Access from Bachelor to Master Status and challenges in vertical mobility

1. Access from Bachelor to MasterStatus and challenges in vertical mobility Maria Kelo, Higher education expert, Brussels

2. Introduction (Maria Kelo) Tuning methodology and discussion on its use for masters admissions (Jean-Luc Lamboley) Group work on main challenges in access to masters: the benefits and challenges created by Bologna French case: good practice in admission to masters (Jean-Luc Lamboley) Sharing of national/institutional experiences and good practice Workshop outline

3. More mobility: ideals and realities • Expectations on the Bologna process • Comparability of degrees to increase mobility - For the labour market For future study • Within degree programmes • Between study levels • Lack of adequate mobility data (all forms of mobility, nationality vs mobility, free movers…)  little scientific evidence either way • Fear: less mobility within degrees • No strong evidence at European level • « Saving grace »: more mobility between degree levels  BUT is this happening?

4. New degrees or new cut-off points? Persistence in considering masters as a continuation of a determined bachelors programme - “you need to have done my bacehlors to do my masters” and “you should do my masters if you have done my bahcelors”  description requirements often based on the « related » bachelors programme, and not on skills and competences acquired (learning outcomes) - subjects, numbers of credits between them, assessment methods, etc. Nobody wants to lose their best students for the masters level elsewhere – getting some of the best from elsewhere?  A real obstacle to mobility between programmes/ institutions/ countries between degree levels Challenges in access to masters

5. A mentality change Trust in colleagues (their programmes – “good enough”) Trust in own programmes (attractive enough) Trust in students (ability to adapt and change) A generous and open-minded assessment of previous qualifications Bottom line: one masters not the (automatic) continuation of a given (and only) bachelors What can we do? Practical support to assess previous competencies Individual assessment of applicants - Problems: time-consuming, requires often personal links to institution/programmes, not ‘fair’ (?) Diploma supplement/course descriptions/leqrning outcomes Qualifications frameworks? Tuning

6. What are the main challenges in recognition of bachelors degrees for admission to masters? Is the problem centered at formal level (national requirements, for example), at the institutional level, or programme level (individual preferences etc.)? Is the problem similar to national students from different programmes as for international students? What is the « right » degree of « protectionism” of own programmes? What could be done and what has been done to alleviate the problem at institutional or national level? What are the advantages for institutions/countries of enabling and facilitating increased mobility between levels? GROUPWORK – what is the problem and how can it be solved?