” “"There’s no doubt that the Church has played an extremely important role in the birth of diversity", since the largest part of the ancient universities "were founded either by Popes or by the strong involvement of the Church". This was recalled by card. Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, specifying that the "Bologna process" covers in particular the ecclesiastic universities and faculties, "which are those of the Holy See only" and "which are bound to the Holy See", since they award academic certifications in the name of the Holy See; the over 1,300 Catholic Universities existing all over the world, instead, "are not covered by the Bologna process as institutions of the Holy See", but belong to "the situation and legislation of each country", although, "to preserve their Catholic nature", they must abide by the provisions set forth by the Apostolic Constitution, "Ex Corde Ecclesiae", the first specific Papal document of a legislative nature concerning Catholic Universities, issued by John Paul II on August 15th 1990 and considered by the Pope the "Magna Charta" in this area. Building by 2010 a "European space of advanced education": this, recalled mgr. Angelo Vincenzo Zani, undersecretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, is the ultimate goal of the appeal signed in Bologna in 1999 by Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy, and implemented soon after by the delegates of 29 European countries; today, 45 European countries have joined the "Bologna process", as well as international organisations and bodies.” “
