Transcript The UNICA BL 2003-2006

The Bologna Process:
Implementational Issues
UNICA Contributions
Major changes through Bologna
• From national systems to European
convergence (degree structures)
• From teaching-centred to learning-centred
- student workload (ECTS)
- learning outcomes, modularisation
• From „academic only“ to „academic and
employable“
Major challenges
• Curriculum development
- institutional (university) perspective
- subject-specific perspective
- student perspective
• Didactic changes (learner autonomy,
individualised learning paths, …)
• Administrative changes
The UNICA contribution
• The Bologna Laboratory (since 2003)
• Joint Degree development (since 2005)
• The UNICA European Campus (in
preparation)
UNICA Bologna Laboratory: Aims
• combining the strengths of member
institutions with regard to the planning and
implementing of curricula for the EHEA
• Facilitating the creation of joint degree
programs among UNICA members (esp. at
Master/Doctoral level; ERASMUS
MUNDUS)
• Giving a platform for the exchange of
ideas, good practices, and day-to-day
problems emerging from the process of
creating the EHEA (including changes in
mobility programs)
• Acting as a monitoring instrument for the
process within the network
Components of the UNICA BL
• UNICA BL website (moderated)
• Specialized Task Forces
• Curriculum Development (CD) Task Forces
UNICA BL: The use of the BL
website
• Respresenting the current state of affairs
across the network (BL coordinators, status
quo reports)
• Serving as the „Bologna homepage“ of all
member institutions
• Helping to „spread the Bologna news“
within each institution (cf. Trends III)
UNICA BL: Specialised Task Forces
• According to mutual interest in the dimensions of
the Bologna process UNICA arranges Task Force
discussions and meetings in order to
- work on solutions to particular problems (e.g.
Diploma supplement, level descriptors, learning
outcomes, etc.)
- publish examples of good practice
- give advice to member institutions
• Task Forces should, if possible, develop
„manual-like“ descriptions of the
solutions they have found (to be
published on the UNICA BL website)
UNICA BL: CD Task Forces
• CD Task Forces are set up between member
institutions wishing to develop joint degree
programs
• They should be composed of academics and
administrators (+ Bologna coord., + students?)
• They communicate via the UNICA BL website
and via meetings organised by UNICA
Status quo
• Success of CDT depends on
- institutional commitment
- degree of interest of academics involved
- willingness to cooperate and to arrive at
compromises (ad hoc-solutions)
• Heterogeneous situation
UNICA: Joint Degree Programs (at
Master, Dr/PhD levels)
• UNICA should be (one of) the most
competetive Higher Education network(s)
in Europe and a competent global player
• The position of UNICA universities in the
European Research Area should be
strengthened
Advantages of joint Masters/PhDs
for the universities
• Improving educational profile and
European/global visibility
• Attracting more intelligent/interested
students
• Improving research collaboration
• Getting more programs for less money
Advantages of joint Masters/PhDs
for students
• Increase in number and diversity of
educational programs
• Increase in vertical mobility („European
dimension“, different educational systems)
• Getting better qualifications for European
labour market/research market
Advantages of joint Masters/PhDs
for UNICA
• Compilation of a growing portfolio of
European („UNICA“) Masters/PhDs
• Increase in attractiveness for non-European
students
• Closer cooperation between UNICA
members
Threats to this vision
• Different (legal & cultural) framework
conditions
• Different speeds of development
• „institutional egotism“
• Uncertainty as to „actors“ within
institutions
The UNICA European Campus:
features
• Focus on links between Bachelors/Masters
• Focus on particular academic fields
• Allows „predefined“ paths across UNICA
universities through „academic acceptance
agreements“
The UNICA European Campus:
(possible) advantages
• Fostering vertical mobility
• Fostering outreach through UNICA study paths
• Enhancing agreement on quality standards among
UNICA universities
• Enhancing attractiveness of education at UNICA
universities
• Strengthening European dimension
The future of the Bologna Process