EPC

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EPC

• The Bologna Process

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The Bologna Process

• Bologna
• The UK Sleepwalking to Disaster ?
• (for professional engineers scientists)
• Clive Neal-Sturgess
• Professor Emeritus in Mechanical Engineering
• University of Birmingham
• Member of EPC

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The Bologna Process

• Outline structure
• HoC HE Select Committee
• Questions
• Overview of Bologna
• Break out session
• Address Select Committee questions

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The Bologna Process

• HoC HE Select Committee submissions 18th
  December
•       Implications of the Bologna process for
  the UK Higher
• Education sector advantages and
  disadvantage
•        The implications of a three-phase
  structure of higher education
• awards for to one-year Masters and
  short undergraduate
• courses (HNCs, HNDs, and Foundation
  Degrees)       Awareness and engagement in the
  Bologna process within
• HEIs
•        Opportunities to enhance the mobility of
  students from the UK
•      

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The Bologna Process

• The possible implementation of a European
  Credit Transfer
• System (ECTS) and a focus on learning
  outcomes and
• competencies Quality Assurance systems
  in HE (teaching and research) the
• compatibility of UK proposals and Bologna
•  Degree classification reform in light of
  Bologna
• The broader impact of Bologna across Europe a
  more
• standardised Europe and the consequences
  for the UKs
• position in the global market for HE
  (Bologna and the second
• phase of the Prime Ministers Initiative
  for International
• Education (PMI 2)).

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The Bologna Process

• PMI2 sets out to achieve by 2011.
• Attract an additional 70,000 international
  students to UK HE, and an additional 30,000
  international students to UK FE
• Double the number of countries sending more than
  10,000 students per annum to the UK
• Achieve demonstrable improvements to student
  satisfaction ratings in the UK
• Achieve significant growth in the number of
  partnerships between the UK and other countries.

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The Bologna Process
Heinrich the German Bologna 1380 after Voltolino
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The Bologna Process

• Towards the European Higher Education Area
  (EHEA)
• 1988 Magna Charta Universitatum
• 900th Anniversary of the founding of the
  University of Bologna
• 1998 Sorbonne Declaration
• France, Italy, Germany UK
• 1999 Bologna 29 Nation States
• Reaffirmed Sorbonne
• 2001 Prague
• Reaffirmed Bologna
• 2003 Berlin
• Two cycle degree process
• Recognition of degree and periods of study (ECTS)
• 2005 Bergen
• Third cycle of degrees (PhD ONLY)
• Integration of EHEA ERA

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The Bologna Process

• Summary of Bologna Cycles
• First Cycle Mobility Degree
• 180 ECTS (3 years)
• Second Cycle
• 90-120 ECTS (2 years)
• 60 absolute minimum (one year)
• Third Cycle
• As yet undefined
• 3 to 4 years?
• Salzburg could not agree on ECTS in Third Cycle
• Some Nations already have this

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The Bologna Process

• Bologna principles
• Transparent EU wide system of degrees and
  definitions permitting wide exchange and
  collaboration of Nation States
• Entry to First Cycle based on National criteria
• Entry to second cycle completion of first cycle
• Entry to third cycle completion of second cycle
• Output Standards (LOs) orientated

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The Bologna Process

• European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
• 60 credits one full time academic year
• 30 or 46 weeks study?
• Was/is a time served measure
• Becoming volume measure of LOs
• Changing to output standards and Levels by
  linking to Dublin Descriptors (Copenhagen)
• Dublin Descriptors are levels of attainment after
  First, Second and Third Cycles.

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The Bologna Process

• Started as academic process, BUT
• In the lead by 2010
• Lisbon/Barcelona to increase the average
  research
• investment level from 1.9 of GDP today to
  3 of GDP by 2010, of which 2/3 should be funded
  by the private sector.
• Industry not prepared to fund gap
• Now re-examined targets have become
  aspirations!!

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The Bologna Process

• EU motivation - economic competitiveness
• Research Investment gap
• EU 1.9 and stagnant
• FP7 budget under pressure
• US 2.7 and growing
• Japan 2.9 and growing
• Twin Pillars
• European Research Area (ERA)
• European Higher Education Area (EHEA)
• Bologna the instrument to integrate the EHEA
  and ERA

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The Bologna Process

• General Climate in Europe
• Bologna similar to EU Constitution
• Political elite moving far faster than VCs
• Vice Chancellors moving faster than academics
• 323 seen as Anglo Saxon Solution
• Has been for at least 3 years
• Output standards seen as Anglo Saxon Solution
• Anglo Saxon standards seen as low
• Nations moving from 5 year degrees to 32 have
  deep concerns as to what is the use of the First
  Cycle degree
• 3 year PhD an anathema to many in Europe

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The Bologna Process

• Defence of MEng (1)
• Defence document by UUK, ECUK, EPC
• HEFC no longer necessary to define MEng as an
  undergraduate Masters degree
• Problems
• Clearly not 32
• Not now integrated as permit 31 (4-1)
• Cant claim high input standards now dropped
• Can claim high selection at Level 2
• Cant claim high output standards Europe has
  them now

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The Bologna Process

• Defence of MEng (2)
• Bolster MEng
• 30 credits levels 3/4 as credit bearing
  industrial placement, gives 90 credits i.e.
  minimum
• A further 30 credits post 4th year as extended
  project or credit bearing industrial placement?
• Clumsy solution
• MEngs may not be accepted in Europe for entry to
  Third Cycle degrees
• Some evidence of this already (UUK)

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The Bologna Process

• Defence of MEng (3)
• Any admission of inequality of MEng could have
  serious repercussions on International
  Accreditation
• FEANI, EUR-ACE, Washington Accord?
• Already under pressure with FEANI
• BERGEN Stocktaking
• Some fields of study remain outside the two-cycle
  system in a number of countries in particular,
  medicine and related fields, engineering,
  architecture and law.

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The Bologna Process

• Defence of MEng (4)
• CESAER/SEFI
• The 32 model has become a standard reference in
  engineering.  This should not exclude other
  possible paths towards the second-level degree,
  such as an integrated 5 years curriculum or a 42
  or a 41 model.

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The Bologna Process

• Are we confusing objectives?
• Bologna is a mainstream academic process
• Applicable to all fields of study, research
  orientated at upper levels
• Problem areas are
• medicine and related fields, engineering,
  architecture and law
• THESE ARE ALL PROFESSIONS
• Therefore the fundamental conflict is between
  professional recognition and Bologna

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The Bologna Process

• Play the Professional Exemption Card
• Medicine will, Law will, why shouldnt we?
• Define MEng as a Professional Masters Degree
• It actually is in all but name already
• International Professional accreditation is much
  more mature than Bologna
• Partial precedent professional doctorates EngD
  etc
• Downside MEngs may need enhancement to register
  for PhDs

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The Bologna Process

• Possible ways forward?
• Defend MEng
• Problematic but necessary
• Claim professional exemption?
• Knock on effects SEFI, FEANI
• Bolster MEng to comply with Bologna?
• Extra 30 credits possible
• Extra 60 credits difficult
• Could be easier to go for 32
• A 32 Bologna Compliant MEng?
• Many academics would favour this
• Difficulties with funding and top up fees

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The Bologna Process

• The major findings of the EFMD/Trendence survey
  are
• as follows
• 50 have no in-depth knowledge of the Bologna
  reforms.
• Where awareness is limited, the expectations of
  the Bologna reforms is higher than where
  knowledge about Bologna is more widespread.
• Western European countries are by far the most
  preferred destination for studying abroad.
• Language is the factor having the strongest
  impact on choice
• Overall reputation is the deciding factor as to
  which institution Bologna students will pick for
  foreign study.
• On gaining bachelors degrees, 50 intend to study
  for a masters qualification immediately.

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The Bologna Process

• The EU is but one stakeholder in the Bologna
  process
• 45 countries across Europe have signed up to
  create an integrated European higher education
  area (EHEA).
• China, Latin America, Australia and Asian
  countries are now officially designated as
  Bologna Observers and attend all meetings.
• The US is now asking the questions
• FORGET EUROPE THINK THE WORLD !!!

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The Bologna Process

• Thank you for listening
• any questions.