Double degrees and joint degrees: international inter-university cooperation Lewis Purser, Director Academic Affairs

Outline of presentation Why? Objectives and rationale International inter-university cooperation Double degrees and joint degrees Other forms of curriculum / programme cooperation Quality assurance

Objectives and rationale Enhanced student learning outcomes Encouraging internationalisation Encouraging cross-border university cooperation Encouraging domestic inter-university cooperation Structured mobility for students and staff Strengthening academic partnerships Encouraging interdisciplinarity, for both teaching programmes and research projects

International inter-university cooperation International cooperation is essential for a healthy academic and research environment Mobility of staff and students is stimulating and encourages innovation Universities can learn from each other Universities need partners to achieve things that cannot be achieved on their own The Bologna Process recognises these advantages and has encouraged them. An effective European Higher Education Area depends on high quality inter-university cooperation The same is true for the European Research Area

International inter-university cooperation There are many possible forms, e.g.: Research cooperation, e.g. joint projects, shared equipment, mobility of PhD students, postdocs Academic cooperation, e.g. student mobility, teaching staff mobility, sharing curriculum and experience, joint programmes Library, student services and other cooperation University leaders need to learn from good practice in other universities and systems

Double degrees and joint degrees (1) What are the aims/ambitions/drivers? -To improve the curriculum? -To find a new partner? -To exchange students? -To exchange staff? -For students to obtain a foreign qualification? -To improve student employability? -Or other? There are many ways to achieve these…. Double / joint degrees are a very specific aspect of inter- university cooperation.

Double degrees and joint degrees (2) Definitions (McMahon, 2013) Joint degree: a programme taught by two or more higher education institutions (HEIs) which results in the award of a single parchment bearing the logos of the participating HEIs (or their awarding bodies) to those who successfully complete the programme. Double degree: a programme taught by two or more HEIs which results in the award of several parchments, perhaps one from each participating HEI (or their awarding body), to those who successfully complete the programme. Multiple degree: a programme taught by three or more HEIs which results in the award of several parchments (at least three), perhaps one from each participating HEI (or its awarding body), to those who successfully complete the programme. Joint programme: a programme offered jointly by two or more HEIs irrespective of the degree offered (Joint, Double or Multiple) to those who successfully complete the programme.

Main characteristics Joint degrees are normally awarded after study programmes that correspond to all or at least some of the following characteristics: the programmes are developed and/or approved jointly by several institutions; students from each participating institution study parts of the programme at other institutions; the students' stays at the participating institutions are of comparable length; periods of study and exams passed at the partner institution(s) are recognised fully and automatically; professors of each participating institution also teach at the other institutions, work out the curriculum jointly and form joint commissions for admission and examinations; after completion of the full programme, the student either obtains the national degrees of each participating institution or a degree awarded jointly by them. (Tauch and Rauhvargers, EUA Survey on Master Degrees and Joint Degrees in Europe, September 2002)

Some special features… Involves very deep cooperation with partner (curriculum planning, teaching, examinations, quality assurance…) Requires in-depth knowledge and trust of partner More common at master or doctoral level Often developed from strong existing cooperation over a number of years Requires committed individuals to make it happen Requires support from university leadership

Other forms of curriculum/ programme cooperation Shared curriculum development process Structured teaching staff exchange Structured student exchange “Sandwich” or “2+2” programmes Shared use of learning resources (e.g. bibliographies, digital objects, case studies, etc.) Many opportunities for these through Tempus and now Erasmus+ programme

Quality assurance Essential to ensure that joint programmes are working well for all partners and stakeholders Quality assurance is part of the programme development and review cycle Hofmann and Crozier, 2006

Quality assurance (2) European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ESG) First developed in 2005, revised in 2015 One of the most important achievements of the Bologna Process Common approach, standards and methodology for QA allows mutual trust and cooperation Allows for full recognition of learning outcomes and degrees in partner universities

Quality assurance (3) European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes (Bologna Process, 2015) Developed to ease external quality assurance of joint programmes The implementation of joint programmes is still hampered by serious problems, including issues of recognition and quality assurance. In those countries where programmes have to be approved by accreditation bodies or ministries, different national legislation and formal criteria represent one major obstacle. Such specific and sometimes contradictory national requirements inhibit cooperation in the development of joint programmes. The “European Approach” sets standards based on the agreed tools of the EHEA (ESG, QF-EHEA, ECTS), without applying additional national criteria It facilitates integrated approaches to quality assurance of joint programmes that genuinely reflect and mirror their joint character.

Quality assurance (4) The European Approach should be applied depending on the needs of the cooperating higher education institutions and the requirements of their national frameworks: If some of the cooperating higher education institutions require external quality assurance at programme level (e.g. programme accreditation or evaluation is mandatory), then the cooperating institutions should select a suitable quality assurance agency from the list of EQAR-registered agencies. The agency will use the Standards (part B) and the Procedure (part C) to carry out a single evaluation or accreditation of the entire joint programme. The result is to be accepted in all EHEA countries. Dependent on the national legal framework, the external quality assurance decision should come into force or be recognised in all countries where the programme is offered, as agreed in the Bucharest Communiqué. If all cooperating higher education institutions are subject to external quality assurance at institutional level only and have “self-accrediting” status, they may use the European Approach in setting up joint internal approval and monitoring processes for their joint programmes (according to ESG 1.2 & 1.9), if they deem it useful in their context. Hence, in these cases no additional external evaluation or accreditation procedures at the programme level are necessary. The European Approach may also be used for joint programmes that are offered by higher education institutions from both within and outside the EHEA.