Preamble The foundation of an academic ERASMUS network of HEI in Europe in the filed of career guidance degree and study programs can be seen as the implementation of the recommendations of the European Commission and the OECD made on the basis of their comprehensive studies carried out in the last eight years.» The planned ERASMUS network emphasises the unique wide-ranging scientific responsibility of European HEI as regards the attainment of the common goals and the guiding principles for lifelong learning as put forth by the 2010 work programme of the EU for education and vocational training.» The setting-up of the network aims at establishing the scientific community in the participating universities as a reliable partner for policy-makers, employees and employers, educational and vocational training institutions, providers of guidance and public employment services.» Central issues in career guidance are: transitions from education or training into employment, integration of jobseekers, of socially and/or culturally disadvantaged persons that risk professional exclusion, Human Resources counselling for businesses, “life design”, brain drain – brain gain, demographic changes.» The planned academic ERASMUS network will strengthen the coordination and identifying processes of innovative approaches and aid meeting the above mentioned challenges. In its first phase its main focus will be on the professionalisation of career guidance counsellors: to this effect its members will compare curricula, look at how studies are organised, and what are the final qualifications delivered.» Furthermore the research activities of the network will in a second phase give new impetus to career guidance in the scientific domain in Europe.General targets and intentions:The network aims to make a significant contribution to develop career guidance in harmony with the European priorities of lifelong learning and lifelong career guidance and in the context of the bologna process and other important impulse of the European discussion. Regarding the content of study programs/degree programs: the Network aims to discuss and develop the issues which are crucial in this context, especially the interlink of described developments in society (economic, political and social change in the modern European societies) and the developments needed within the offered study programs/degree programs in general and the Bologna Process in detail (e.g. » coherence of curricula, » mobility of students, teachers and alumni, » orientation on competence development of students and employability of alumni,» multidisciplinary approaches). The specificity of the European background in lifelong learning, education and career guidance especially: » the link to the employment market, » mobility within the EU for citizens, » the Approach of the EQF and the European national framework for higher education qualifications and » the link to a lifelong perspectives in career guidance are issues which are underestimated until today. The network want to apply on this issues and bring them on the agenda in the education of career guidance and lifelong-learning practitioners and experts within the next years.