Transcript NQF SERBIA 2009 current state and SWOT analyses Ljubljana, 29-30 June 2009

NQF SERBIA 2009
current state and SWOT analyses
Ljubljana, 29-30 June 2009
Serbia joined the Bologna Process in 2003.
Legal background
The Law on Higher Education (LHE, 2005) gives a legal basis
for full implementation of the Bologna Declaration and the
Lisbon Convention.
 Ministry of Education
 National Council for Higher Education (NCHE),
 Conference of Serbian Research Universities,
 Conference of Academies of Applied Studies
 Commission for Accreditation and Quality Assessment (CAQA)
 National Team of Higher Education Reform Experts – HERE
Structure of the
Higher Education (HE) System in Serbia
• Total number of students in HE: 202,000 (2008-9)
• Unified higher education system consisting of:
7 public universities (105 faculties),
6 universities established by non-state founders (53 faculties)
80 Academies of Applied Studies
The implementation of the Bologna Process formally
started in academic year 2006/2007
• The higher education institutions offer programmes of
– First cycle (3 or 4 years)
– Second cycle (1 or 2 years)
– Third cycle (3 years)
Higher education in Serbia
cycles
• Two mainstreams:
– academic studies
– applied studies
• Three degrees (cycles):
– First cycle :
academic studies and applied
studies
– Second cycle :
master and
academic and professional
specialization
– Third cycle : doctorate
NQF in Serbia
• National Council for Higher Education (NCHE ) has been working on
the Serbian national qualification framework (SQF) draft since July
2008.
• SQF draft accepted at the NCHE meeting held on November 14, 2008.
• Workgroup appointed by Ministry of Education, was mandated to
create the SQF at the higher education level.
• The SQF workgroup includes all stakeholders (ministries, HE
intitutions, students, employers, trade unions).
• Upgraded at several meetings of the workgroup, supported by
Council of Europe
• CoE Project "Strengthening HE Reforms in Serbia“
NQF draft
Principles
• Independently define SQF for higher education levels
• Take into account
– legislation in Serbia
– Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher
Education Area (EHEA)
• Include
– all present levels of higher education
– descriptors of learning outcomes
• Dublin descriptors are already included into
standards
• Generic descriptors are included in the first draft
of the SQF.
– ECTS
– prerequisites and access to subsequent levels
NQF draft
Introductory text
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Bodies responsible for adopting SQF
Basic legislative
Basic goals
What does SQF define?
SQF and quality control
Compatibility with EHEA and EQF
NQF draft
Structure
• Academic
– VA-1a – basic, three years (180 ECTS)
– VA-1b – basic, four years (240 ECTS)
– VA-2a – master/diploma (60 or 120 ECTS)
– VA-2b – academic specialization (60)
– VA-3 – doctoral
• Applied
– VS-1 – basic, three years (180 ECTS)
– VS-2 – professional specialization (60)
NQF draft
NQF summary (fine-tuned)
EQF Level
EHEA
Framework
(Bologna)
Serbian national qualifications framework
Academic studies
Applied studies
ECTS
480
8
7
6
3rd cycle
Dоctoral
ВА-3
1 cycle
300
Master
VА-2а
2nd cycle
st
180
Specialization
VА-2b
Bachelor 3yr
VA-1а
Bachelor 4yr
VА-1b
Integrated
VА-2а
Medicine
VА-2а
Specialization
VS-2
Bachelor
VS-1
120-60
180-240
180-240
0
NQF draft
Items
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Title (applied/academic/scientific)
Prerequisite
Minimal ECTS credits
Access to subsequent level
Descriptors of learning outcomes
Compatibility with Bologna cycles (EHEA)
Compatibility with European Qualification
Framework (EQF)
NQF draft
Sample
VP-2
•have demonstrated knowledge and 1
understanding in a field of study ...
•can apply their knowledge and
understanding in a manner...
have the ability to gather and
interpret relevant data...
•can communicate information,
ideas, problems...
have developed those learning
skills that are necessary for them to
continue...
have skills for team work.
180
Compelted high school
Basic applied studies
Subsequent
level
Minimum
ECTS credits
Prerequisite
Studies
VP-1
Applied/
applied
academic/
Scientific title
Level
Learning outcome descriptors:
Equivalent
Bologna
cycle
To be done
• Get response from
– Conference of Universities
– Conference of Academies of Applied
Studies
– Ministry
– European experts
• Finalize the document
• Accept by the National Council for Higher
Education and/or Ministry for Education
SWOT: SERBIA NQF STRENGHTS
• Very quick mobilization of all higher education
institutions to get acquainted with the Bologna
framework.
• The Law on higher education (2005) and corresponding
bylaws
regulating
quality
assessment
and
accreditation introduced the Dublin descriptors that
enabled the definition of the list of qualifications with
expected learning outcomes.
• Therefore, the programs of higher education
institutions could be tuned to the list of qualifications
and expected learning outcomes, although the NQF
did not exist formally.
SWOT: SERBIA NQF WEAKNESSES
• Discontinuities in the decision-making process due to
frequent changes of government.
• The stakeholder structure is incomplete: higher
education institutions, professors and students are
involved. Stakeholders from companies and other
employers are not yet included to the necessary level.
• Most stakeholders are in a precarious situation due to
the weak economic situation, falling employment and
restrictive fiscal policy.
SWOT: SERBIA NQF OPPORTUNITIES
• Using the experiences of countries ahead in NQF
development, the skillful support of the Council of Europe.
• NQF development could greatly advance if pre-accession
strategies of the EU concerning Serbia would become
operational as soon as possible, including higher
education for the knowledge society.
• That would create the ground for defining economic,
scientific and technology development strategies which, in
turn, would help all stakeholders to cooperate in the
development of higher education strategies to correspond
to the needs of economic and social development.
SWOT: SERBIA - NQF - THREATS
• Worsening influences of the world economic crisis
and delays of Serbia`s accession to the EU.
• Worsening economic and political tensions in the
Balkans.
• That would greatly prevent the creation and
implementation of any longer-term national or
regional strategy, including higher education.