For learning and competence

(Finnish) Higher Education Qualifications Framework

Carita Blomqvist

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Outline

Background (Bologna Process) National working group and its work Previous, parallel and future processes in

Finland Contents of the report Next steps Overarching framework for qualifications

of the European Higher Education Area Compatibility

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Berlin Communiqué 2003

”Ministers encourage member states to elaborate a framework of comparable and compatible qualifications for their higher education systems, which should seek to describe qualifications in terms of workload, level, learning outcomes, competences and profile.”

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Berlin Communiqué 2003”Within such frameworks, degrees should

have different defined orientation and various profiles in order to accommodate a diversity of individual, academic and labor market needs. First cycle degrees should give access, in the sense of Lisbon Recognition Convention, to second cycle programs. Second cycle degrees should give access to doctoral studies.”

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National qualifications framework

Owned by national system, in many cases based on national legislation

Determines what qualifications learners will earn

Make explicit the purpose and aim of qualifications

Link to quality assurance

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National qualifications framework

Transparency: describes in a systematic and coherent way all qualifications, the interaction between qualifications and the possibilities for movement between qualifications in all directions

Makes it easier to earn qualifications in a variety of ways

Focus on outcomes, from procedure to content

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National qualifications framework

Main elements:

Cycles (Levels)

Workload and credits

Profile: academic/professional

Learning outcomes

Competences

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Learning outcomes

Statements of what a learner is expected to know, understand and/or be able to do at the end of a period of learning

Focus on achievements

Paradigm shift from teaching to learning

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Higher Education Qualifications Framework in Finland

National working group appointed by the Ministry of Education in May 2004

Proposal ready in February 2005

Chaired by the Ministry of Education

Two secretaries

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Higher Education Qualifications Framework in Finland

Permanent participants: Ministry of Education, universities, polytechnics, (academics and administration), student organizations, quality assurance, ISCED, National Board of Education (ENIC)

Other: social partners, higher education institutions which are not supervised by the Ministry of Education (Police Polytechnic, National Defence College)

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Previous, parallel and future processes Preparations for new degree structure started

fall 2003

2003-2007 funding from the Ministry of Education to higher education institutions for planning and implementing the reform

- field-specific coordination groups, chaired by academics

- analysis of the study programs

- planning and revising/renewal of core contents

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Previous, parallel and future processes

- special group for language teaching

- defining requirements, aims (and learning outcomes)

- transfer to ECTS-equivalent credit system

2005-2007:

- guidance and counselling of students (personal study plans)

- development projects

2009: evaluation of the degree reform

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Proposal for the Finnish Framework

Ownership

Public understanding

Writing process/background material used:

- Legislation, what does it say? Aims of the degrees

- Studying the course descriptions, curricula etc.

- Discussions with experts

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Proposal for the Finnish framework Contents of the report:

- national and international background and experience

- need and purpose of the framework

- classification systems (ISCED, EU Directives)

- short description of some other frameworks

- proposal for the Finnish framework

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Proposal for the Finnish Framework

Finnish context:

- legislation

- steering/governance and development of higher education system

- quality assurance

- diagram, charts

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Doctoratec. 4 years

UniversitiesAcademically -oriented degrees

PolytechnicsProfessionally -oriented degrees

Master's 90 - 120 creditsSecond

cycle

Master's60 - 90 credits

Bachelor's210 - 240 credits

First cycle Bachelor's180 - 210 credits

Third cycle

Upper secondary education at least 12 years of schooling

Work experience

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Formal aspects of the degrees

For first cycle (polytechnic, university), second cycle (polytechnic, university) and doctoral

- access requirement (s)

- workload (credits and years), final thesis/work

- access to further study

- professional status/competence

- profile

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Learning outcomes

For first cycle (polytechnic, university), second cycle (polytechnic, university) and doctoral degrees

Main division:

-knowledge

-skills

-competences

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Learning outcomes

Knowledge

- breadth and depth

Skills

- language and communication skills

Competences

- cognitive, professional and ethical

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Proposal for the Finnish Framework

Consultations- Written statements from stakeholders

requested- 60 statements received, summarized in

one document- Seminars on different cycles and

aspects, e.g. on doctoral degrees, labor-market relevance of first (and second) cycle qualifications

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How to use the Framework?

- Further field-specific work

- Joint degrees

- Diploma Supplement

- Lifelong Learning, Accreditation of Prior Learning

Amendments and decision of the Ministry of Education in 2006?

Maintenance and development

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Overarching EHEA framework

- An overarching framework that makes transparent the relationship between national higher education frameworks of qualifications and the qualifications they contain.

- An articulation mechanism between national frameworks

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Overarching EHEA framework Three cycles of qualifications (sometimes

additional cycle within the 1st cycle)

Descriptors of qualifications and learning outcomes: generic, not subject-specific

Credit ranges in ECTS: 1st cycle: 180-240; 2nd cycle: 90-120 (minimum 60 credits at 2nd cycle level)

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Bergen Communiqué 2005“We adopt the overarching framework

for qualifications in the EHEA, comprising three cycles, generic descriptors for each cycle based on learning outcomes and competences, and credit ranges in the first and second cycles. We commit ourselves to elaborating national frameworks fro qualifications compatible with the overarching framework for qualifications in the EHEA by 2010 and having started work on this by 2007.”

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EHEA – national framework

Compatibility of the Finnish framework with the overarching framework

Criteria for the verification/self-certification process have been proposed

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More information www.minedu.fi www.oph.fi/info/recognition recognition@oph.fi www.dfes.gov.uk/bologna www.bologna-bergen2005.no http://www.relint.deusto.es/TuningProject/

index.htm http://www.let.rug.nl/Tuning/Project/index.htm