Bologna Process in Albania and its NQF versus EQF

1. by Aleksander Xhuvani Rajmonda Buhaljoti Miranda Kullolli Bologna Process in Albaniaand its NQF versus EQF Bratislava 2008

2. Albanian HE reform • Based on Bologna Process and its main documents • National Master Plan (draft) • HE New Law (approved in 2007) • Reform of R&D institutions – integration with HEIs

3. Albanian HE reformpriorities • Two and three cycles of studies – HEIs profile, • Curricula reform (ECTS points, one semester based modules), • Quality Assurance, • From NQF to EQF (learning outcomes), • Recognition of qualifications (Lisbon Convention) • Symbiosis of education and research, • Student and staff mobility, • Labour market oriented

4. 120 credits 180 credits Admission test state maturity PhD StudyOrganisation Year III Year II includes 60 Credits Year I Master 1 credit (ECTS point) = 25 hours of student’s work (home work + classes) Year II Year I Bachelor Year III Year II Year I

5. Curricula DevelopmentCourse organisation

6. Curricula DevelopmentversusResearch 3° year in all Albanian public universities 4° year in pre-school teachers education 5° year in PUT and AUT

7. Education Level according to Bologna process and anticipated implementation time in the country

8. HE Reform - stakeholders • Government – MoES, • Albanian BFUG • Ad Hoc WGs • HEIs, • Council for HE and Science, • Employers community, • Student organisations, • Trade Unions

9. Quality Assurance • QA System fully functional, • QA Institutions • Accreditation Agency • Accreditation Council • Evaluation versus Accreditation, • National procedures, criteria and requirements, • About 60% of HEIs already evaluated • Transparency: results made public

10. Quality Assurance • Involvement of foreign expertise: nationals abroad • Networking (European and Regional), • Focus on internal QA • Student participation; not the rule • European Standards and Guidelines: main challenge

11. National Qualification Framework LEVEL 5 Post secondary LEVEL 6A HEIfirst level LEVEL 6B HEIfirst level WH LEVEL 7 HEIsecond level LEVEL 8 HEIthird level - PhD LEVEL 1 First pre-university LEVEL 2 Second pre-university LEVEL 3 Third pre-university LEVEL 4 Fourth pre-university

12. National Qualification Framework • Kick-off Conference with experts from CoE • AL-BFUG 1st WG has detailed Uni level descriptors • Another WG near the MoES is dealing with pre-Uni levels and level descriptors • In view : National Conference with Albanian stakeholders to propose the final version of NQF

13. Recognition of qualifications • Existing Recognition Unit within the Ministry of Education and Science • Enhancement of the legal framework : in line with Lisbon Convention • National Action Plan for Recognition issues • Some bilateral agreements for automatic recognition • New Law on HE : national information centerfor Albania – representing Albania in the ENIC network

14. Student participation • In compiling Al HE strategic documents, • In HE events (conferences, workshops..) • In QA process • In HEIs governing bodies • New HE Law: • increasing SP at all HE activities • new student STATUS in HEIs • New climate for democratic and fair elections of their organisation within HEIs (Bottom-up scheme)

15. “Hot” Debate issues for the future • BFUG - Albania • Autonomy and responsibility of HEIs • NQF – Dublin descriptors • Professorship workload (ECTS, hours, both?) • Course recognition at national level • Many other details...

16. Thank you !