Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Summary 1. Bologna in brief: the goals 2. Duration of studies and professional accreditation 3. ECTS in practice: case studies 4. Diploma Supplements 5. CPD (Continuing Professional Development) just a mention 6. The EFLA Common Education Platform adapting to Bologna

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, What is Bologna? an inter-governmental treaty between states not EU, not Council of Europe signed by 40 countries Bologna Declaration was 1999 began as Sorbonne Declaration 1998, signed by Germany, Italy, France & UK ministers of education meet every 2 years, next meeting is Bergen May 2005 ten year process to be completed 2010 Bologna in brief: the goals

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Bologna in brief: the goals 3 Signatory States

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Bologna in brief: the goals 4 The Goals (paraphrased from the Berlin Communiqué, 2003) a system of easily readable, comparable degrees a system of two main cycles each leading to a professional qualification a credit system based on ECTS (European Credit Transfer system promotion of mobility promotion of European cooperation in quality assurance promotion of the European dimension in higher education promotion of lifelong learning and continuing professional development involvement of students to enhance the attractiveness of the European Higher Education Area worldwide respect for the diversity of cultures, languages, national education systems and of university autonomy

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, This presentation concentrates on: adoption of a system of easily readable, comparable degrees adoption of a system of two main cycles Bachelors and Masters each leading to a professional qualification establishment of a credit system based on ECTS the EFLA Common Education Platform this to be EU Professional Common Education Platform for Landscape Architecture (under the draft Professions Directive)

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Duration of studies and professional accreditation 6 …..as amended in Berlin 2003

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Duration of studies and professional accreditation 7 Status Quo: Varieties of durations of studies in Europe

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Bachelor’s Degrees The 3-Years-Degrees Duration of studies and professional accreditation

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, The 4-Years-Degrees 9Bachelor’s Degrees Duration of studies and professional accreditation

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Master’s Degrees Duration of studies and professional accreditation

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Core Points: All varieties of study lengths are represented in Europe There is no need to adjust all programmes, particularly as this is unlikely to happen Apparently not all schools will adapt to a two-cycle system: though this is contrary to Bologna (eg Portuguese architecture schools) The professional role of graduates with a 3-Years-Bachelor‘s degree is not defined in all countries The Bologna declaration requires employability after the first degree 11 Duration of studies and professional accreditation

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, ECTS in practice: case studies 12 ECTS = European Credit Transfer System, definition of workload 1 ECTS = hours of student work All course units should be defined in ECTS  comparable definition and structure of programmes  simplification of student exchange and mutual acceptance ECTS – the idea:

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Best Practice: It allows ease of comparability\ It promotes mobility of studies (the wandering scholar) It promotes international employability Worst practice: some universities don’t use it (eg most German) some universities (and Le:Notre) don’t use levels so equate years 1, 2 and 3 at Bachelors or even worse Masters and Bachelors OR Some institutions (eg Versailles) impose entrance examinations for exchange students OR Most French landscape architecture schools have no room to promote education exchange due to ministerial control of the syllabus Detty, Steven and others to give examples…… ECTS in practice: case studies 13

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, What is a Diploma Supplement? A document attached to a higher education diploma aiming at improving international transparency and at facilitating the academic and professional recognition of qualifications. It provides a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies in addition to the diploma certificates and is free of value. Diploma supplements are structured according to a European template. It is not an automatic system that guarantees recognition! But: It fosters employability because employers are increasingly interested in the student profile provided by the diploma supplement. Diploma Supplements

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Start a collection of approved diploma supplements on the website:  orientation for schools which are still working on the Bologna issue.  orientation for students or student applicants. So they understand the value of their final qualifiaction and the professional role theymay play  promote professionally accredited, flexible/ distance learning professional Masters for students following a three or four year Bachelors where their is no Masters at the university 15 What can LE:NOTRE contribute? Diploma Supplements

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, The EFLA common education platform adapting to Bologna The significance of this platform: The EU professions directive enables the establishment of Common Education Platforms for General System professions This includes landscape architecture ( sectoral professions such as architecture, law and medicine already have Platforms). The concern for landscape architecture education : To maintain minimum five (or four in the UK) years of professional education (governments wish to save money or to “raise productivity”) The concern for the landscape architecture profession: To be of equivalent status to related professions such as architecture. This is the argument for a Master’s level Common Education Platform. EFLA raises these questions to initiate the debate in landscape architecture. EFLA Common Education Platform

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, Currently: “The outline for a Common Course Structure for European Schools is based on a minimum of four years of education and training” (1998 policy document) What is proposed: “The minimum length of higher education is four academic years of full time education comprising : Bachelors degree of three years full time education in Landscape Architecture totalling 180 ECTS + Masters level education of minimum one year totalling 60 ECTS OR Bachelors degree of three years full time education on totalling 180 ECTS in a related discipline, + “conversion” Masters level education of minimum two years including a minimum 90 ECTS.” (2004 EFLA discussion document) 17 The EFLA common education platform adapting to Bologna EFLA Common Education Platform

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, The EFLA common education platform adapting to Bologna Open questions: What happens to 4-Years-Programmes? What is the professional role of graduates with a 3 year bachelor? What is the minimum level for entry into the profession? EFLA Common Education Platform

Bologna Declaration: Professional Education for Landscape Architects LE:NOTRE Spring Workshop, Budapest, DRAFT, A map and a list of signature countries is on The full text is available in English (it is just three pages) on The text of the Declaration is on the University of Geneva web site in French The web site for the May 2005 Bergen meeting is on this includes texts and national reports from the Berlin 2003 meeting The 1998 EFLA Education Policy Document is on: References