Diploma Supplements by 2005 1

1. Diploma Supplements by 20051 Dr Anthony Vickers, FIEE, MInstP, CEng, CPhys UK Bologna Expert 1 - The ‘objective that every student graduating as from 2005 should receive the Diploma Supplement automatically and free of charge’ was set as a requirement by the Communiqué of the Conference of Ministers responsible for Higher Education in Berlin, September 2003.

2. What is the way forward for Higher Education? • Simply put it is to continue to provide high quality Higher Education based on sound pedagogical principles and transparent to scrutiny through Quality Assurance procedures. • But how does the Bologna Process fit in? • Three cycles of degrees • ECTS • Diploma Supplements • European Higher Education Area • Qualifications Frameworks

3. The tools • ECTS – a credit system originally designed to provide a measure for the workload undertaken by a transfer student. Now established as a credit accumulation system. • 1st cycle = 180 credits, normally 3 years • 2nd cycle = 60-120 credits, normally 1 or 2 years • 3rd cycle = credits not likely to be assigned • Learning Outcomes – a shift from teacher based to student based course descriptions in terms of what the student “can do” • Diploma Supplement – a standard supplementary document designed to make degrees transparent.

4. The introductory Paragraph This Diploma Supplement model was developed by the European Commission, Council of Europe and UNESCO/CEPES. The purpose of the supplement is to provide sufficient independent data to improve the international ‘transparency’ and fair academic and professional recognition of qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates etc.). It is designed to provide a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were pursued and successfully completed by the individual named on the original qualification to which this supplement is appended. It should be free from any value judgements, equivalence statements or suggestions about recognition. Information in all eight sections should be provided. Where information is not provided, an explanation should give the reason why.

5. Section 1 1 INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE HOLDER OF THE QUALIFICATION 1.1 Family name(s): Vickers 1.2 Given name(s): Anthony John 1.3 Date of birth (day/month/year): 25/3/64 1.4 Student identification number or code (if available): LANC7802345

6. Section 2 2 INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE QUALIFICATION 2.1 Name of qualification and (if applicable) title conferred (in original language): BSc (Honours) Physics 2.2 Main field(s) of study for the qualification: Physics 2.3 Name and status of awarding institution (in original language): Lancaster University 2.4 Name and status of institution (if different from 2.3) administering studies (in original language): as 2.3 2.5 Language(s) of instruction/examination: English

7. Section 3 3 INFORMATION ON THE LEVEL OF THE QUALIFICATION 3.1 Level of qualification: Honours– level 6 on the National Qualifications Framework 3.2 Official length of programme: Three years 3.3 Access requirements(s) Completed National Framework level 3 with 300 A level points

8. Section 4 4 INFORMATION ON THE CONTENTS AND RESULTS GAINED 4.1 Mode of study: Full time 4.2 Programme requirements: The student must complete 3 years of study acquiring 360 UK credits with at least 120 at level 5 and 120 at level 6. The following courses are compulsory; PH206 Electromagnetism, PH208 Quantum Mechanics. The following learning outcomes must be achieved; 1.1 Students can articulate Newton's laws. 1.2 Students can articulate Maxwell's equations. 1.3 Students can articulate the Schrödinger equation. 1.4 Students can answer qualitative and quantitative problems in classical mechanics. 1.5 Students can answer qualitative and quantitative problems in electricity and magnetism. 1.6 Students can answer qualitative and quantitative problems in quantum mechanics.

9. Section 4 (continued) 4.3 Programme details: (e.g. modules or units studied), and the individual grades/marks/credits obtained: PH101 65% 15 UK credits 7.5 ECTS PH204 74% 15 UK credits 7.5 ECTS PH306 81% 15 UK credits 7.5 ECTS (if this information is available on an official transcript this should be used here) 4.4 Grading scheme and, if available, grade distribution guidance: 1st class Honours 70% and higher (typically 15% of year) Upper 2nd Honours 60% > 69.5% (typically 35% of year) Lower 2nd Honours 50% > 59.5% (typically 35% of year) Third Honours 40% > 49.5% (typically 15% of year) 4.5 Overall classification of the qualification (in original language): 1st class Honours

10. Section 5 5 INFORMATION ON THE FUNCTION OF THE QUALIFICATION 5.1 Access to further study: Holder is entitled to apply for National Framework level 7 (Masters) or directly National Framework level 8 (Doctoral) studies. 5.2 Professional status (if applicable): This degree is accredited by the Institute of Physics and the degree is an initial requirement for Chartered Physicist (CPhys)

11. Section 6 6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 6.1 Additional information: Student undertook Professional training in the Summer between level 4 and level 5 with the British Waterways Board. 6.2 Further information sources: www.lancs.ac.uk

12. Section 7 7 CERTIFICATION OF THE SUPPLEMENT 7.1 Date: 14th July 1981 7.2 Signature: 7.3 Capacity: VC and Registrar? 7.4 Official stamp or seal:

13. Section 8 8 INFORMATION ON THE NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM (N.B. Institutions who intend to issue Diploma Supplements should refer to the explanatory notes that explain how to complete them.) England, Wales , and Northern Ireland National Description E,W, and NI Diagram Diagram for Norway Diagram for Turkey

14. Examples • Czech Republic • Turkey • Spain • UK

15. DS Label • You can apply for a DS label through the British Council. • Application forms will be available soon and the likely next deadline is January 2010. • In 2009 the following UK Institutions were awarded the label • The University of Kent • Bournemouth University • Swansea University • The complete list of Institutions awarded ECTS or DS labels is here.

16. British Isles Qualifications Frameworks • Wales • single overarching Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW) that encompasses the Framework for Higher education Qualifications for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. CQFW has 8 levels and is non regulatory. • Scotland • single national Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) that encompasses the Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions in Scotland. SCQF has 12 levels and is non regulatory. It has been self certified against the FQ-EHEA which does not mean it is Bologna compliant! • England and Northern Ireland • For higher education – the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ-EWNI)FHEQ has 5 levels and is non regulatory (aligns with 4-8 of CQFW). It has been self certified against the FQ-EHEA which does not mean it is Bologna compliant! • For vocational education and training there is the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) which will be progressively replaced by the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). QCF will be a giant database of all units offered and all units passed. NQF/QFC has 8 levels. • Ireland • Has the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). It has 10 levels covering all forms of learning (6-10 for HE). The NFQ has been self certified against the FQ-EHEA. This does not mean it is Bologna compliant!

17. Europe Level Qualifications Frameworks • Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area (FQ-EHEA) • Initiated by the European HE sector • Picked up by EU Commission and funded by them although EU Commission does not have legal competency over HE • Adopted as integral part of the Bologna Process in 2005 • 3 levels reflecting the 3 Bologna cycles • Includes the Dublin descriptors covering end of cycle awards • Includes typical ECTS ranges • European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF) • Developed through the EU Commission • EU Commission has legal competency over vocational education and training and can influence national policies • It has 8 levels which align with the English NQF/QCF) • Work in progress on a credit system EC-VET • FQ-EHEA versus EQF • A specialist EC group concluded the two frameworks were “not incompatible” although this conclusion is sometimes written as “compatible” or even “very compatible”! • FQ-EHEA is not concerned with areas where there is typically national regulation • EQF is concerned with areas where there is typically close national regulation • The meaning/use of shared terms like competency are very different in the two frameworks.

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