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HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS IN EUROPE: DEVELOPMENTS AND CHALLENGES

HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS IN EUROPE: DEVELOPMENTS AND CHALLENGES. National conference Athinai, October 7, 2010 Sjur Bergan, Council of Europe. QUALIFICATIONS IN THE EHEA. Two (later three) tier degree structure (1999, 2003) Role of the first degree in the labor market (1999)

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HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS IN EUROPE: DEVELOPMENTS AND CHALLENGES

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  1. HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS IN EUROPE: DEVELOPMENTS AND CHALLENGES National conference Athinai, October 7, 2010 Sjur Bergan, Council of Europe

  2. QUALIFICATIONS IN THE EHEA • Two (later three) tier degree structure (1999, 2003) • Role of the first degree in the labor market (1999) • Recognition (1998 and later) • Mobility • Employability • But Qualifications Frameworks mentioned for the first time: • Bologna conference in March 2003 in København • Berlin Communiqué 2003

  3. MINISTERS IN BERGEN 2005, LONDON 2007 AND LEUVEN 2009 • We have an overarching framework (adopted in Bergen 2005) • We will develop national frameworks compatible with the EHEA framework and prepared for self certification by 2012 (Leuven changed deadline) • This is a steep challenge and we need continued coordination even if QFs are ultimately a national responsibility

  4. WHAT IS A QUALIFICATION? • Quality • Effort required (credits) • Level • Profile • Learning outcomes

  5. QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK • How qualifications fit together within and between systems • Description of all qualifications in a given (higher) education system • Description of how these qualifications articulate • Description of how learners can move between qualifications within a system • Description understandable to informed foreigners • Description of learning outcomes • An instrument to describe and make sense of diversity

  6. National framework closest to the operational reality owned by national system ultimately determines what qualifications learners will earn describe the qualifications within a given education system and how they interlink Overarching framework facilitates movement between systems face of “Bologna qualifications” to the rest of the world provides the broad structure within which national qualifications frameworks will be developed (“outer limits” for diversity) FRAMEWORKS AND FRAMEWORK

  7. Bologna (QF-EHEA) Adopted 2005 47 countries Higher education only 3 levels with possibility for intermediate qualifications in national frameworks Overseen by BFUG and WG QFs EQF Lifelong learning Adopted 2008 32 countries All levels of education in a lifelong learning perspective 8 levels Overseen by EQF Advisory Board and the European Commission OVERACHING FRAMEWORKS

  8. GOOD NEWS • Close cooperation between the two overarching frameworks • The two frameworks are compatible even if the wording is not identical • Most importantly: it is entirely possible to develop national frameworks compatible with both overarching frameworks

  9. DUBLIN DESCRIPTORS • Developed by the Joint Quality Initiative in 2002 – 2004 • http://www.jointquality.nl/ • Provides generic descriptions of qualifications at higher education level with reference to: • Knowledge and understanding • Applying knowledge and understanding • Making judgements • Communication • Learning skills

  10. DUBLIN DESCRIPTORS – FIRST CYCLE Qualifications that signify completion of the first cycle are awarded to students who: • have demonstrated knowledge and understanding in a field of study that builds upon and their general secondary education, and is typically at a level that, whilst supported by advanced textbooks, includes some aspects that will be informed by knowledge of the forefront of their field of study; • can apply their knowledge and understanding in a manner that indicates a professional approach to their work or vocation, and have competences typically demonstrated through devising and sustaining arguments and solving problems within their field of study; • have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their field of study) to inform judgements that include reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues; • can communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences; • have developed those learning skills that are necessary for them to continue to undertake further study with a high degree of autonomy.

  11. DUBLIN DESCRIPTORS – DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN CYCLES

  12. 1. Decision to start 2. Setting the agenda 3. Organizing the process 4. Design Profile 5. Consultation 6. Approval 7. Administrative set-up 8. Implementation 9. Inclusion of qualifications 10. Self-certification 11. NQ web site NQF: STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

  13. STATE OF DEVELOPMENT (EARLY 2010) • 47 NQF correspondents appointed • 35 countries had organized the process • 16 had approved the process, 20 indicated that they would do so in 2010 • 8 had completed the self certification process • 24 had established a web side

  14. CHALLENGES • Learning outcomes • Qualifications frameworks and quality assurance • Qualifications frameworks and recognition • Stakeholder involvement • Self certification • Above all: implementing a structure is more difficult than designing it…

  15. WEB SITES • Bologna QF web site • http://www.ehea.info/article-details.aspx?ArticleId=65 • Council of Europe HE site • http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/highereducation/Default_en.asp • EQF site • http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc44_en.htm

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