Transcript Implementing the Bologna Process: The experience of Estonia Gunnar Vaht The Estonian ENIC/NARIC Baku, 20-21 April 2005

Implementing the Bologna
Process:
The experience of Estonia
Gunnar Vaht
The Estonian ENIC/NARIC
Baku, 20-21 April 2005
Higher education in Estonia

Legal framework
• Education Act (1992)
• Universities Act (1995)
• Institutions of Professional Higher
Education Act (1998)
• Private Schools Act (1998)
• University of Tartu Act (1995)
• Standard of Higher Education (2002)
Access to higher education

General requirements (qualifications)
• Gümnaasiumi lõputunnistus (Secondary School
Leaving Certificate - 12yrs of study) + State
Examination Certificate
• Secondary Vocational School Leaving Certificate +
State Examination Certificate
• Corresponding foreign qualification

Specific requirements
• Results of state examinations (mother language,
foreign language, mathematics, etc)
• admission examinations/tests/interviews
• average mark on leaving certificate or group of marks
of certain subject(s)
Higher education institutions

Universities (ülikool)
• institution of research, development, study and
culture with programs at all higher education levels in
several fields of study

Professional Higher Education Institutions
(rakenduskõrgkool)
• educational institutions with programs of professional
higher education and Magister-study. The institution
may offer secondary vocational programs.

Vocational Education Institutions
(kutseõppeasutus)
• institutions of secondary vocational programs. The
institutions may offer the professional higher
education
The main features of the
Estonian HE sector


69 000 students on academic year 2004/05
45 higher education institutions
• 6 public and 6 private universities
• 7 state and 16 private professional higher
education institutions
• 9 state and 1 private VET schools


MoER covers fees for 50% of students
Language of instruction: Russian - 10%;
English - 1%
Bologna process in Estonia

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Estonia was among the countries signing the
Bologna Declaration in 1999
Large scale changes started already in the
beginning of 1990s by removing Soviet ideology in
the programs, increasing the university autonomy,
introducing the credit accumulation system based
on student workload and accreditation system
Bologna process was seen as a continuation of the
developments, an opportunity to increase the
competitiveness internationally (comparable
degree structure) and broadening the students´
choices (national and international mobility)
New degree structure



Higher education system is binary at first
and second level
University structure has three cycles
following the bachelor-master-PhD model
Transfer to the new two-cycle specialist
degree structures of academic year
2002/03
Legal framework for degrees

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The Government approved the Standard of Higher
Education (2002) functions as a broad qualification
framework which determines the conditions of
access to, capacity, learning outcomes, graduation
requirements, etc of PHE, Bak, Mag and PhD
studies
Special legislative acts govern the outcomes and
content of regulated professions and other one
long-cycle programs (in medicine, class teachers,
civil engineers etc)
New Governmental decree (2004) for designation of
academic degrees
Degree structure (pre-Bologna)
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
Old system (until 2002/03 admission)
General system as one-long-cycle
structure
• Universities
• Bakalaureus-degree (4…5 years) - specialist´s
qualifications
• Magister-degree (1…2 years) - research degree
• Doktor-degree (Mag+4 years) - second research
degree
• Professional higher education institutions
• PHE-diploma (3…4 years) - the access to Magisterstudy was limited
Degree structure (Bologna)


New system (since 2002/03 admission)
General system as two-cycle (bachelor-master)
structure - so called “3+2 model”
• Universities
• Bakalaureus-degree (bachelor-level) - 3 years
• Magister-degree (master-level) - 2 years
• one long-cycle programs (master-level) - 5 years;
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine - 6 years
• Doktor-degree - 3…4 years
• Professional higher education institutions
• PHE-diploma (bachelor-level) - 3…4 years
• Magister-degree (master-level) - 1…2 years in cooperation
with university.In some fields also independently.
Bakalaureus-studies
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At this level the basic knowledge and skills of a
speciality are obtained.
The nominal length of study is predominantly 3
years and the capacity of studies 120 national
credit points (ainepunkt) = 180 credits in ECTS
system
The new qualification enables holder to commence
work and continue studies at master level
Under a previous degree structure bakalaureusstudies provided a competence necessary for
working as a specialist and the right to work in a
position that requires high qualification (lawyer,
engineer, teacher, etc)
Magister-studies
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The aim of second cycle studies is to
educate a specialist with profound
professional knowledge. Study is devoted
to in-depth preparation for the speciality
and includes a narrow specialisation.
The nominal duration of 1…2 years and
capacity of studies 40…80 national credits
(60…120 ECTS credits), but along with
bachelor-level studies not less than 5 years
(3+2 or 4+1), and capacity of 200 national
credits/300 ECTS credits
Comparison of old and new systems

Till 1991
• Diplom-Specialist (5) - Kandidat Nauk (3) - Doktor
Nauk (+…)
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1991-1994
• University Diploma (5) - (Research) Magister (2) Doktor (4)

1995-2001
• Bakalaureus (4) - Magister (2) - Doktor (4)
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Since 2002
• Bakalaureus (3) - Magister (2) - Doktor (3…4)
• (Bachelor-Master structure or “3+2” system)
Professional higher education
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The purpose of PHE study is to
acquire the competence necessary
for working in the relevant
profession or continue studies in a
master level
Providers:
• Professional higher education institutions;
• structural units of universities (university
kolledzh);
• selected vocational secondary education
institutions
Doktor-study


Highest stage of higher education with the
purpose of acquiring knowledge and skills
necessary for independent research,
development or professional creative work
The nominal duration is 3 to 4 years (180
to 240 ECTS credits)
Designation of degrees
(new programs)

Bakalaureus-degrees
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Haridusteaduse bakalaureuse Bachelor of Arts in Education; BA
Humanitaarteaduse bakalaureus Bachelor of Arts in humanities; BA
Sotsiaalteaduste bakalaureus Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences; BA
Loodusteaduste bakalaureus Bachelor of Science in Natural Science; BSc
Tehnikateaduste bakalaureus Bachelor of Science in Engineering; BSc
Terviseteaduse bakalaureus Bachelor of Science in Health Science; BSc
Designation of degrees
(new programs)
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Magister-degrees
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•
•
•
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Haridusteaduse magister - Master of Arts in Education; MA
Kunstide magister - Master of Arts in Arts; MA
Humanitaarteaduse magister - Master of Arts in Humanities; MA
Sotsiaalteaduse magister - Master of Arts in Social Sciences; MA
Ärijuhtimise magister - Master in Business Administration; MBA
Loodusteaduse magister - Master of Science in Natural Science; MSc
Tehnikateaduse magister - Master of Science in Engineering; MSc
Põllumajandusteaduse magister - Master of Science in Agriculture;
•
•
•
Terviseteaduse magister - Master of Science in Health Sciences; MSc
Usuteaduse magister . Master of Arts in Theology; MSc
Õigusteaduse magister - Master of Arts in Law; MSc
MSc
Designation of degrees
(new system)

Degrees of integrated long-cycle study
• Arstikraad - Degree in Medicine; MD
• Hambaarstikraad - Degree in Dentistry; DD
• Farmaatsiamagister - Master of Science in
Pharmacy; MSc
• Loomaarstikraad - Degree in Veterinary
Medicine; DVM
• Arhitektuurimagister - Master of Science in
Architecture; MSc
• Tehnikateaduse magister - Master of Science in
Engineering; MSc
• Haridusteaduse magister - Master of Arts in
Education; MA
Designation of degrees
(new system)
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Doktor-degrees
• Filosoofiadoktor - Doctor of Philosophy;
PhD, with the indication of the field of
study or specialisation
Recognition and comparison
of “old” degrees
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Draft Governmental Decree on
comparison of former qualifications - in
order to ensure the equal rights of
graduates in access to further study and to
the labor market.
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Diploma Supplement - the description

Estonian ENIC/NARIC - information to
of educational system and indicates on
which system the degree is earned
the foreign authorities
Recognition tools

Diploma Supplement - the model of UNESCO,
Council of Europe and European Commission
• Implemented by the initiative of individual universities
in 1999 and issued on request (some fee)
• Since 2002 the DS is a state document annexed to
every diploma (free)
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ECTS
• Since 1997 higher education institutions may use
ECTS credit and marking system simultanously with
national system and only in student mobility programs
• Since 01.09.2006 - the only credit system in Estonia
and as the national credit system.
Quality Assurance (I)
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Regulation of the Government - Procedure
for Accreditation of Universities,
Professional Higher Education Institutions
and their Study Programs and
Requirements for Accreditation
University Act - which specifies the object
of accreditation, accreditation procedure
and the process prior to and following the
accreditation
Quality Assurance (II)
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License, accreditation, recognition
• License
• issued by the Ministry of Education and Research (MoER)
• State inspection
• inspection by MoER regularly; self analyse
• Accreditation
• part of the quality assessment.
• Organised by Estonian Higher Education Accreditation
Centre
• Foreign experts for two-three days
• Decision by Higher Education Quality Assessment
Council
• Approved by the Minister
• State recognition of diplomas/qualifications
• Statute of Diploma - state standards
Accreditation
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The recognition of diplomas is dependent upon the
accreditation decision
Accreditation of the program is granted for 7 years
(conditional accreditation for 2 years)
Usually, study programs of a similar nature from
different HEIs are under accreditation process at
the same time
Accreditation criteria - content of the study program,
quality of the teaching, management practices, state of
the study facilities, quality assurance practices, teachers
qualifications, etc.
During 1997-2002 the first round of accreditation was
completed, over 500 study programs were under
accreditation process
Mobility
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New programs for mobility since 2003, it
allocates scholarships for:
• Master-level and PhD students for up to
five months
• PhD students for full program in a
foreign university, obligation to defend
degree and then turn back to Estonia
• Young HEI teaching personnel for
participation on international seminars,
using libraries, etc
ERASMUS program
Implementation of
Bologna process
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The so-called “National Bologna Group” was
established in 2000 - representatives: Ministry of
Education, Rectors Council, Student Union and
Estonian ENIC/NARIC
On 2001, the Government approved the reform plan
Major legislative changes were implemented during
2002 and 2003
Transfer to the new degree structure was very
quick and was possible only because HEIs were
very interested in these changes
Further plans
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Ensuring the employability of the “new”
bachelors;
Recruitment of international staff with
long-term contacts;
Work with qualifications framework description of learning outcomes
Joint degree programs - amendment of
legislation
Implementing the lifelong learning
principles in higher education - APEL
Thank you!
Questions? Comments?