ACE Opening Session2002 News from the Recognition Field

Lesley Wilson

Secretary General

European University Association (EUA)

http:/www.unige.ch/eua

2002 Developments Recognition

What is EUA doing?

• Working Towards Graz:22ndnd Convention of Higher Convention of Higher

Education Institutions, 29-31 May 2002Education Institutions, 29-31 May 2002• Recognition Issues in the Bologna Process….• ECTS, Diploma Supplement, Masters and Joint

Degrees, the Tuning Project, link to GATS

EUA and the Development of ECTS

EUA Conference, Zürich,11.12.Oct. “Credit Transfer and Accumulation –the Challenge for Institutions”

• ECTS as a tool for Quality Assurance• ECTS, students and mobility• Credits and the two-tier system• Credit transfer to accumulation – the challenges• Credits and the definition of learning outcomes• ECTS & DS – complementary tools • Credits for lifelong learning

Monitoring the implementation of ECTS

EUA “peer to peer” service with Socrates support

§ 30 national co-ordinators§ 80 expert counsellors – national helplines, local

support, 50 international site visits each year § Overview of ECTS + Diploma Supplement –

implementation at national level

     Towards an ECTS label –new Socrates support

TUNING Educational Structures

in Europe

Final outcomes + recommendations

presented May 2002 in Brussels• A methodology for “tuning” higher education

structures in Europe• A methodology for measuring student workload• A set of learning outcomes in 7 subject areas• Identification of obstacles to convergence• A platform for discussion with professional bodies

WHY TUNING?

• To implement Bologna – Prague - Berlin process at university level

• To find ways to implement two cycles• To identify common reference points from

a discipline + university perspective

• Business,Geology, History, Business,Geology, History, Mathematics,Physics, Education, ChemistryMathematics,Physics, Education, Chemistry

TUNING Action Lines

• Line 1: Academic and generic competences

• Line 2: Subject specific competences (knowledge and skills)

• Line 3: ECTS as a credit accumulation system

• Line 4: Approaches to teaching, learning and assessment

ECTS as an Accumulation System

EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURESObjective: Comparison in Higher Education •   Requires comparability inRequires comparability in: • systems• structures• content of studies • How?How? Which toWhich toolsols??• definition of learning outcomes/ competences• a credit transfer and accumulation system

ECTS as an Accumulation System

EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURESObjective: Comparison in HigheObjective: Comparison in Higherr Education Education        Possible obstacles:• differences in the regular teaching and learning periods

(including examination periods) per academic year in Europe• differences in structures and recognised degrees /

qualification in a European setting• differences in the length of higher education studies to be

unbridgeable or incomparable:• first cycle degree: 180 to 240 credits• second cycle degree: 60 to 120 credits

ECTS as an Accumulation SystemLEARNING OUTCOMES /

COMPETENCES

• Comparability and competitiveness requires transparent learning outcomes /competences (besides a credit system)

• Credits as such are an insufficient indication for the (level of) learning achievements

• The definition of learning outcomecs / competences - responsibility of academic staff

• Based on learning outcomes, credits are an important tool for designing curricula

• Different pathways can lead to comparable learning outcomes = the diversity in Europe is maintained

• Credit accumulation and transfer is facilitated by clearly defined learning outcomes

A EUROPEAN CREDIT ACCUMULATION AND TRANSFER

SYSTEM

• European higher education requires one credit system: ECTS

• An essential tool for more flexible higher education (LLL, part-time studies etc.)

• Will involve developing a system of level indicators and course type descriptors

• Credits no longer have relative, but they have absolute value

Thus facilitating recognition…

A EUROPEAN CREDIT ACCUMULATION AND TRANSFER

SYSTEM

• 60 ECTS credits measures the workload of a typical student during one academic year (nine months)

• A full calendar year programme (12 months programme of teaching, learning and examinations) can have a maximum load of 75 credits (which equals 46-50 weeks)

•Credits allow calculation of the necessary workload and impose a realistic limit on what is possible in a programme or course.

•Credits are not interchangeable automatically from one context to another

TUNING ProjectCONCLUSIONS

• Universities are taking their full responsibility in the Bologna process

• Academics working together can establish reference • Common reference points can be identified based

on subject related + generic competences • The Tuning techniques – an innovative approach

for further developing the EHEA• Tuning - a co-ordinated context for further

collaboration in the EHEA

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Higher education institutions should agree on a common terminology and develop a set of methodologies for convergence at the disciplinary level across Europe

• Competences (both subject-related and generic) should be central when designing educational programmes

• A framework based on a common understanding of the European credit system should be adopted.

• A common approach to the length of studies within the Bologna two-cycle system is essential

• The results of Tuning should be discussed broadly and if possible elaborated and extended by all stakeholders

Tuning Coordinators

• Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (NL)

http://odur.let.rug.nl/tuningProject

• Universidad de Deusto (ES)

www.relint.es/TUNINGProject/index.htm

Supporting the development of Joint Degrees

Launch Conference, 20 September 2002, BrusselsStudy on Masters programmes and Joint Degrees in EuropeStudy on Masters programmes and Joint Degrees in Europe

• Pilot project launching the first 11 Joint Masters Networks Pilot project launching the first 11 Joint Masters Networks at European level – at European level – for discussion::

• Recognition arrangements• Organisation of mobility• Quality assurance provision• Course integration/ joint curricula • Student support, e.g. language training