…1… TRENDS V David Crosier, Lewis Purser, Hanne Smidt Trends V Presented by Viera Farkašová, SAAIC

…2… Trends I Learning Structures in Higher Education Trends II Towards the EHEA Trends III Progress towards the EHEA Trends IV European Universities Implementing Bologna Trends V European Universities shaping the EHEA Trends Series: accompanying Bologna process

…3… Trends V Methodology Institutional Questionnaires: 908 National Rectors’ Conferences 15 Institutional Site visits & 7 Focus Groups New Member countries

…4… Trends V Questionnaire main topics General context of institutions (size, age, mission) Degree structures and curricula Credit systems and recognition Mobility Student services and student involvement Quality Lifelong Learning & qualifications frameworks Social Dimension Attractiveness and External Dimension

…5… Overall attitude to reform 74% of institutions respond that « it is essential to make rapid progress towards the EHEA » 8% increase since Trends III Large majority in all countries (except one) Only 2 countries where significant number (over 10%) of institutions « don’t have an opinion on EHEA »

…6… Three cycle system

…7… Qualitative Research Findings Range of issues & challenges - co-existence of old and new structures/practices; - employability questions; - academic vs professional qualifications; - admission to 1st cycle; - articulation between cycles; - conditions of access to PhD Range of institutional attitudes – from those who feel obliged to change to those who push for change… (lack of) govt support to reform…

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…12… Issues regarding ECTS/Credit Systems No improvement in recognising credits « some students have problems » T3 50% / T5 48% Double assessment of learning outcomes (credits + traditional exams) Incorrect use of ECTS (misunderstanding of student workload) & diverse concepts of « modules »

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…15… Qualifications Frameworks Institutions don’t (yet) understand well the purpose or practical value of qualifications frameworks Many do not know whether there is a NQF in their country: Ireland the only country where institutions know they have an NQF (and find it helpful) Lack of awaress of the supporting Bologna tools Not helpful that two different European Qualification Frameworks are being discussed

…16… New Member Countries Not a homogenous group.. All facing major social & economic challenges Need to support: - positive vanguard of reform in Russia; - mainstream in Georgia; - action to address the fragmentation of HEIs in western Balkans

…17… Participation of WB countries – in Trends V Trends IIITrends V ALB22 BiH44 FYROM 23 Srb&Montenegro 62 Total HEIs758 (14) 908(11)

…18… West Balkan Countries Focus group in Vienna – March 2006 (most of the HEIs from WB region participating); BP as the key driver for the rebuilding of HE system; One common problem of all „former Yugoslav“ states – legacy of the self-management of HEIs - independence of faculty; Introducing ECTS system – significant change in the comparison with Trends III, more formal division, then reconstruction of curricula; Overloaded curricula, too much theoretical knowledge, too long study periods of students, no mobility of students; Need for learning oriented approach.

…19… West Balkan Countries Missing basic tools for th QA, not data available at the university level (faculty is independent); Missing funding for the process of QA; Missing pool of experts on national level, the regional cooperation is needed; Student involvement is not sufficient in the process of BP implementation, inspite of the fact they are very much involved in ESIB; Conclusion: governments in the region should continue to amend HE legislation to integrate universities into one legal entitty in order to accelerate the coherent implementation of the Bologna and European research areas.

…20… Full text of Trends V and Power Point Presentation: