Inspired by similar protests in Austria in 2009, students at many German universities protested against the implementation of the Bologna reform, against the introduction of tuition fees, and against the general underfunding and understaffing of many universities. One new feature introduced by the Council of Europe's Bologna reforms in 2010 was the Bachelor-Master-Doctorate format, aimed at synchronizing Europe’s higher education standards. Critics warned that the new system would increase the workload and that it would allow insufficient time to complete one’s degree. Despite these protests, Germany participated in the Bologna process and implemented the reforms in 2010.