HERE Seminar, Warsaw, 19 September 2016 Development of NQF in Poland Andrzej Krasniewski HERE Seminar, Warsaw, 19 September 2016

NQF for Higher Education: formal introduction

Legal regulations Amendments to Law on Higher Education (2011) shift to Learning Outcomes (LOs) as a means to describe study programmes and resulting qualifications formal introduction of the National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (NQF-HE) all study programmes offered in academic year 2012/2013 and later must comply with NQF-HE

§ Legal regulations – learning outcomes QF-EHEA EQF international generic level descriptors (learning outcomes) EQF QF-EHEA (Dublin Descriptors) level descriptors (learning outcomes) for subject domain of ... level descriptors (learning outcomes) for subject domain of engineering § international standards ministerial regulation humanities social sciences exact sciences life sciences agricultural sciences engineering and technology medical and health sciences fine arts 8 large subject domains corresponding (mostly) to OECD/EUROSTAT/UNESCO science&technology classification

§ Legal regulations – learning outcomes QF-EHEA EQF international generic level descriptors (learning outcomes) EQF QF-EHEA level descriptors (learning outcomes) for subject domain of ... level descriptors (learning outcomes) for subject domain of engineering § international standards developed by teams of subject domain experts for each subject domain, LOs for - two cycles (Bachelor, Master) - two profiles (academically- and practically-oriented)

defining LOs for a subject domain – example ENGINEERING SBS Bologna Process ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, USA) JABEE (Japan Accreditation Board for Engineering Education) SBS (Subject Benchmark Statements, UK) IEA (International Engineering Alliance) EUR-ACE (EURopean ACcredited Engineer project) CDIO (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate initiative)

defining LOs for a subject domain – examples Level of detail in defining LOs Number of LOs (LO statements) = [knowledge, skills, social competences] 1st level (Bachelor) 2nd level (Master) humanities A: 26 = [10,10,6] P: 30 = [10,14,6] A: 27 = [10,11,6] engineering & technology A: 34 = [11,16,7] P: 37 = [11,19,7] A: 37 = [11,19,7]

LOs for degree programmes generic level descriptors (learning outcomes) EQF QF-EHEA (Dublin Descriptors) NQF-HE level descriptors (learning outcomes) for subject domain of ... level descriptors (learning outcomes) for subject domain of engineering international standards Tuning, SBS, ... learning outcomes for programme ... learning outcomes for programme Electronics university (faculty) institutional regulations

Implementation of NQF-HE in higher education institutions

System-level support phase 1: 2009 – June 2011 (preceding legal changes) promoting and consulting NQF dedicated web site many (> 100) events – conferences, seminars, workshops, ... organised by HEIs, open to members of academic staff from other HEIs instructors - national team of Bologna Experts (ca. 20 people), representatives of the Ministry, ... total no. of participants – ca. 16 000

LOs for 8 subject domains Ministry website www.nauka.gov.pl Szkolnictwo Wyższe Krajowe Ramy Kwalifikacji LOs for 8 subject domains

System-level support phase 2: October 2011 - (following legal changes) informing, advising, consulting explaining and interpreting legal regulations (Law on HE, ministerial regulations) advising on implementation of NQF at HEI level next round of open conferences, seminars, workshops, ... consultations dedicated to individual HEIs/faculties awards for the leaders

supporting material How to develop degree programmes compliant with requirements of NQF-HE? „handbook” of 240 pages 13

awards for the leaders Initiative of the Ministry (June 2012): Competition for best practice in the implementation of quality enhancement systems and the NQF at the faculty level 202 submissions - by individual faculties (Sept. 2012) 62 faculties awarded - each 250 000 euro (Dec. 2012)

of NQF-HE implementation: Benchmarking of NQF-HE implementation: lessons learned

NQF-HE benchmarking Benchmarking of NQF-HE implementation Project (2012-2013) Benchmarking of NQF-HE implementation part of programme BENCHMARKING IN HIGHER EDUCATION coordinated by the Polish Rectors Foundation (think-tank linked to the Polish Rectors Conference - CRASP) participants 46 HEIs 327 faculties 16

NQF-HE benchmarking http://www.frp.org.pl 17

Attitude towards NQF-HE UNIVERSITY LEVEL (46 HEIs) positive moderately positive 4.2% authorities (rectors, vice-rectors) 41.3% 52.2% 2.3% academic staff (opinion of authorities) 28.3% 19.6% 45.7% 6.5% moderately negative difficult to say moderately positive negative positive difficult to say moderately negative FACULTY LEVEL (327 faculties) academic staff (opinion of authorities) authorities (deans, vice-deans) 25.7% 53.5% 7.6% 9.8% 3.4% 40.7% 14.1% 32.7% 4.9% 18

Benefits redesigned curricula LOs orientation increased flexibility (more elective courses) shift towards student-centred teaching (fewer lectures, more project-based learning modules, etc.) new, more comprehensive methods for verification of LOs achieved by students, especially in the category of skills

Problems and challenges inconsistent terminology and unclear statements in legal acts, combined with a limited support by the Ministry in resolving controversial issues unnecessary overregulations, resulting in excessive bureaucracy significant time pressure, resulting in limited opportunities to thoroughly consult the proposed solutions with stakeholders (employers etc.) insufficient engagement (resistance?) of some members of academic staff however, a shift from an openly demonstrated resistance to at least partial acceptance observed at many HEIs

Another study report of General Council of Science and Higher Education (2015) recommendations simplification of legal regulations de-bureaucratisation of implementation procedures at HEIs de-bureaucratisation of accreditation procedures

as a pilot for PQF development NQF-HE as a pilot for PQF development

PQF NQF-HE – part of PQF Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF) for LLL EQF level descriptors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 universal level descriptors general education detailed level descriptors vocational education higher education PQF

Recent developments Act on the Integrated Qualifications System PQF (passed in Dec. 2015) formal introduction of PQF (NQF-HE – part of it) definition of universal level descriptors delegation for Minister to define detailed level descriptors (learning outcomes) PQF universal level descriptors Act on Integrated Qualifications System 5 6 7 8 level in PQF ministerial regulations (draft) NQF-HE detailed level descriptors 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 level in NQF-HE (Bologna cycle)

Recent developments Act on the Integrated Qualifications System - opportunity to improve/simplify NQF-HE new ministerial regulations (draft versions) on NQF-HE concise general descriptors – for level 6 (Bachelor), 7 (Master) and 8 (Doctor) additional descriptors (short) for 8 subject domains – for levels 6 and 7 on principles for accreditation (less bureaucratic, based on ESG 2015)

Conclusion

Summary almost 10 years of experience in development and implementation of NQF-HE (and PQF for LLL) quite successful NQF-HE implementation (not without problems) international recognition of our achievements Prof. Ewa Chmielecka: leader of pilot project „Horizontal comparison of levelled qualifications" carried out by EQF Advisory Group (established by European Commission) Dr. Agnieszka Chlon-Dominczak, Revision of the European Qualifications Framework: Lessons from research, Workshop on New Skills Agenda, European Parliament, 8 September 2016 membership of expert groups that support development of NQFs in many countries

More information A. Krasniewski, “Development of the National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education in Poland”, Journal of the European Higher Education Area, 1/2012 library of Educational Research Institute http://www.kwalifikacje.edu.pl/en/publications https://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/documentation#documentation_73

HERE Seminar, Warsaw, 19 September 2016 Development of NQF in Poland Andrzej Krasniewski HERE Seminar, Warsaw, 19 September 2016