MICHAEL DOBBINS Senior Researcher at the University of Konstanz, Germany. He is also a Lecturer and external collaborator with the Collaborative Research Centre 'Transformations of the State' at the University of Bremen, Germany. He has published many articles on higher education policy, European Union politics and post-communist issues.  His research interests are higher education policy, European Union politics, environmental politics and post-communist studies.

• Introduction Historical Developments and Current Challenges Convergence in higher education governance? Higher Education Reform in the Czech Republic Higher Education Reform in Romania  Higher Education Reform in Bulgaria Higher Education Reform in Poland Comparative Conclusions