Transcript Folie 1 - Physics education

The Chemistry Eurobachelor
Introduction and Report on Current Status
Peter Gaertner
EUPEN´s 8th General Forum
Ghent, Belgium
September 2006
The „Tuning Project“ is the HE institutions‘ answer to
the political decisions underlying the Bologna process.
It involves almost 150 HE institutions in 9 subject area
groups; apart from chemistry, these are: physics,
mathematics, history, earth sciences, business,
education sciences, nursing, European studies.
The chemistry Eurobachelor is a product of Tuning.
ECTN is a network with over 146
members from 29 countries; apart from
universities these include ten national
chemical societies (AT, CZ, DE, FR, IT,
LT, NL, SK, TR, UK).
ECTN also exists in the form of an Association under
Belgian law.
Both the Network and the Association are open; further
member institutions, chemical societies or other
chemistry-interested organisations are welcome to join
us try!
The Eurobachelor Story – A Brief Timetable
•
2001-2002: developed by Tuning Chemistry Subject Area Group
•
May 2002: presented at Closing Meeting of Tuning Phase One in Brussels
•
April 2003: adopted by ECTN Association Assembly in Prague
•
October 2003: adopted by FECS (now EuCheMS) General Assembly
(…from Cork to Vladivostok)
•
April 2004: ECTN Association decides to offer “Eurobachelor Label” to
interested institutions
•
September 2004: application to EU Commission for funding of pilot
project for accreditation of the “Chemistry Eurobachelor Label” accepted
(2 years)
•
June 2006: end of pilot project
What is the Eurobachelor about
• Quality: defining reference points on an international
basis.
• Quality assurance: evaluation and accreditation.
• Autonomy: not a straitjacket but a framework to be
applied as the institution wishes.
• Flexibility: it can readily be adapted as the needs of the
subject change.
• Transparency: together with the Diploma Supplement it
is an easily understood qualification.
• Mobility: it makes it possible for the graduate to move
easily within Europe, but also almost certainly
throughout the world.
• Recognition: even if the Lisbon convention is in force,
institutions need to apply it.
• The Eurobachelor is based on ECTS and its correct
application.
Length of the First Cycle
Planned or realised
(as of Feb. 2005):




Ba = 180 ECTS
Ba = 240 ECTS
VARIABLE
ONE TIER
The Chemistry Eurobachelor - A framework
for a European first-cycle degree in
chemistry
Outcomes
Define which competences a programme seeks to
develop, or what its graduates should be able to
know, to understand, and to do
• Aid to transparency
• Aid to the development of better-defined degrees
• Aid to the development of systems of recognition
• Aid to employability
Chemistry Eurobachelor – defined as a programme of
180 credits based on outcomes, but also applicable
to institutions using 240 credits.
Aspects considered in the
Chemistry Eurobachelor
• Learning outcomes (adapted from QAA benchmarks–UK)
• Modularisation
• Credit distribution
• ECTS and student workload
• Mobility
• Methods of Teaching and Learning
• Assessment, Grading
• Quality Assurance
Outcomes
• Subject knowledge
• Abilities and Skills
(a) Chemistry-related cognitive abilities and
skills
(b) Chemistry-related practical skills
(c) Generic/Transferable skills
Outcomes – Subject Knowledge (1)
• Major aspects of chemical terminology, nomenclature,
conventions and units.
• The major types of chemical reaction and the main
characteristics associated with them.
• The principles and procedures used in chemical analysis and
the characterisation of chemical compounds.
• The characteristics of the different states of matter and
the theories used to describe them.
• The principles of thermodynamics and their applications to
chemistry.
• The principles of quantum mechanics and their application to
the description of the structure and properties of atoms
and molecules.
• The kinetics of chemical change, including catalysis; the
mechanistic interpretation of chemical reactions.
Outcomes – Subject Knowledge (2)
• The characteristic properties of elements and their
compounds, including group relationships and trends within the
Periodic Table
• The structural features of chemical elements and their
compounds, including stereochemistry
• The properties of aliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic and
organometallic compounds
• The nature and behaviour of functional groups in organic
molecules
• Major synthetic pathways in organic chemistry, involving
functional group interconversions and carbon-carbon and
carbon-heteroatom bond formation
• The relation between bulk properties and the properties of
individual atoms and molecules, including macromolecules (both
natural and man-made), polymers and other related materials
• The structure and reactivity of important classes of
biomolecules and the chemistry of important biological
processes.
Abilities and Skills
(a)
Chemistry-related cognitive abilities and skills
•
Ability to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of
essential facts, concepts, principles, and theories
relating to the defined subject knowledge
Ability to apply such knowledge and understanding to the
solution of qualitative and quantitative problems of a
familiar nature
Skills in the evaluation, interpretation, and synthesis of
chemical information and data
Ability to recognise and implement good measurement
science and practice
Skills in presenting scientific material and arguments in
writing and orally, to an informed audience
Computational and data processing skills, relating to
chemical information and data
•
•
•
•
•
Abilities and Skills
(b)
Chemistry-related practical skills
•
Skills in the safe handling of chemical materials, taking into
account their physical and chemical properties, including
any specific hazards associated with their use
Skills required for the conduct of standard laboratory
procedures involved and use of instrumentation in synthetic
and analytical work, in relation to both organic and inorganic
systems
Skills in the monitoring, by observation and measurement,
of chemical properties, events or changes, and the
systematic and reliable recording and documentation
thereof.
Ability to interpret data derived from laboratory
observations and measurements in terms of their
significance and relate them to appropriate theory
Ability to conduct risk assessments concerning the use of
chemical substances and laboratory procedures
•
•
•
•
Abilities and Skills
(c)
Generic skills (1): These are the Key to
Employability of the Bachelor!
•
The capacity to apply knowledge in practice, in particular problemsolving competences, relating to both qualitative and quantitative
information.
Numeracy and calculation skills, including such aspects as error
analysis, order-of-magnitude estimations, and correct use of
units.
Information-management competences, in relation to primary and
secondary information sources, including information retrieval
through on-line computer searches.
Ability to analyse material and synthesise concepts.
The capacity to adapt to new situations and to make decisions.
Information-technology skills such as word-processing and
spreadsheet use, data-logging and storage, subject-related use of
the Internet.
•
•
•
•
•
Abilities and Skills
(c)
Generic skills (2): These are the Key to
Employability of the Bachelor!
•
•
Skills in planning and time management.
Interpersonal skills, relating to the ability to interact with
other people and to engage in team-working.
Communication competences, covering both written and oral
communication, in one of the major European languages
(English, German, Italian, French, Spanish) as well as in the
language of the home country.
Study competences needed for continuing professional
development. These will include in particular the ability to
work autonomously.
Ethical commitment.
•
•
•
Modularisation
• We recommend that the chemistry
Eurobachelor programme should be modular,
with EITHER 5, 10, 15 OR 6, 9, 12, 15 credits
per module
• The learning outcomes for each module should
be identified
• The modules should be of three types:
compulsory
semi-optional
and elective (freedom for the student is
important!)
Credit Distribution (1)
• At least 150 of the 180 credits should deal
with chemistry, physics, biology or
mathematics.
• The course should include EITHER a bachelor
thesis of 15 ECTS credits OR an equivalent
industry placement.
Credit Distribution (2)
Compulsory modules (total of at least 90 credits):
 Organic chemistry
 Inorganic chemistry
 Physical chemistry
 Analytical chemistry
 Biological chemistry
 Physics
 Mathematics
Semi-optional modules (a minimum of 3 modules - 15
credits) from:
 Biology
 Computational chemistry
 Chemical technology
 Macromolecular chemistry
 ….and others, depending on the institution
Assessment Procedures and
Performance Criteria (1)
The assessment of student performance will be based on a
combination of the following:
Written examinations
Oral examinations
Laboratory reports
Problem-solving exercises
Oral presentations
The Bachelor Thesis
Additional factors which may be taken into account when
assessing student performance may be derived from:
Literature surveys and evaluations
Collaborative work
Preparation and displays of posters reporting thesis or
other work
Assessment (2)
• This should involve examinations at the end of each
term or semester.
• “Comprehensive examinations" are possible, but must
be given credits.
• Written examinations will probably predominate over
oral examinations.
• Examinations should not be overlong; 2-3 hour
examinations will probably be the norm.
• Examination papers should if possible be marked
anonymously and the student should be provided with
maximum feedback, for example in the form of
"model answers".
Assessment (3)
Examination questions should be problem-based as far as
possible; though essay-type questions may be
appropriate in some cases, questions involving the
reproduction of material simply learned by heart
learning should be avoided as far as possible.
Questions should be designed to cover the following
aspects:
The knowledge base
Conceptual understanding
Problem-solving ability
Experimental and related skills
Transferable skills
Quality Assurance:
the “Eurobachelor Label”
Supported by the European Commission (pilot project)
Run by an international “Label Committee”
• First: “Slimline” self-assessment procedure
• Second: One-day site visit by 1 national and 2 international
experts (at least in the pilot phase)
• Third: Award recommendation made by Label Committee
• Final decision taken by Administrative Council of ECTN
Association
• National chemical societies and EuCheMS will play a vital role
• Valid for 5 years with simple renewal procedure
The Label Committee
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Raffaella Pagani, Madrid (chair)
Terry Mitchell, Dortmund (executive secretary)
Pavel Drasar, Prague
Marek Frankowicz, Krakow
Peter Gärtner, Vienna
Gino Paolucci, Venice
Janusz Ryczkowski, Lublin
Reiner Salzer, Dresden
Evangelia Varella, Thessaloniki
Kristiina Wähälä, Helsinki
The 8 members are elected by ECTNA member institutions
in a way that every two years 4 members are replaced.
This guarantees continuity.
The Site Visit
•
•
•
•
2 international experts
1 national expert
One-day visit
Discussions with institution leaders,
programme coordinators, teachers,
students
• Tour of facilities
The International Experts
• Phase 1 (10 visits): 2 members of Label
Committee (LC) per visit
• Phase 2 (10 visits): 1 member of LC plus
one member of ECTNA
• Phase 3: will include representatives of
institutions who have the Label
The National Expert
• Where possible, nomination by the
national Chemical Society
• Failing this, nomination by the Label
Committee
• ECTNA national representatives were
selected to advise on selection of experts
where necessary
Statistic and Data on the
Pilot Project
• Applications during the pilot project: 26,
from 20 institutions and 11 countries
• Countries so far:
Finland, Ireland, Italy, Czech Republik,
Hungary, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium,
Greece, Portugal, The Netherlands
• First award: University of Helsinki
Labels Awarded (taken from
www.eurobachelor.net)
The Costs
• No cost to students (but they benefit!)
• During pilot project: total cost to the
institution € 2000
• After pilot project: the institution will
have to bear costs for the site visit (an
equal flat rate for all institutions) which
is currently € 4750
• Possible fee reduction for members of
ECTN Association (after pilot project)
which is currently € 3000
Outlook
• Start and establish cooperation with
partner institutions
• Start of pilot project for the introduction of
a Euromaster Label in July 2006