A point of view: implementation of ECTS Raimonda Markeviciene Brussels, 25. 02.2013

Guidelines of ECTS concept at national level Development of the Concept of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) at the National Level: Harmonization of the Credit and Implementation of the Learning Outcomes Based Study Programme Design Strategic group Project experts TUNING training for the Lithuanian experts Development of strategic documents Analysis of ECTS Iimplementation in EU countries Analysis of legal acts of Lithuania in the light of ECTS implem. Competence development methodology Methodology for development of Generic competences Integration of ECTS in the internal QA system Competences /methodology for 7 subject areas Guidelines of ECTS concept at national level demo versions of 12 (4x3) ECTS based study programmes Investigation and methodology for the profession field research of 7 subject areas Information campaign: conferences, trainings, articles

Attention to credit as a measure for the student workload; Emphasis: Attention to credit as a measure for the student workload; Variety: absolute number of hours per year and credit VS “corridor”; 3. Hierarchy of various legal documents: law, ministerial decrees, recommendations of rector’s conferences, etc…

Main approaches to ECTS implementation on national levels based on law and/or ministerial decrees (strong presence of the state authorities and regulations) Level of implementation depends on precision and prescriptions of the legal acts, experience of HEIs, traditions & collaborative culture Legal based on rectors’ (presidents’) conferences, qualification authorities , informal agreement among HEIs of a country (state authorities are not actively involved, decisions are taken by the immediate actors of HE system – HEIS and/or quality assurance agencies) Provides elaborate methodological support – guidelines. Is permissive rather than prescriptive Consensus-based no express regulations from the state and no recommendations. ECTS is seen as a good practice. The HEIs relate directly to European documents in the spirit of open-coordination method – informal consensus model Recommendation-based

General suggestions Is such framework useful?... ECTS philosophy The model adopted for the introduction of ECTS has no direct influence on the level of implementation and understanding on the institutional level Consensus based approach is most helpful leading to clear national credit framework and methodology Institutional regulations on credit framework have to be clear and foster common understanding Important – right balance between maintaining the framework and avoiding prescriptiveness Institutional credit framework - a notion of a window Is such framework useful?... “The completion of obligations in study is evaluated using a credit system compatible with the principles of ECTS. The total number of credits required for completion of study in the study program corresponds with a thirty-fold of the number of semesters of the standard period of study thereunder.” ECTS philosophy

Lithuanian Higher Education State universities – 13 Non-state universities - 8 State colleges – 12 Non-state colleges - 10 1993 Introduction of 3 cycle system + national credit system 2000 New law on HE – binary system Professional bachelor for colleges since 2007 2009 New law on HE and research - status, governance, QA, ECTS credit system Study credit means a unit of the volume of studies, by which study results and student’s working time are measured. 1600 hours of one academic year shall equal to 60 credits.

Credit system before 2011 Problems Reality National credit based on student workload (declaration not reality) 40 national credits per academic year 1 N.Credit = 40 student workload hours 1 N.Cr =1,5 ECTS National cr. could have worked but… National credit for accreditation ECTS used for transfer; Mechanical conversion using multiplier 1,5 Voluntary use by the institutions Reality In reality credit not really based on student workload Credit not used for programme design No credit thinking in the country and rational connection to Learning outcomes Problems Ministerial decree on recognition of periods of study (2007)- limited improvement, distorted view.

Notions to be adopted: application of ECTS Credits from LO and student workload ECTS Accumulation Transfer Non-formal & informal /experiential learning Recognition Quality assurance Credits for agreed LO Credits from LO and student workload Credits from LO only Credits from LO only

Facing challenges of the system Is there a MASTER PLAN? Breaking existing culture and attitudes to study Challenging the practice and order of decision taking in HE (top-down) Internalizing acquired information and developed skill – the question “WHY do we do this?” Do new legal documents (ministerial decrees, NQF) support the changes? Do other initiatives embrace the changes (QA, accreditation, programme registration Time factor

Transparency and Quality assurance Notions to be adopted: application of ECTS at a study programme perspective Indication of the time students need to complete all learning activities Student workload Learning outcomes Credit and its application Transparency and Quality assurance Statements of what a learner is expected to know , understand and be able to do after the process of learning Expressed through competences

Challenges for the institutions LO Workload Credits Confusion between competences and LO Lack of skills in formulating LO Problems of translating the term and using appropriate language There is no tradition to calculate workload and consult students – time and activities do not match Organization of teaching and learning still teacher centred No credit thinking in the country and most of the institutions Credits are not seen as a tool for programme design Limited use of credits to measure student progress Institutional regulations practically do not deal with..

Challenges for the teachers – “free your mind!” Calculation of workload Mechanical and only subject specific LO (intended, achieved) Credit levels Demands for formulas, lack of creative thinking Lack of understanding of ECTS philosophy

“Credit thinking” and institutional regulations Accumulation: “ageing”, compensation, condonment Quality assurance Transfer: credit and grade balance Lifelong learning strategies New way to think! Free your mind “ Where a student is granted exemption from part of the programme of study on the basis of credit transfer, the marks obtained by the student for such prior learning will not be used for classification purposes ”. U-ty of Kent Allows not to mix different teaching, learning and grading cultures with the consequences for students

Distribution of grades awarded in Vilnius University in percentages Vilnius University grade and its definition Distribution of grades awarded in Vilnius University in percentages Facylty of Chemistry Faculty of Economics Faculty of Philology Faculty of Philosophy Faculty of Physics Faculty of Natural Science Institute of Foreign Languages Faculty of History Kaunas Faculty of Humanities Faculty of Communication Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics Institute of International relations and Political s. Centre of Oriental Studies Faculty of Medicine Faculty of Law   Bachelor Integrated studies 10 (excellent) 21.5 16.7 17.8 18.6 16.8 17.0 13.1 20.1 13.3 15.9 18.1 28.0 25.4 23.2 13.9 9 (very good) 17.6 25.8 22.2 26.1 19.5 19.8 22.5 22.0 27.2 15.6 24.7 28.5 29.5 29.2 18.8 8 (good) 24.6 24.4 26.9 21.6 26.4 23.8 23.9 17.5 23.5 20.2 7 (highly satisfactory) 12.1 16.9 17.4 16.2 21.1 15.1 18.0 14.7 15.3 10.4 12.3 13.2 16.1 6 (satisfactory) 11.0 8.5 9.2 6.6 12.4 11.4 12.7 8.9 11.3 7.1 12.8 7.7 4.4 6.2 6.0 11.9 5 (sufficient) 10.7 5.0 3.7 10.2 7.8 5.3 5.9 7.0 3.9 4.1 2.0 4.0 2.8 4 - 1 (Insufficient) 10.3 2.6 3.0 2.2 2.5 5.2 2.7 4.6 1.6 5.6 2.3 2.4 Master 34.8 13.8 16.4 31.6 41.3 32.7 41.9 18.4 28.7 18.2 29.7 33.8 30.4 21.3 24.5 27.4 26.3 23.4 28.8 28.2 27.3 25.0 34.1 21.4 24.0 21.0 35.5 22.3 26.2 27.9 19.3 28.1 14.8 9.6 8.2 12.9 12.6 16.5 12.5 7.4 11.5 3.5 3.6 5.7 8.1 5.8 6.7 6.8 0.6 8.7 4.2 1.9 1.0 1.2 2.9 0.3 0.0 1.7 0.8 0.4

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