Bologna Declaration

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Bologna Declaration

• Matthias Hauswirth

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Bologna Declaration

• On June 19, 1999, in Bologna
• Pledge by (originally) 29 Countries
• Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, (not Cyprus), Czech
  Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
  Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
  Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
  Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
  Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Swiss
  Confederation, United Kingdom
• Reform higher education systems to create
  convergence on European level
• Growth and diversification of higher education
• Employability of graduates
• Shortage of skills in key areas
• Expansion of private transnational education

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Context

• Europe a diverse set of peoples and cultures
• EU a way to keep Europe safe, democratic,
  peaceful, and prosperous
• Paths to a better Europe
• Educated citizens
• Integration
• Competitiveness
• Build upon and strengthen following dimensions
• Intellectual
• Cultural
• Social
• Scientific
• Technological

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TimelineTowards a European Higher Education Area

• Sept. 1988 Bologna Magna Charta Universitatum
• Magna Carta / Great Charter / Great Paper /
  Constitution
• Bologna Oldest University in Europe (MC signed
  at its 900th anniversary)
• Signed by 388 University Rectors
• http//www.magna-charta.org/
• May 1998 Sorbonne, Paris Declaration
• 4 members (Germany, France, Italy, UK)
• June 1999 Bologna Declaration
• 29 members
• May 2001 Prague Communiqué
• 32 members (e.g. Russia, balkan countries)
• http//www.bologna.msmt.cz/?lngEN
• Sept. 2003 Berlin Communiqué
• 40 members
• http//www.bologna-berlin2003.de/
• May 2005 Bergen Communiqué
• 45 members (e.g. Ukraine)
• http//www.bologna-bergen2005.no/
• May 2007 London

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Convergence of European Higher Education

• Convergence is not
• Standardization
• Uniformization
• Convergence will preserve
• Autonomy
• Diversity
• Convergence entails
• Coordinated reforms
• Compatible systems
• Common action

Some degree of politics to calm down opponents?
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Concrete Objectives(by 2010)

• Adoption Readable and comparable degrees
• Diploma Supplement
• Adoption Two cycles
• Undergraduate degree (3 year minimum)
• Relevant to labor market
• Graduate (master or doctorate) degree
• After completion of undergraduate degree
• Establishment ECTS
• To promote student mobility
• Promotion Mobility
• Students
• Teachers, researchers, administrators
• Promotion Co-operation in quality assurance
  (ranking accreditation)
• Promotion European integration
• Co-operation in curricular development
• Integrated programs of study

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Diploma Supplement
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Diploma Supplement
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European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System
(ECTS)

• Credit System
• Attach credits to components of educational
  program
• Credits based on student workload, learning
  outcomes, contact hours
• ECTS
• Introduced 1989 (EU Erasmus/Socrates)
• Initially for credit transfer (thus ECTS)
• Recently also for credit accumulation

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ECTS Features

• 60 ECTS
• Full-time student workload per academic year
• 15001800 working hours
• ? 1 credit 2530 working hours
• Credits only for successful completion
• Including assessment of learning outcomes
• Credits for all educational components, incl.
• Modules
• Courses
• Placements (internships?)
• Dissertation work
• Workload includes
• Attending lectures and seminars
• Independent/private study
• Preparation of projects and exams
• Grades
• Local/national
• ECTS graded on a curve (statistical)

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ECTS Grading Scale
100
A

• A best 10
• B next 25
• C next 30
• D next 25
• E next 10
• F fail considerable further work required
• FX fail some more work required

90
B
65
C
35
D
10
E
0
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Discussion Questions

• Will/should Bologna become a world-wide system?
• Is convergence good?
• Is a 3-year Bachelor good?
• Why do most institutions offer 3-year Bachelors,
  even though Bologna doesnt prescribe this?
• Are 1500-1800 working hours realistic?
• Is giving credits based on workload good (or
  should we give credits based on grade)?
• Is grading on a curve (ECTS grades) good?