2009 Erasmus Coordinators’ Workshops

1. 2009 Erasmus Coordinators’ Workshops Huw Morris Academic Registrar and Bologna Expert Swansea University, British Council, Cardiff 24 June 2009

2. 2009 Erasmus Coordinators’ Workshops • Aims of the presentation • To draw to your attention some of the key strategic developments within the Bologna Process • To reflect upon institutional responses to and engagement with the Bologna Process • To assess the impact of the Bologna reforms on the work of Erasmus Officers within universities

3. Bologna Process/European Higher Education Area • The main goal of the Bologna Process • to develop a European Higher Education Area by 2010, within which will exist - a common Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) - a three-cycle academic structure: Bachelor – Master – Doctoral degrees - a Qualification Framework - approved Quality Systems • the key themes - easily readable and comparable degrees - promotion of student and staff mobility (globally)

4. Bologna Process/European Higher Education Area • Historical context • Sorbonne Declaration (1998) set the basic precepts - improving international transparency - facilitating mobility of students and staff - designing a common degree level system (Undergraduate and Masters) France, Germany, Italy and UK

5. Bologna Process/European Higher Education Area • Bologna Declaration (1999) - signed by 29 Ministers - to establish the general framework for the modernisation and reform of European HE • * 2 cycle system • * support the mobility of staff and students • * promote European co-operation in quality assurance • * system of credits

6. Bologna Process/European Higher Education Area • Bi-annual Ministerial Meetings Prague 2001 - promotion of the EHEA: lifelong learning Berlin 2003 - Doctoral level added: quality assurance Bergen 2005 - National Framework of qualifications + Joint degrees London 2007 - European Quality Assurance Register Leuven 2009 - Mobility (20% target) - Latest communiqué published in April 2009

7. UK Engagement with Bologna • Government level • One of 4 signatories to the Sorbonne Declaration • Hosted the 2007 Ministerial meeting • Instrumental in debates – eg learning outcomes + University autonomy • Higher Education • British Council manages a team of Bologna Experts • UUK Europe Unit promotes the agenda within HE • Engagement of HEIs is inconsistent

8. Institutional Engagement with Bologna • Strategic Plan of the University? • Adoption of the European Credit Transfer System? • Issuing of Diploma supplements? • Promotion of the European dimension in higher education? • Mobility of students and staff?

9. Key developments • European Credit Transfer System • “… the speed of development of a common European credit accumulation and transfer system has been spectacular” • high percentage of countries have introduced ECTS through • legislation • UK has autonomous institutions • ECTS Label has not been awarded to any UK HEI • ‘Higher Education in Europe 2009: Developments in the Bologna Process’ • Education, Audiovisual and Cultural Executive Agency 2009

10. Key developments • Diploma Supplement • Designed as a mobility tool for students and also as a document to enhance employability • The Diploma Supplement is presented to students free of charge in a standardised format • Only 3 UK universities have been awarded a Diploma supplement Label - Swansea, Bournemouth and Kent (see handout - map p 32)

11. Key developments • Structures • - Bachelor – Masters Structure • → easily readable degrees + recognition • → not a prescriptive approach • Cycle 1 (180 – 240 ECTS) • - 19 countries 180 ECTS (3 years) • - 11 countries 240 ECTS (4 years) • others no single model • Cycle 2 (90 – 120 ECTS) • - 29 countries - 2 years • others vary from 60 ECTS – 90 ECTS • 3 + 2 model (180 + 120) - 17 countries • UK – largely 3 years (or 4 years) + 1 year model • [Although not prescriptive – practical influences]

12. Key developments • Mobility • central to all Bologna reforms, with an emphasis on enhancing a student’s employability prospects - the common structures and unified approach has enabled expansion of traditional mobility placements upward mobility joint degrees European and global windows eg Asia, Canada • “We believe that mobility of students, early stage researchers and staff enhances the quality of programmes and excellence in research; it strengthens the academic and cultural internationalisation of European higher education. Mobility is important for personal development and employability, it fosters respect for diversity and a capacity to deal with other cultures. It encourages linguistic pluralism, thus underpinning the multilingual tradition of the European Higher Education Area and it increases cooperation and competition between higher education institutions…” • Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve Communiqué 28 - 29 April 2009

13. Key developments • Joint Degrees • Erasmus Mundus I - restricted to Masters degrees - 130 consortia - flagship degrees of the EHEA • Erasmus Mundus II - Masters and Doctoral - high level of interest

14. Relevance for Erasmus Co-ordinators • Challenge 1 • To raise UK students’ outgoing mobility [20% as a target] • (refer to Figure E1, p 44 – handout) • To raise awareness of the importance of languages • To introduce mobility opportunities at the 3 cycles including Doctoral level • Challenge 2 • To respond to the expectation of incoming European students • ECTS • Learning Agreements • Diploma supplements • Workload (1500 – 1800 hours) or learning outcomes

15. Relevance for Erasmus Co-ordinators • Challenge 3 • To develop joint degrees or collaborative degrees, including co-tutelle agreements • To develop Erasmus Mundus degrees • Challenge 4 • To ensure that UK students are as globally employable as those from other countries by offering the same opportunities as are offered throughout Europe

16. Conclusion • UK universities, arguably, have not engaged sufficiently with the Bologna Process • Our involvement within the EHEA must be more pro-active • Be ambassadors within your universities • Use the team of Bologna Experts

17. Useful web pages • Bologna Follow Up Group http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/londonbologna/ • EUA http://www.eua.be/ • Europe Unit, UUK http://www.europeunit.ac.uk/home/ • British Council (Bologna Promoters) • http://www.britishcouncil.org/erasmus-bologna-process.htm • Guide to the Bologna Process http://www.europeunit.ac.uk/bologna_process/index.cfm • Guide to the Diploma Supplement http://www.europeunit.ac.uk/resources/Guide%20to%20the%20Diploma%20Supplement.