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Internationalization - Student exchange. John Fürstenbach Chair, HUMANE Round Table Royal College of Music in Stockolm Contribution to the Arbeitsgruppe Fortbildung and HUMANE seminar The Bologna Process as a Challenge for University management and Administration Bonn July 7 - 8 2006.
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Internationalization - Student exchange John FürstenbachChair, HUMANE Round TableRoyal College of Music in Stockolm Contribution to the Arbeitsgruppe Fortbildung and HUMANE seminar The Bologna Process as a Challenge for University management and AdministrationBonn July 7 - 8 2006
Sweden • Area: 450,000 km, third largest country in Western Europe • Forests: 53%, Mountains: 11% cultivated land: 8% Lakes and rivers: 9% • Longest north-south distance: 1,574 km Longest east-west distance: 499 km • 9 million inhabitants • Average temperatures • Stockholm: January -2.8 C°; July + 17.2 C° • Daylight, sun above horizon • Stockholm: December 6 hours; June 18 hours
Higher Education • HE sector of “high and equal quality” • 14 Universities • 6 HEI:s that confer PhD.s • 20 HEI:s offering Bachelors and Masters • About 20 independent course providers • Central Agency • Swedish National Agency for Higher Education • Sector services provided by • National Agency for Services to Universities and University Colleges • Private institutions…..
Present system • Degrees ≥ 3 year Bachelor ≥ 4 year Master (Magister) + 4 year Ph D • Points • 1 point a week • Academic year 40 weeks ( 2 x 20 weeks semesters) • Autumn semester: end of August - mid January • Spring semester: mid January - early June • Grades • Most courses rated fail, pass, pass with distinction
Bologna related problems • Basic Rumour: • Sweden signed in the belief that it didn’t have to change anything? • ECTS grades • A - G? - we don’t believe in those • Quality Assurance • what for - Sweden is best • What is advanced level in the 2nd cycle? • if it means depth in subject area - what is a subject? • Bachelor 180 pts, Master 120 pts • Exactly! - not minimum? • Learning outcomes • conceptually OK - but they derive a lot of work
Organisation of 1st and 2nd circle studies • Courses • The student combines courses to meet degree requirements • Programmes • A “package” of courses
EHEAEuropean Higher Education Area • Harmonization • Three cycles • ECTS (European Credit Transfer System, an Erasmus feature, existing before the EHEA) • point system (60 per academic year) (this implies modularization?) • ECTS grades (pass: A - F, fail G and H. A - F are relative, the difference between F and G is absolute!) • Accreditation • Quality assurance through non-HEI agencies (and HEI is just another TLA!)
Bologna alignment effective from fall semester 2007 • New system = 3 year Bachelor + either 1 year “Magister” or 2 year Master + 4 year Ph D • ECTS points • 60p academic year to be used (present system x 1.5) • ECTS grades • Used on HEI:s own discretion • Quality assurance • by the National Agency for Higher Education
Student mobility • What for? • European identity? • Increased cultural and linguistic skills? • International employability? • Increased scholarly qualities? • A possibility within the EHEA • Bologna - city in Northern Italy, European university 1088? • Within a cycle • Exchange programmes • Free movers • Acceptance of credits (ECTS) • Between cycles • An Americanization in the Bologna process • Acceptance of degrees -> accreditation of institutions
Within cycleExchange programmes • National • Often non EU, but possibly EHEA • EU • Socrates • Leonardo • General components • Travel subsidies/grants • Special administration • (Supposedly) acceptance of credits earned
Within cycle:Acknowledgement of credits • Based on ECTS • In exchange programmes • (Formally) agreed upon by institutions • Free movers • A full cycle study often requires language skills • Course/semester students • Can more often find English/German/French courses • Accept bigger risks • Risks that are reduced in the convergence process
Activities in support of student exchange • Extra grants • Mobility programmes! • National grants • Rules for acknowledgement of credits • Clear • Accepted • Adhered to • Agreed in mobility programmes • Tuition in foreign languages? • Teachers fluent in French, or German, or Swedish? • Pertinent literature known to teachers? Available?
Between cycles Change of HEIs • Opportunities • 3 cycles, 2 crossroads • Higher degree of specialization (quality) in next cycle • Prerequisites • Accreditation • Subject identity • Regular admission processes for 2nd and 3rd cycles • Threats • What happens when, by numerus clausus, ”my” students are forced away? • Cultural difficulties
Facilitation of mobility • Housing • Responsibility or possibility? • Priority to dormatories • Institution rents flats? • Support • Students (“step parents”) • Faculty (“mentors”) • Administration (“international student offices”) • Language courses • Curricula • Adherence to Bologna process goals and rules • Courses or even programmes taught in……… ?English?