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INTRODUCTION OF ECTS AND DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENTS (DS) IN LATVIA: DIFFICULTIES AND PROGRESS. Prof. Mara JURE, National Academic Contact Point of LATVIA Faculty of Material Science and Applied Chemistry Riga Technical University
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INTRODUCTION OF ECTS AND DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENTS (DS) IN LATVIA: DIFFICULTIES AND PROGRESS Prof. Mara JURE, National Academic Contact Point of LATVIA Faculty of Material Science and Applied Chemistry Riga Technical University International Seminar “DEVELOPING ECTS AS A NATIONAL CREDIT SYSTEM: EXPERIENCES AND CHALLENGES AT INSTITUTIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS”. Yerevan, Armenia, 4-6 May 2006
3 cycles ECTS/DS Grading Quality Assurance Qualification frameworks Learning outcomes
Initial moves to reform the Latvian higher education system got underway well before the Bologna Declaration. The first major development was the Education Law of 1991. In accordance with this law, a degree structure based on two main cycles (Bachelor’s/Master’s) was introduced in most disciplines but only in academic programmes. The 1995 Law on Higher Educational Establishments (LHEE) led to further strengthening of this structure but also underlined the division between academic and professional programmes. The amendments to the LHEE in 2000 established professional Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees which replaced the former five-year programmes, introducing the Bachelor’s/Master’s structure into the whole system and thus facilitating the transfer from one type of education to the other. The total period of study for a Master’s degree should be no less than five years.
Amendments to the LHEE introduced doctoral studies as part of academic education (previously, doctoral degree candidates were research workers not involved in education). A degree structure based on three main cycles is thus fully established. The procedure and criteria for awarding the doctoral degree in accordance with the Law on Scientific Activities (LoSA) are further set out in the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers. Doctoral study programmes are developed by the higher education institution, and contain the list of compulsory and optional subjects along with the corresponding number of credit points, the content of research, the previous level of education necessary to embark on studies, and other provisions for implementing the programme. A doctorate is obtained only after fulfilling the requirements for the doctoral study programme and after the public defence of the doctoral thesis.
PROBLEMS • Professional and academic education – obstacles for transfer between cycles; • Professional programmes of 5 years still exist; • Employment of bachelors’ degree holders • Language of education and joint degrees; difference between privat and state HEI
Since 1998, the majority of higher education institutions have introduced a Latvian credit point system compatible with ECTS, which has been used for both accumulation and transfer since it was first implemented. A Latvian credit point is defined as the full-time workload of a student in one week. As the academic year lasts 40 weeks, this corresponds to 40 Latvian credits per year and, on this basis, one Latvian credit is worth 1.5 ECTS credits. So far, the ECTS grading scale is used only in the case of credit transfer.As of 1 January 2004, all graduates receive the Diploma Supplement automatically and free of charge, in accordance with the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on the order concerned with the issuing of state-recognised education documents testifying to the completion of higher education, and the awarding of degrees. The Supplement is issued in Latvian and English.
Austria 3Azerbaidjan 1Belgium 13Bulgaria 1Cyprus 1Estonia 1Germany 1Finland 6 France 5Greece 1Hungary 1Italy 2Latvia 1Macedonia 1The Netherlands 1Norway 3Poland 2Portugal 3Spain 2Sweden 2Turkey 2United Kingdom 2 ”ECTS Label” 55 48 3 applied 01.11.2004. (9111applied01.11.2003.).
Institutions awarded the ECTS Label 2004/05 - 2006/07AT TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT GRAZBE FACULTÉ UNIVERSITAIRE DES SCIENCES AGRONOMIQUES DE GEMBLOUXBE UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPENBE UNIVERSITEIT GENTES UNIVERSIDAD DE DEUSTOFI ARCADE NYLANDS SVENSKA YRKEHOGSKOLAFI LAPPEENRANTA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGYPL AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY OF WROCLAWPT UNIVERSITY OF AVEIROPT UNIVERSIDAD DE MINHONO HÖGSKOLEN I AGDERInstitutions awarded the ECTS Label 2005/06 - 2007/08AT FACHHOCHSCHULE VORARLBERG GMBHBE KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVENNL WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITEIT
ECTS Label requirements • Information PackageandCourse Catalogue(IP/CC) of ALL Iand II cycle programms in national language and English (published on Web); see Checklist of ECTS User’s Guide) • ECTS credits = student workload • Academic recognition of studies periods • Complete ECTS documentation(Learning agreement, Transcript of Records) Label is awarded for 3 years
Austria 5Belgium 4Czech Republic1Cyprus 1Denmark 8Estonia 1Finland 14France 2Greece 1Ireland 1Iceland 1Latvia 2The Netherlands 1Norway 11Portugal 3Sweden 11Turkey 3United Kingdom 2 “DS Label” 72 6330 applied 01.11.2004. (85 28 applied 01.11.2003.) DS in Latvia
Institutions awarded the DS Label 2004/05 - 2006/07AT PADAGOGISCHE AKADEMIE DES BUNDES IN NÖDE FACHHOCHSCHULE IN STRALSUNDDE HANDELSHOCHSCHULE LEIPZIG GMBHDK SYDDANSK UNIVERSITETDK DANMARKS PAEDAGOGISKE UNIVERSITETEE ESTONIAN BUSINESS SCHOOLFI OULUN SEDUN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULUFI TAMPEEREN YLIOPISTOFI LAUREA AMMATTIKORKEAKOULUNO HÖGSKOLEN I BODÖNO HÖGSKOLEN I LILLEHAMMERNO HÖGSKOLEN I NARVIKNO UNIVERSITETET I BERGENNO HÖGSKOLEN I AGDERNO NORGES VETERINAERHOGSKOLENO HÖGSKOLEN I NORD-TRÖNDELAGNO HÖGSKOLEN I TROMSÖNO HÖGSKOLEN I SÖR-TRÖNDELAGNO UNIVERSITETET I OSLONO UNIVERSITETET I TROMSÖNO HÖGSKOLEN I MOLDENO HÖGSKOLEN I GJÖVIKNO HÖGSKOLEN I ALESUNDPL WYZSZA SZKOLA HUMANISTYCZNO-EKONOMICZNA W LODZPT UNIVERSIDAD DE MINHOSE UPPSALA UNIVERSITETSE MALARDALENS HÖGSKOLASE VAXJÖ UNIVERSITET
Institutions awarded the DS Label 2005/06 - 2007/08AT FACHHOCHSCHULE VORARLBERG GMBHAT FACHHOCHSCHULE TECHNIKUM KÄRNTENAT FACHHOCHSCHULE DES BFI WIENCZ VYSOKA SKOLA BANSKA - TECHNICKA UNIVERZITA OSTRAVAFI HELSINGIN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULUFI PIRKANMAAN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULUFI TAMPEREEN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULUFI KAJAANIN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULUFI POHJOIS-KARJALAN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULUFI KYMENLAAKSON AMMATTIKORKEAKOULUFI SATAKUNNAN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULUFI HANKEN SVENSKA HANDELSHÖGSKOLANFR ECOLE INTERNATIONALE DES SCIENCES DU TRAITEMENT DE L'INFORMATIONIE LETTERKENNY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYIS HASKOLINN I REYKJAVIKLV LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATELV TRANSPORTA UN SAKARU INSTITUTSNO HÖGSKOLEN I BERGENNO NORGES IDRETTSHÖGSKOLENO HÖGSKOLEN I HARSTADNO HÖGSKOLEN STORD/HAUGESUNDNO HÖGSKOLEN I BUSKERUDNO HÖGSKOLEN I HEDMARKNO HÖGSKOLEN I TELEMARKPT UNIVERSIDADE DE TRÁS-OS-MONTES E ALTO DOUROPT UNIVERSIDADE DA BEIRA INTERIORSE KUNGL TEKNISKA HÖGSKOLANSE ÖREBRO UNIVERSITETTR EGE ÜNIVERSITESITR GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITESI
DS Label requirements DS issued to all students: • Automatically (without special request) • Free of charge • 2 languages (national and widely spoken foreign language) Avarded for 3 years
The national Higher Education Quality Evaluation Centre, or HEQEC (Augstākās izglītības kvalitātes novērtēšanas centrs: http://www.aiknc.lv/en/), was established in December 1994. The Centre does not participate in the evaluation of a higher education institution or study programme itself, but assists higher education institutions in preparing their internal assessment reports, and appoints Evaluation Commissions (expert teams) which include one Latvian and at least two foreign experts. The continuous quality assurance process consists of self-evaluation and evaluation by external experts, and ends with accreditation.Both the higher education institution as a whole and the programme in question have to be accredited before a state-recognised higher education credential can be issued. The first step in the process is the self-assessment report that representatives of the administration, academic staff and students at higher education institutions have to prepare in English. Experts evaluate it and other documents, and arrange for an evaluation visit to the higher education institution, submitting a common statement as well as written individual opinions. Institutions are accredited by the Council of Higher Education (Augstākās izglītības padome), and study programmes are accredited by the Accreditation Commission established by the Ministry of Education and Science.
Students are represented in both these national bodies. The accreditation process began in 1996 and the first round of accreditation was completed in 2002. Accreditation proceeds in accordance with the regulations entitled “On accreditation of Higher Education Institutions and Study Programmes” approved in October 2001. Foreign experts are involved in each evaluation. Study programmes are accredited once every six years. In exceptional cases, the Accreditation Commission grants only temporary accreditation, implying a repeated assessment after two years. The self-assessment reports and reports by expert teams are made publicly available via the Internet and the educational newspaper Izglītība un Kultūra (Education and Culture). The quality assurance system is also used for quality improvement and as a means to reforms in higher education. In order to start implementing higher education programmes, a higher education institution has to receive a licence from the Ministry of Education and Science both for the institution itself and for each particular study programme. Licensing is a kind of preliminary quality assurance, in that within three years after getting a licence, a higher education institution has to submit the study programme for accreditation. The HEQEC has been a member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) since 2003, and of the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) since 1997.
How far has Latvia progressed in elaboratingqualifications frameworks?
General issues • working group was established in October 2004, • The level of Latvian qualifications in the Bologna 3-cycle system has been clarified, • The issue of “academic” and “professional” bachelor and master degrees has been discussed • Known examples of qualifications frameworks: Irish, UK(E,W,NI), Scottish and Danish have been discussed • Danish model has been chosen as a prototype
Progress Descriptions have been created for • Short-cycle (college) higher education • Bachelor (academic and professional profile) • Master (academic and professional profile) • Doctor They have been discussed at a national seminar on Jan 28, 2005 Next steps: • Giving the descriptions a legal status, • Starting work at inter-institutional and programme level
Learning outcomes and Workload: their relationship • Learning outcomes: Statements of what a learner is expected to know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate after completion of learning. They can refer to a single course unit or module or else to a period of studies, for example, a first or a second cycle programme. Learning outcomes specify the minimum requirements for award of credit. • Workload: The estimated time required to complete the activities foreseen for each course unit / module. Workload includes all learning activities, i.e. lectures, practical work, information retrieval, private study, placements, fieldwork, preparation of examinations, etc. Learning outcomes defined for a unit / programme should match the available workload required by a typical student.
LATVIA in BOLOGNA PROCESS (2005) http://www.bologna-bergen2005.no/Docs/Latvia/LATVIA.PDF
Quo vadis? http://www.aic.lv/ace/ace_disk/Bologna/Reports/index.htm
Riga Technical University http://www.rtu.lv Faculty of Material Science and Applied Chemistry http://www.ktf.rtu.lv
ERASMUS in Latvia: http://www.socrates.lvLatvian Academic Information Centre: http://www.aic.lv/Ministry of Education and Science: http://www.izm.lv/Higher Education Quality Evaluation Centre Ltd.http://www.aiknc.lv/en/index.php#The Council of Higher Educationhttp://www.aip.lv/
Prof. Māra Jure National Academic Contact Point ECTS/DS counsellor Vice Dean of Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Riga Technical University Azenes Str. 14/24, Riga, Latvia, LV-1048 E-mail: mara@ktf.rtu.lv Phone: 371 7089220 Fax: 371 7615765 http://www.lza.lv/scientists/JureM.htm
Bologna process in Latvia should not be seen as the beginning of higher education reforms. Like in many central and eastern European countries, the beginning of reforms in Latvia’s higher education started with the political changes in Europe at the end of 1980’s - beginning of 1990’s. Transition to bachelor/master structure in Latvia’s academic higher education started already in the beginning of 1990s. In this respect Latvia is ahead of quite a number of other countries engaged in the Bologna process.Since the beginning of introduction of national credit system in early 1990s, it is used for credit accumulation. Credit point system has been endorsed by the Law on Higher Education Establishments (1995) and by the standards of academic and professional higher education. Similarly to other Baltic states and some Nordic countries, Latvian credit point system is based upon the definition of credit point as workload of one week of full-time studies, thus leading to 40 credits per year; both the duration of programmes and of individual courses is being expressed in credit points. This system is compatible with ECTS - a simple multiplication by 1.5 allows to recalculate Latvian credits. Now Latvia considers a transition to ECTS. Latvia started implementation of the Joint European DS earlier than several other European countries; since 2004 every HEI should issue DS automatically, in both languages Latvian and English and to all graduates.
ECTS: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/ects/index_en.htmlDS: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/rec_qual/recognition/diploma_en.htmlEUA: http://www.eua.be/eua/en/projects_ects.jspx ECTS Users’ Guide: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/ects/doc/guide_en.pdf • http://www.eua.be • Significant growth in membership, now 764 members: • 689 full individual members, 45 countries, 17 associate individual members (Polytechnics, Colleges, etc.) • 34 full collective members (Rectors Conferences) • 6 associate collective members • 18 affiliate members (networks, specialised associations)
University of Latvia (Erasmus Intensive Language Courses)Riga Technical UniversityRezeknes augstskolaVidzemes augstskolahttps://luis.lanet.lv/pls/pub/kursi.startup?l=2
ECTS Atzinības zīmes pieteikumu izvērtējums – biežākās kļūdas IP/CC: • Trūkst informācijas, kas prasīta Checklist of ECTS User’s Guide • Informācija nav dota abās - apmācību un angļu - valodās • Nav kursu struktūras diagrammas ar KP (60 ECTS KP gadā) • Web lapa nav izveidota ērtai lietošanai Dokumenti (LA un ToR): • Studentu lietas nesatur visus prasītos dokumentus • LA nav norādīti KP • Nav izskaidrojuma par mācību iestādes atzīmju sistēmu • Trūkst zīmogu un parakstu; datumi neatbilst studiju periodam • Nav ievērota prasība par 30/60 KP studiju periodā
ECTS Atzinības zīmes pieteikumu izvērtējums – biežākās kļūdas Atzīšana: • Nav skaidrs, kā KP un atzīmes tikuši atzīti • Akadēmiskās atzīšanas dokumenti bez parakstiem un zīmogiem • Nav skaidrs, kāds studiju periods (kursi) vietējā universitātē ticis aizstāts ar studijām ārzemēs ECTS ieviešana: • KP balstīti uz kontaktstundām vai arī nav informācijas kā tie veidoti • Nav inform ācijas par akadēmiskās atzīšanas procedūru • Trūkst informācijas par LO (?!)
DS Atzinības zīmes pieteikumu izvērtējums - biežākās kļūdas • Atsūtīts diploma pielikuma oriģināls • Trūkst parakstu • Nav izpildīta pieteikuma prasība par 2 dažādiem cikliem un 2 dažādām studiju programmām katrā ciklā • Izmainīta DS galvas daļa (preamble) • Nav skaidrs, kādi KP tiek lietoti • Nav dota atzīmju statistika • Nav pierādījumu, ka diploma pielikumstiek izdots automātiski bez maksas visiem studentiem
Underlying principles • While striving for unitary HE system in Latvia, a more professional and a more academic profile of degrees will be kept, • academic profile degrees should include competencies that ensure employability using transversal skills and knowledge in the academic field • professional profile degrees should include competencies that ensure ability of holders to research and innovation • In any profile or level competencies should include skills for further learning and self-development to ensure sustainable employability over the whole life • the competencies should address work and science ethics
Working group methodology • Description of the generic qualifications is based on: • profile • three groups of competencies: • intellectual • academic and professional, • practical • formal issues: access requirements and further study/ work options
Working group methodology (II) 2. Formulating of competencies was • as much as possible based on wording of existing legal texts: • Academic education standard (Cabinet regulation) • Professional HE Standard (Cabinet regulation) but re-shaped and adapted according to the recent developments • Where there was no appropriate wording in the legal texts, the wording was formulated, adapting wording of Dublin descriptors and Danish QF to Latvian situation