Alternative Explanations (Hypotheses) -- 3. Research Design -- 3.1 Case Selection: Selection on an Explanatory Variable -- 3.2 Description of Data -- 3.3 Preliminary Answer -- 4. Assessment of Interests and Actions of the EU in Tunisia -- 4.1 EU-Tunisia Relations -- 4.2 Physical Security -- 4.2.1 Migration: Weak Responses to Huge Problems -- 4.2.2 Mobility Partnership: Clashing Interests -- 4.3 Economic Prosperity -- 4.3.1 Tunisia's Vulnerable Economic Situation -- 4.3.2 EU Support for Economic Recovery -- 4.3.3 Integration of Markets and Trade Liberalization -- 4.3.4 Investments of EIB and EBRD -- 4.3.5 High Level Visits to Tunisia -- 4.4 Value Projection -- 4.4.1 EU's New and Ambitious Support for Tunisia's Path up to the Elections -- 4.4.2 High Level Visits to Tunisia: A Reflection of `More for More` Approach -- 4.4.3 Political and Social Turmoil in Tunisia -- 5. Assessment of Interest and Actions of Member States in Tunisia

We provide the first individual-level test of whether holding supranational elections in the European Union fosters satisfaction with European Union democracy. First, we examine whether participation at the European Parliament election fosters satisfaction with democracy and whether, among those who participated, a winner–loser gap materializes at the EU level. Second, we examine under which conditions participating and winning in the election affect satisfaction with European Union democracy, focusing on the moderating role of exclusive national identity. Our approach relies on panel data collected during the 2019 European Parliament elections in eight countries. We demonstrate that while participating and winning increase satisfaction, such positive boost does not materialize among those with exclusive national identity. These findings hold an important message: elections are no cure to deep-seated alienation.

This work is intended as an attempt to illustrate and compare the pattern of fertility in European countries: Belarus, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. It deals with the analysis of fertility trends, with an emphasis on birth by parity. Using data from the Human Fertility Database (HFD) from the year 2016, it has considered the parameters of parity progression ratios (PPR), projected parity progression ratios (PPPR), age‑specific fertility rates (ASFR), age‑order specific fertility rates (AOSFR), and cumulated order‑specific fertility rates accordingly analysed. We have applied indicators known as the projected parity progression ratios to estimate trends of fertility. These offer a more detailed view of the family formation process than the traditional total fertility rate (TFR).