REGIONAL NETWORK ON QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK FOR SOUTH EAST EUROPE Cetinje, 8-9 July 2008 QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS: ROLE AND IMPORTANCE FROM A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE Nadezda Uzelac - member of the Bologna Coordination Group on Qualifications Frameworks

2. Overview of Talk Regional cooperation; South-East European universities; Activities in establishing the network; National Qualifications Networks; Current situation in the Region; Suggestions about the regional cooperation; Expectations, credit ranges; ‘the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’* – National Qualifications Framework; SEE online. “ This is the internationally accepted name for this country, used by the Council of Europe and the Bologna Process. In line with the legislation of her country, the author used the name “Republic of Macedonia ”. * “ This is the internationally accepted name for this country, used by the Council of Europe and the Bologna Process. In line with the legislation of her country, the author used the name “Republic of Macedonia ”.

3. Information sharing by networking….

4. South East European Universities: 1. Universities in the SEE - future oriented; 2. Universities - essential force in building social and cultural capital – qualifications and employability; 3. Universities – should explain the qualifications they award! 4. Social and financial validation of qualifications; Setting standards – implementing “new style” higher education qualifications framework: Characteristics; Characteristics; Purposes of qualifications; Purposes of qualifications; Types; Types; Public confidence and understanding; Public confidence and understanding; HEI – to design new education offerings; HEI – to design new education offerings; Changes in mindset, policies and cooperation. Changes in mindset, policies and cooperation.

5. At least three important elements: Relevance of the knowledge and the link to the labor market requirements of the knowledge economy; Relevance of the knowledge and the link to the labor market requirements of the knowledge economy; Ensuring flexible education system and avoiding dead- end roads; Ensuring flexible education system and avoiding dead- end roads; Quality and innovation. Quality and innovation.

6. Main activities: Appointing contact persons; Appointing contact persons; Establishing and maintaining the website and animating the virtual discussion platform - network; Establishing and maintaining the website and animating the virtual discussion platform - network; Organizing national and regional workshops and seminars, study visits; Organizing national and regional workshops and seminars, study visits; Exchanging the participants between countries to enable mutual experience; Exchanging the participants between countries to enable mutual experience; Support to national contact points Support to national contact points

7. Expected outcomes: Raising knowledge on regional developments in the field of qualification frameworks; Raising knowledge on regional developments in the field of qualification frameworks; Assessing the relevance of the work on NQF within the SEE region; Assessing the relevance of the work on NQF within the SEE region; Comparing the initial results and feedbacks; Comparing the initial results and feedbacks; Targeting specific support to the further development in line with the immediate priorities; Targeting specific support to the further development in line with the immediate priorities;

8. Suggestions about the regional cooperation between countries: ENIC may be involved in explaining foreign qualifications to employers, from the accreditation results to the learning objectives – employer’s requirement in competences!!! ENIC may be involved in explaining foreign qualifications to employers, from the accreditation results to the learning objectives – employer’s requirement in competences!!! Each country should device a transparent on-line system offering information about quality and accreditation status for the qualifications. Each country should device a transparent on-line system offering information about quality and accreditation status for the qualifications. Building capacity in the regional countries for collecting and sharing information (through a website) Building capacity in the regional countries for collecting and sharing information (through a website)

9. Key factor – human capital: case of ex-Yugoslavia The overall level of skills and education of the population was considered good by European standards; The overall level of skills and education of the population was considered good by European standards; The newly evidence: the majority of the population in newly established countries has a medium level of education that covers mainly graduates of vocational education: The newly evidence: the majority of the population in newly established countries has a medium level of education that covers mainly graduates of vocational education: The percentage of the population with a higher level of education is low in some parts of former Yugoslavia, a little bit better in ‘the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’, (compared to the new EU Member States), while Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia - closer to the overall EU average; The percentage of the population with a higher level of education is low in some parts of former Yugoslavia, a little bit better in ‘the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’, (compared to the new EU Member States), while Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia - closer to the overall EU average; Transferable skills; Analytical skills; Analytical skills; Communication skills; Communication skills; Capacity to reasoning at a level of abstraction. Capacity to reasoning at a level of abstraction.

10. The brain-drain phenomenon Brain-gain: bringing new knowledge and skills acquired abroad; Brain-gain: bringing new knowledge and skills acquired abroad; Brain-drain: loss of human capacities; Brain-drain: loss of human capacities; ‘the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’ - more than 15% skilled people; ‘the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’ - more than 15% skilled people; The universities consider that efforts will need to be intensified - to be sustainable and stop the flow of qualified students; The universities consider that efforts will need to be intensified - to be sustainable and stop the flow of qualified students;

11. The expectations.. Improving the identification of skills/qualification needs; Improving the identification of skills/qualification needs; Raising standards; Raising standards; Improving quality, Improving quality, Influence of stakeholders; Influence of stakeholders; Improving efficiency; Improving efficiency; Changing practice in education delivery. Changing practice in education delivery.

12. Credit ranges: Faculties have implemented the standards of ECTS, i.e. have decided on applying 60 credits in one study year (30 per semester) with a total of 240 credits for undergraduate studies, for second cycle (or 300 in total for first and second cycle); Faculties have implemented the standards of ECTS, i.e. have decided on applying 60 credits in one study year (30 per semester) with a total of 240 credits for undergraduate studies, for second cycle (or 300 in total for first and second cycle); Third cycle (three years duration) need 180 credits; Third cycle (three years duration) need 180 credits; Study programs with three-year duration accumulate 180 credits. Study programs with three-year duration accumulate 180 credits. This structure is adopted with the new Law on Higher Education (“Official Journal “ No: 35/2008). This structure is adopted with the new Law on Higher Education (“Official Journal “ No: 35/2008).

13. “New Style” NQF – ‘the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Common sense questions: What does each level of awarded degree means? What does it represent in terms of student learning? What does a degree in a particular field at each of those levels mean and what does it represent in terms of student learning? Conceptual elements with which degrees should be described: Learning outcomes; Level of challenge – “competences” Student workload

14. The qualifications placed within the following (existing) levels: Primary education; Primary education; Secondary education; Secondary education; VET education; VET education; Higher education (first degree) Higher education (first degree) Higher Education (masters degree) Higher Education (masters degree) Higher education (doctoral degree) Higher education (doctoral degree)

Final thought:…1 5. Podgorica, Ankara, Sarajevo, Athens, Zagreb, Bucharest, Beograd, Tirana, Skopje…