Transcript Dia 1 - Physics education

The implementation of
Bologna in Flanders
Prof. Dr. Dirk Van Damme
Prof. Educational Sciences UGent
Director of Cabinet of Flemish minister of
education
Flemish HE system
Binary system, but with an important
mixed category of programmes
 6 U and 21 ‘hogescholen’ with 60.000 and
100.000 students
 Access is a crucial social value
 Autonomy of institutions

Bologna - essentials

Reform-process
 Both
top-down and bottom-up
 Support from institutions and students
 No democratic deficit, but still resistance
 Impressive dynamic
 Strong impact on states and institutions
 ‘Open method of coordination’ versus national
sovereignty and subsidiarity
Bologna - essentials
Ultimate goal: (automatic) recognition of
qualifications in EHEA
 Objectives

 Degree
structure and qualifications framework
 Credit-system
 Quality assurance
 Social dimension
Principles of implementation

Integrated Flemish higher education space
as part of European HEA:
 One
integrated system of higher education
 Transparency in qualifications structure
 Three qualification levels: bachelor, master,
doctor (~ EQF)
 Strengthening (international) quality
assurance: accreditation
Principles of implementation
From a ‘ternary’ to a binary system on
bachelor level and a unitary system on
master level
 ‘Academisation’ and upgrading of 4year
programmes in ‘hogescholen’
 Flexible learning trajectories
 Universities and ‘hogescholen’: different
missions but more cooperation

Programmes and degrees

Objective: an integrated qualifications
structure
 Vertical
dimension ba-ma-dr
 Horizontal dimension: differentiation on the
continuum professional versus academic

Long two-cyle programmes at ‘hogescholen’
become fully academic
Programmes and degrees

Vertical dimension:
 three
qualification levels with substantial legal
definitions, learning outcomes descriptors and
quality requirements
Bachelor: min 180 ECTS
 Master: min 60 ECTS
 Doctor

Programmes and degrees
 Improved
possibilities for bridging programmes
and mobility between programmes
 Also post-initial qualifications: ‘bachelor after
bachelor’-, ‘master after master’-programmes
of min. 60 ECTS
 Besides ba/ma programmes and degrees also
other postgraduate programmes, leading to
certificates, mainly for professional purposes
Programmes and degrees

Horizontal dimension: why differentiation?
corresponding to differentiated qualification needs
in society
 avoiding ‘academic drift’ and ‘vocational drift’
 only in bachelor level, not in master level
 strengthening flexibility, allowing students to
progress from professional to academic
programmes

Degree system
doctor
ma na ma
master
ba na ba S
bachelor prof.
professional
bachelor acad.
academic
Programmes and degrees

Difficult points:
 Length
of master programmes
 Integration of old ‘third cycle’ in masters
 Development of new curricula
 Transition: ‘big bang’ approach
 Language issue
Programmes and degrees

Flexibility
 Various
study trajectories
 Full implementation of credit system
 Different study contracts
 Procedures of recognition of prior experiential
learning
 Different kinds of specific bridging
programmes
Accreditation
Need for strengthening quality assurance,
but building further on merits of existing
QA system
 Accreditation as Y/N decision whether
programme meets quality standards on
the basis of public evaluation report of QA
 International approach: together with the
Netherlands and intensive international
cooperation

Associations
Integration of universities and
hogescholen into new framework (not new
institution)
 Functions: optimising programmes,
bridges, strengthening research basis of
(new) masters, planning research &
development, joint development quality
assurance, etc.
 Framework for further cooperation

Challenges - Flemish
Recognition of qualifications still
problematic
 Reform of funding system of universities
and ‘hogescholen’
 Tackling problem of over-supply of
programmes
 Sub-bachelor degrees

Challenges – international
Speed and depth of reform movement
 Linking Bologna to Lisbon Agenda and ERA
 Bergen: more intensive cooperation and
convergence in QA is needed
 What after 2010
 Benelux is candidate for the 2009 ministerial
conference !
