Dr Brendan McCormack Registrar Institute of Technology, Sligo Ireland Member Bologna ‘Expert Group’ Higher Education Authority Ireland Bologna Workshop on the Diploma Supplement , May 4 th 2011

Overview

EQF  The EQF  Europass Diploma Supplement  ECTS ECTS Accessible, student-centred and transparent lifelong learning EDS

Qualifications (A) Country A 1 2 3 4 8 9 5 6 7 10 EQF 1 2 3 4 7 8 5 6

Referencing the EQF

Country B 1 2 3 4 Qualifications (B) 5 6

Referencing the EQF

Bologna Short Cycle within the First Cycle First Cycle Second Cycle Third Cycle

EQF Levels

1 5 6 2 3 4 7 8

Irish NFQ Levels

4 5 1 2 3 6 7 8 9 10 Irish Qualifications 2 nd Level HC, Minor, SPA Bachelor Masters PhD

What is a Europass Diploma Supplement (EDS)?

 A ( supplementary ) document that explains the qualification - which otherwise may be understood only within the awarding country  Provides all the information necessary to make a valid assessment of any degree or qualification  Issued to every student language , upon graduation, together with their official award parchment, free of charge, in a widely spoken European

What’s in the EDS for students?

 A summary of their learning - which is more readable and easily comparable abroad  A precise description of their academic career  A concise statement of the competencies acquired during the study period  An easier access to opportunities of employability or further studies abroad

What’s in the EDS for Employers/Educators?

 EU-wide official and consistent statement of the award  Transparency & comparability of qualifications e.g.  graduate education profile  work placement  other learning activities  Clarity on learning outcomes and learning Levels  Promotes informed judgements about qualifications that can be understood in other educational/ employment contexts.

Feedback from EDS Label submission, January 2010  Wording of the preamble altered (last 2 sentences)  Section 2.2 not completed  Section 4.2 has no details and relies on the reader searching the web site  Section 5.1 not completed and does not state N/A  In Section 4.3 the courses are listed against stage. These do not correspond to the levels used in the NFQ