- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process, including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees
- •2. System based on two main cycles
- •3. Establishment of a system of credits
- •4. Promotion of mobility
- •5. Promotion of European cooperation in quality assurance
- •6. Promotion of European dimensions in higher education
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process,
- •Including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process,
- •Including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Main achievements since Bergen
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process, including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Progress made since the Ministers’ Meeting in Bergen
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna process, including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process,
- •Including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process,
- •Including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process,
- •Including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process, including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process,
- •Including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process,
- •Including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process, including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process, including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process,
- •Including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
- •1. Give a brief description of important Bologna Process developments concerning the Bologna process, including legislative reforms
- •2. Give a short description of the after-Bergen amendments in structure of public authorities responsible for higher education, main agencies/bodies in higher education and their competencies.
- •3. Describe any changes that have occurred at the institutional level since the Bergen conference.
- •4. Give a brief description of the structure which follows up the implementation of the Bologna Process in your country.
- •5. Give a brief description of measures to involve students and trade union staff in the management of heIs.
- •6. Give a brief description of providing cooperation between representatives of business and social stakeholders as a part of the Bologna process.
- •7. Give a brief description of achievements reached in the introduction of the first and second cycles of learning.
- •8. Give a brief description of achievements reached in the implementation of postgraduate study
- •9. Give a brief description of measures taken to ensure accessibility between the first and second cycles, and the second and third cycles.
- •10. Briefly describe the current stage tuning the national framework of qualifications to make it closer to the framework of qualifications in the European Higher Education Area.
- •11. What steps are being taken to increase the employment opportunities of graduates with bachelor’s qualifications?
- •12. The degree of compliance of the national quality assurance system with the Standards and Guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area?
- •In the last two years, the following measures have been implemented to ensure compliance:
- •13. Give a brief description of the quality assurance system applied in your country.
- •14. Give a brief description of the student participation in the national quality assurance system.
- •15. Give a brief description of the level of international participation in the national quality assurance system.
- •16. Describe the current stage of implementation of the Diploma Supplements in your country.
- •17. Describe the stage of implementation of the main principles of the Agreement and later supplementary documents.
- •18. Describe the credit (units) and accumulation systems current in your country.
- •19. Has a national plan been developed in your country to enhance the quality of the foreign qualifications recognition process? If so, give a brief description of this plan and append a copy.
- •20. Describe any procedures for recognition of prior learning, including formal and informal learning paths.
- •21. What legislative and other measures have been taken by your country to encourage higher education institutions to develop flexible and lifelong learning paths?
- •22. Describe the legislative status of double diplomas in your country.
- •25. Describe any measures which promote equality of access to higher education in your country
- •26. Describe any measures to help students facing social or economic difficulties to complete their studies.
- •27. Describe any measures taken in your country to improve student mobility
- •28. Are mobility loans and grants genuinely available in your country? If not, describe any measures that have been taken to increase mobility grants and loans.
- •29. Describe any measures taken to remove obstacles to student mobility and encourage full use of mobility programmes.
- •30. Describe any special measures taken in your country to improve faculty mobility.
- •31. Describe any measures taken to remove obstacles to faculty mobility and encourage full use of mobility programmes.
- •32. Describe any activities taken by your country to promote the attractiveness of the ehea.
- •33. Give indications of the main challenges ahead for your country.
1. Describe the important developments relating to the Bologna Process,
Including legislative reforms, since Bergen.
The reform in implementation of the Bologna process is outlined in the Decree on the Structure of Higher Education (04.04.2003) and was actually put in place from the academic year 2004-2005 on. The new structure is year after year replacing the older one definitively. In 2007-2008 all first cycle (bachelor) programmes and the first year of 2nd cycle (master) programmes are offered under the new structure with complete
redesigned curricula. In 2008-2009 the reform process will be complete. All students at Flemish higher education institutions will then follow the new system and the old system will have completely died out.
New legislation since Bergen :
- Decree on the establishment of measures for restructuring and flexibility in higher education in Flanders of 16 June 2006 (official publication 12.10.2006), also called “Mini-decree for higher education” provided further measures facilitating the implementation of the Bologna process in Flanders. It includes measures in the area of validation/recognition of prior learning, flexible learning paths, quality assurance and accreditation. The overall aim was to enhance the autonomy of the HEIs in those areas and to achieve a better accountability. Another important measure was the authorization of the accreditation body to recognize foreign accreditations and quality judgements provided that they comply with the Bergen Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area.
- Decree on study grants and provision for students in higher education of the Flemish Community of 30 April 2004 (official publication 28.07.2004), adjustments of amount of grants 2005, 2006.
- Decree on teacher training in Flanders (voted in plenary by the Flemish Parliament, 6 December 2006)
Legislation in preparation :
- Decree on adult education (will also include links to higher 9 May 2006 3 education, draft decree adopted by the Flemish Government 29.11.2006)
- Decree offering a framework for pilot projects in preparation of the introduction of a short cycle degree in the Flemish higher education system (Decree foreseen for Spring 2007)
- Decree on a new model of funding higher education (Concept document adopted by the Flemish Government 14.07.2006, draft decree foreseen Spring 2007, operational start foreseen for 01.01.2008)
- New Decree on higher education in Flanders (putting together the older Decree on the Structure of Higher Education and later smaller Decrees in the field of higher education, including the future Decree on the new funding model) foreseen for 2008.
БЕЛЬГИЯ (французская община)
Main achievements since Bergen
1. Since 2005, the implementation of the Bologna Process has continued in the Belgian French Community with several modifications to the legislation applicable to the different types of higher education. For example, the following can be listed:
Decree of 31 March 2004 specifying the remit of higher education, facilitating its inclusion within the European Higher Education Area, and providing fresh funding for universities – modified in 2005 and 2006;
Decree of 16 June 2006 related to cooperation agreements for the organisation of studies between university institutes and laying down various provisions relating to higher education (joint degrees);
Decree of the Government of the French community of 9 June 2006 determining specific funding rules for ongoing education programmes provided by higher education institutes;
Decree of the Government of the French community of 30 June 2006 defining the entry conditions for admission to university studies for holders of academic degrees awarded outside of a university;
Decree of 5 August 1995 regulating the general organisation of higher education in the “Hautes Ecoles” (non-university higher education institutes) – modified by a Decree of 30 June 2006 that modernises the operation and funding of the Hautes Ecoles;
Decree of 2 June 2006 defining the academic grades awarded by Hautes Ecoles that are organised or grant-aided by the French Community, and defining the minimum timetables;
Decree of the Government of the French Community of 30 June 2006 regulating the “passerelles” (bridging programmes) giving access to studies organised in Hautes Ecoles;
Decree of 20 December 2001 defining the rules specific to higher artistic education organized in higher art schools (organisation, funding, staffing, status of personnel, students’ rights and 2 obligations) – modified in particular by a Decree of 2 June 2006 implementing various measures relating to higher artistic education;
Decree of the Government of the French community of 31 August 2006 implementing various measures relating to tertiary artistic education;
Decree of the Government of the French community of 2 June 2006 creating the Upper Council for Student Mobility.
In practice, since the Bergen conference, what we are seeing is the generalisation of the usage of ECTS and the adoption of the diploma supplement in all types of higher education institutes (see questions 16 and 18).
The new degrees have been created (Bachelor, Master …) and some Bachelor degrees have already been awarded (see question 7).
The higher education institutes have the possibility of concluding cooperation agreements between themselves for the organisation of studies allowing students to be awarded a joint degree (see question 22).
On the topic of mobility, it should be noted that the fund to support student mobility within the European Higher Education Area, created in 2004, will be effective in 2007. In addition, the Upper Council for Student Mobility has been created. It is made up of experts and representatives from the different types of higher education institutes and the student organisations. This Council has the task of informing students and the higher education institutes about all programmes that support student mobility and to manage certain mobility programmes (Erasmus …).
Also, ongoing education programmes organised by universities or academies are encouraged by specific grants (Decree of the government of the French community of 9 June 2006).
Lastly, it should be noted that a think-tank on the implementation of a national qualification framework has been created (the “EQF Group”, see question 2).
ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИЯ
UK England, Wales & Northern Ireland
· The UK took over responsibility for the Bologna Secretariat following the last Ministerial conference in May 2005 and has been working towards the next summit in London in May 2007.
· The UK hosted an official BFUG seminar on Enhancing European Employability at
Swansea University in July 2006.
· The UK HE Europe Unit published a revised Guide to the Bologna Process in November 2006 to raise awareness and support engagement with the Process in the lead-up to the 2007 London conference. It also published a Guide to the Diploma Supplement in July 2006 to support higher education institutions in their implementation of the Diploma Supplement. Both documents are available on the Europe Unit’s website: www.europeunit.ac.uk/news/publications_archive.cfm.
· The Measuring and Recording Student Achievement Steering Group (Burgess Group) was set up in 2005 following a recommendation from a scoping review that the sector should work towards a common higher education credit system in the UK. The Steering Group - a sector-wide initiative - has been working towards producing a credit framework for HE in England (Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales already have their own credit systems).
The final report was published in December 2006 and recommended that credit
arrangements for HE in England which would be compatible with ECTS should be
developed with a view to English institutions voluntarily credit-rating their provision by 2009/10 and thereafter starting to include the credit value in a published description of each of the programmes they offer. It also recommended that the operational detail should be developed by a Credit Issues Development Group.
· Wales has been making efforts to self-certify the Credit and Qualification Framework for Wales as compatible with the Framework for Qualifications of the EHEA.
· Improvements were introduced to the student support system. From 2006/07 full-time undergraduates in England and Northern Ireland will not have to pay tuition fees in advance. Instead these students are able to take out a loan for fees (up to .3,000 per year), repayable only when they are earning more than .15,000, and then in line with income and at no real rate of interest (and written off after 25 years). The measure is backed by a student support package of grants and bursaries focusing on the less well off. Grants of up to .2,700 are available as well as a minimum bursary of .300. Variable tuition fees will bring new income into the HE sector – an extra .1.35bn per year – and are independent of government decisions about public spending priorities. This means English HEIs can maintain and improve competitiveness in the global HE market. There is no evidence to indicate that tuition fee contributions have deterred students from entering HE and there has been no change in the socio-economic background of applicants. These factors are being closely monitored because of concerns about the effect of the variable tuition fees on the uptake of higher education provision, especially by those less well off.
· Foundation Degrees have been further developed since the last national report. There are now around 2,102 courses running with a further 742 planned. Nearly 47,000 students studied for a Foundation Degree in 2005-2006.
Scotland