1. TEMPUS SCM Form N. C032B06 West Balkan Bologna Promoters Network Bratislava, 22-23 February 2008

2.  About Macedonia  About the University  Current situation in the HE in R. Macedonia  Bologna declaration  Education system  ECTS  ECTS key features  Tools of ECTS  Expected outcomes  ECTS Challenges  7 steps to credit transfer  International mobility  Conclusion - ECTS added value for students PRESENTATION OUTLINE

3.  “There, where sun shines forever-there is Macedonia”, says an old popular song. And Macedonia is exactly that – a small country settled on the Balkan Peninsula. ABOUT MACEDONIA  Official name: Republic of Macedonia  Total area: 25 713 sq km  Population: 2 000 000 (Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Serbs, Vlachs and others  Official Language: Macedonian – written using Cyrillic alphabet  Capital City: Skopje

4. St. Kliment Ohridski University Bul. 1. Maj bb 7000 Bitola Tel.: +389(0)47 223788, 223 192 Fax: +389(0)47 223 594 Web page: www.uklo.edu.mk www.uklo.edu.mk ABOUT the UNIVERSITY

5.  Was founded in 1979 with its seat in Bitola and institutions located in Bitola, Ohrid, Prilep and Skopje. It represents an association of 8 Higher education institutions and 3 Research Institutes  13000 students are enrolled in the education process  38 study programs, 26 post-graduate study programs  349 academic staff; 53 research staff, ABOUT the UNIVERSITY

6. CURRENT SITUATION IN THE HE IN R. MACEDONIA  4 state universities  1 private university  Many private colleges and faculties sprouting everyday  Europe and globalization knocked at our door, and we have to face with the new challenges in the education process of the 21 century.

7.  Bologna Declaration signed by Macedonian authorities in Berlin in September 2003  Objectives of the Bologna declaration accepted - System of easily comparable degrees - System based on three cycles - Common system of credits - Mobility - Cooperation in quality assurance - European dimension in Higher Education (HE) BOLOGNA DECLARATION

8. EDUCATION SYSTEM 3+2+3 (4+1+3)  Starting from 2003, new curricula have been prepared. A good course description in Macedonian and in English (for few courses) version has been prepared and credits allocated. The proposed curriculum changes for increasing efficiency were: - decreasing the number of semesters from 10 or 9 to 8 or 6 - all the courses last one semester - decreasing the number of lectures and exercises/week(25) - continuous engagement of students - 60 credits per study year, total 240 (180) credits to get a diploma - 4 to 8 credits per course - introducing optional subjects - introducing more than one foreign languages - no entrance exam

9.  A process of implementation of ECTS has already started in the framework of a Tempus project (UM_JEP-15058-2000), as a pilot project at the Traffic and Transport engineering department at the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Bitola.  To implement the ECTS Key features  Conceptually easy, Difficult in practice - Change education paradigm from teaching to learning centered - Not only contact hours taken into account  ECTS is supposed to be extended to all high institutions in Macedonia up to the end of 2010 EUROPEAN CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM

10.  Credits express the volume of the students work- questionnaire among the students about the time needed for individual learning for each subject  Credits are awarded when the course is successfully assessed  Credits are always linked to a study program  A degree is only awarded after completion of the minimum number of credits foreseen in the degree program  All the tools of ECTS are used ECTS KEY FEATURES

11. TOOLS OF ECTS  The ECTS system is based on three core elements: - information (on study programmes and student achievements), - mutual agreement (between the partner institutions and the student) and - use of ECTS credits (to indicate student workload).  These three core elements are being operationalized through the use of three key documents: the information package, (annex 1), the application form/learning agreement and the transcript of records. (annex 2,3,4)

12. ECTS to be used in a coherent way in Europe:  To allow for the diversity in European education systems  To build mutual understanding  To create the European Education Space EXPECTED OUTCOMES

13. ECTS - CHALLENGES  How well understood is the concept of the students workload?  Have Institutions fully accepted the change in education paradigm (Teacher centered  student centered)?  How well does our credit allocation stand when subjected to quality assurance processes?  How well explained are our degrees (ECTS is a tool, not a goal on itself)?

14.  Institutional commitment  Credit allocation to course units  Information Package  Learning Agreement  Award of credits to students  Transcript of Records  Academic recognition 7 STEPS to CREDIT TRANSFER

15. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION  University Center for International Mobility  International programmes - TEMPUS Program (28 projects realized) - DAAD – Germany (mobility of students and staff) - Fullbright Program (mobility of staff) - Fund Institute “Open Society”  Cooperation with more than 30 European and other international Universities – bilateral agreements - Universities from former Yugoslavia - Universities from neighboring countries, - Universities from EU, - Other universities  Membership in few international associations

16.  Broadens choice for study abroad  Facilitates access to regular programmes alongside local students  Improves information on study abroad options and helps to build up a programme of study (information package)  Provides certification of study abroad achievements (transcript of records)  Guarantees academic recognition (learning agreement, transcript of records) CONCLUSION - ECTS ADDED VALUE FOR STUDENTS

17. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION