International Journal for Academic Development Vol. 9, No. 2, November 2004, pp. 195–200 ISSN 1360–144X (print)/ISSN 1470–1324 (online)/04/020195–06 © 2004 Taylor & Francis Ltd DOI 10.1080/1360144042000334672 COMMENTARIES Policy and Change: Academic development units and the Bologna Declaration Paul Trowler * Lancaster University, UK Taylor and Francis Ltd RIJA9207.sgm 10.1080/1360144042000334672 International Journal for Academic Development 0000-0000 (print)/0000-0000 (online) Commentaries 2004 Taylor & Francis Ltd 9 2 000000November 2004 PaulTrowler p.trowler@lancaster.ac.uk To different extents, academic development units (ADUs) face common problems the world over. Often situ- ated in an institutional environment which values research over teaching, they can find it difficult to integrate their work into that of the university community generally. For them, policy imperatives such as the Bologna accord present both challenges and opportunities. Thus perhaps the most fascinating aspect of these papers is the insight they provide into the nature of the relationships between ADUs and their university contexts. De par le monde, les centres de développement académique (CDA) sont confrontés à des problèmes communs d’envergures différentes. Souvent situés dans un environnement qui privilégie la recherche plutôt que l’enseignement, les CDA éprouvent certaines difficultés à intégrer leur travail dans celui de la commu- nauté universitaire en général. Pour les CDA, les impératifs politiques découlant de l’accord de Bologne présentent aussi bien des défis que des opportunités. Ces articles sont particulièrement fascinants en raison de leur éclairage au sujet de la nature des relations entre les CDA et le contexte universitaire. Spaghetti Bolognese and Academic Development Units In an earlier paper (Trowler, 2003) I noted that the Sorbonne, Bologna, and Prague accords lacked any specifics on the implementation mechanisms to be put in place which would turn these policies into practices. This omission left this important “detail” to national govern- ments and individual universities. The papers in this journal offer a valuable insight into the ways in which universities in five European countries have tackled this implementation process. Yet perhaps the most fascinating aspect of these papers is the insight they give into the relationship between academic development units (ADUs) and their university contexts. To different extents ADUs face common problems the world over. Often situated in an institutional environment which values research over teaching, they can find it difficult to inte- grate their work into that of the university community generally. Although it is a country not represented here, this has been a common problem for ADUs in the UK too. Their experience *Department of Educational Research, County South, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YD, UK. Email: p.trowler@lancaster.ac.uk