Transcript Curriculum reform Tirana 16th-17th March A bit about ESIB ESIB-the National Unions of students in Europe is an umbrella organization representing over 11 millions students in.

Curriculum reform
Tirana
16th-17th March
A bit about ESIB
ESIB-the National Unions of
students in Europe is an umbrella
organization representing over 11
millions students in Europe. Its
members are based in more than
37 European countries. ESIB is
recognized by the major players in
higher education in Europe.
Curriculum reform and
Bologna Process
• System of easily readable and
comparable degrees, based on a
structure of main two cycles;
• Recognition for further level of
education and for the labor
market;
• Fundamental objectives of higher
education.
Degree Structure
First cycle degree (Bachelor, BD).
There might be different types of BD,
nevertheless they should always
address all the objectives of higher
education.
Flexible curricula guarantee this
achievement.
Degree Structure II
ESIB stresses that the definition of this
degree must not be made too rigid, to
allow for different profiles at the level of
countries, regions and disciplines.
Degree Structure III
Second cycle degree (Master, MD)
MD should offer students the chance to
either specialise further in the subject
or subjects of their BD, or to
complement their education in another
field.
Degree Structure IV
Access to students from other higher
education institutions in and outside the
country must be ensured as to students
holding degrees that do not follow the
two-cycle degree structure, especially
during a transition period.
The completion of a relevant second-cycle
degree should provide access to
employment and to doctoral degree.
Degree Structure V
Requirements for the implementation:
• Access to every cycle must be
guaranteed;
• Parallel implementation of ECTS,
Diploma Supplement and Qualification
Framework;
• Proper adaptation of curricula;
• Need for Quality Assurance and
Accreditation.
Diploma Supplement
Diploma Supplement=An annex to a
diploma describing qualifications
obtained in higher education.
It is a tool for transparency, for
enhancement of employability and for
the implementation of the Lisbon
Recognition Convention.
Diploma Supplement II
Requirements:
• Widely implemented;
• Including information of the quality
assurance systems and of the
qualifications;
• Issued automatically and free of
charge;
• Issued in the national language and in
English.
ECTS
ECTS (European Credit Transfer System)
It is a benefit for achieving more
transparency, compatibility and
recognition.
It is based on a system where the actual
workload is taken as the reference for
stipulating the duration of a study
programme, therefore the duration can
become more realistic.
ECTS II
Workload:
• 1600 is the average working hours per
year, it should correspond to 60 credits;
• Allocation of credits should be done on
the departmental/faculty level;
• It should be top-down, the number of
credits should be distributed along the
different parts of the programme for the
year. The course units should not be too
long.
ECTS III
• It must be based on the investment of
time in learning, this implies that all
activities required for the examination
are taken into account;
• Its measuring is the result of a regular
evaluation amongst the students and
the teachers, based on real figures;
• Its measure must be precisely
regulated.
ECTS IV
The awarding of credits should only be
linked to the completion of a part of the
study programme and not be connected
to the individual grades into account.
Proper information on the functioning of
ECTS should be guaranteed to students.
ECTS as a transfer system
ECTS as description of the content of the
course. The description should be
issued both in English and in the
language used in the courses. It should
be available on beforehand and
automatically issued.
It should be seen in connection with the
Diploma Supplement.
ECTS and recognition
The recognition of credits must be
guaranteed automatically in the same
institution. Between HEIs, it is
automatic when it concerns a student in
the framework of a mobility
programme. If the student is a free
mover then recognition depends on the
appreciation of the receiving HEI with
certain procedural guarantees for the
student.
ECTS as accumulation
system
Requirements:
• Avoid hunt for easy points / education à
la carte;
• Ensure recognition of qualifications
outside traditional learning paths;
• Validity of credits
Qualification Framework
The biggest advantage is the support
such frameworks can provide towards a
system that is based on learning
outcomes and the shift from a teaching
based system to a learning based
system.
It is essential that learning outcomes are
set in such a way that they reflect all
purposes of education.
Qualification Framework
II
Qualifications Frameworks are an element
that contributes to a more cohesive,
comparable and compatible system for
the European Higher Education Area.
Therefore the implementation of the
ECTS, the Diploma Supplement and of
the Lisbon Recognition Convention are
nonetheless needed.
Qualification Framework
III
ESIB welcomes the inclusion of education
other than higher education into a
qualifications framework.
Nevertheless, all the higher education
community must be involved in the
discussion on QF.
Curriculum Reform
general remarks
The process of reforming curricula should
follow some general guidelines:
• Balance between top-down and bottomup approaches;
• Inclusion of all the stakeholders at all
levels;
• Need for in depth reforms.
For more information on
ESIB policies
• www.esib.org under the session
documents
• [email protected]
Thank you!!!!