Structured Studies - Czech Republic Experience Tempus Seminar in Opatija

1. Structured Studies - Czech RepublicExperienceTempus Seminar in Opatija 4-5 March 2005 Věra Šťastná stastna@msmt.cz Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports

2. Developments in Europe • Increased numbers of students • Different abilities, talent, level of previous education, expectations, social and economic background • Diversification of study offer • Different systems – binary/dual – unitary/rainbow • Complicated and very diversified European landscape → Bologna Process • Structure of study harmonised → organisation of HE is in the competence of particular countries • Harmonisation –10 years (mid term) – time to avoid • Only formal restructuralisation • Wrong understanding in the society ‚incl. students) • Misunderstanding/ confusion among employers

3. Consequences of massification • Strategic factor • Graduation at lower level → access to the next higher level- the right to apply for admission (No guarantee for admission) • All level qualifications access to labour market (employability) • Quality • The bottle neck moved from „between secondary and higher education“ to „between the 1st and 2nd cycle“ • 1st cycle diversified study paths • Decreasing of drop out - students brought to their highest potential • Traditionally high level of graduates of Master’s study programmes • Recognition education gained outside HE, incl. LLL provisions (of prior learning) – little attention so far

4. Tertiary system in the CR • Higher Education • HEIs of university type • HEIs of non – university type • Co-operation of a HEI and a TPS • Tertiary Professional Studies – practical, specific • Post - Maturita Studies • Institutions • Of higher education: public, private, state • Of tertiary professional education: regional, private, church

5. Tertiary system in the CR

6. Developments in the CR • Extensive growth of students only since 90ieth • Underfinanced (lower % of GDP, lower GDP) • Numbers of students in the tertiary sector certain growth still expected(50% of 19-years + adult students)

7. Developments in the CR • Extensive growth of HEIs practically finished • Profilation of institutions or within an institution • HEIs/ faculties – in most study programmes top research and scientific training / education • HEIs / faculties – top research and scientific training / education in a limited number of study programmes – the others mainly practical character • HEIs / faculties – mainly practically oriented study programmes (mostly Bachelor's) including further creative activities • Naturally diversified (profiled) – different character – none of them better or worse

8. BA / MA / PhD • Bachelor´s SP: 3-4 standard years/ 180-240 ECTS • Master´s SP: 1- 3 standard years/ 60 -180 ECTS, on average 120 ECTS • In paralel 4-6 standard years/ 240 - 300 ECTS, on average 300 ECTS • Before the accreditation expires • If the nature requires so • Doctoral SP: 3 standard years

9. Transferability of Studies

10. Study Programmes • A study programme must fulfil a number of requirements • a reasonable and meaningful content, • a profile enabling employability of graduates and continuation in a higher cycle programme, • a study programme, especially the first cycle study programme, has to enable graduation for „reasonable“ number of students • curriculum, pedagogical methods as well as different forms of delivery (incl. the distant form or combination)

11. Characteristics of Study Programmes • Content-profile (concrete knowledge as well more general competences to be able to acquire/update necessary knowledge/skills) • general, specific, narrow oriented; • Workload – constant workload – enabling different proportion of theoretical and practical – different paths within the SP – student's choice – clearly defined what is necessary for continuation in Master's SP – wider range of subjects according to student's choice • Different ratio between mastering the „already known“ and creative activities

12. Formal DivisionEmployers - Siemens

13. Good PracticeEmployers - Siemens

14. Good Practice • Within the first three years • Theoretical subjects must be reduced (moved to 2nd cycle) - practical training involved • Practical could possibly follow the theoretical parts, (reduced to necessary minimum) – repeated • Problem: any study programme should enable employability of graduates and continuation in a higher cycle programme – no formal dead ends -?Continuation in a different study field? • Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague - Bologna principles as well as close collaboration with employers • Charles University – Faculty of Mathematics and Physics

15. Transition between the 1st and 2nd cycle • Problem – diversity • Within one field • more practical/theoretical path • different institutions • Between different fields • Not desirable to prolong the duration • Important challenge: • Recognition of former learning, including that outside higher education, as well as practical experience • Possibility to enter the system in any age at any level • Using the potential of LLL - development of „preparatory“ programmes?

16. Numbers of graduates in BA and 1st year MA • 2003 -04 • Graduates – 30 000 • Bachelor's graduates - 12 500 • Continue in MA – 6 000 (+ 2 000 who garduated in previous years) • 1/4 continues at a different HEI • Is it a trend?

17. Possibilities of recognition of prior learning

18. Education and Research in structured SPs • Research and development extended → creative activities • At all levels • Different ratio between mastering the „already known“ and creative activities = most important difference between tertiary professional studies, Bachelor's, Master's and doctoral

19. Knowledge, Skills, Creative Activities • Characteristics of particular cycles

20. Co-operation between state and institutional level • High degree of autonomy of HEIs • Independent academic representations: Council of Higher Education Institutions (CoHEIs)Czech Rectors Conference • all important decisions of the Ministry must be discussed • Representative Commission (wider participation of stakeholders: Rectors Conference, representatives of bursaries, students,...) • Bologna team: in co-operation with CoHEIs (incl. ECTS promoters) + students + Ministry - information, assistance, consultation, serie of seminars • Bologna web-page: www.bologna.msmt.cz

21. Concluding remarks • Good legal bases • Focus on implementation • New Strategy of the Ministry (2006-2010) in the field of HE Development - incentives and motivation to implement changes with consequences for funding • Reform of the system of Higher Education based on the reform of state funding • Formula based part of funding – balance output-input indicators Contract based part of funding based on Strategy of the Ministry - support of strength of particular HEIs - sustainable development - longer period • Aims: improvement of access, quality, social situation of studentsmore money into the HE system- better effectiveness of use • Consequently certain evolutionary profilation of HEIs expected