1
Three Cycle System in the Framework of Bologna
Process, Summer School, Erevan, Armenia, 2008

• The Three-Cycle System
• Algirdas Vaclovas Valiulis,
• Bologna expert, Lithuania

2
What is the Bologna Process?

• Bologna Declaration
• June 1999, 29 countries,
• Joint declaration on The European Higher
  Education Area, 2003 (EHEA)
• Commitment to achieve EHEA as a key way to
  promote citizens mobility and employability and
  Europes overall development
• Bologna Process
• Intergovernmental process
• Meanwhile 45 countries (i.e. EU and non-EU)
• Bologna Follow-up Group, Board, Secretariat
• Key role of European HE institutions and students

3
What is the Bologna Process?

• The European Education Ministers 1999 identified
  six action lines in Bologna and in Prague 2001
  they have added three more. This action lines are
  following
• - adoption of a system essentially based on two
  cycles
• - adoption of a system of easily readable and
  comparable degrees
• - establishment of a system of credits
• - promotion of mobility
• - promotion of the European dimension in higher
  education
• - promotion of European cooperation in quality
  assurance
• - promotion of lifelong learning
• -promotion the attractiveness of the European
  Higher Education Area.

4
What is the Bologna Process?

• The 2001 Prague summit of European education
  ministries has confirmed the intention of
  gradually convergence between the different
  educational systems in Europe.
• This implies the necessity of adapting curricula
  in terms of contents, structure, learning tools,
  assessment methods, etc.
• The Bologna Declaration calls for the
  establishment by 2010 of a coherent, compatible
  and competitive European Higher Education Area,
  attractive for European students and for students
  and scholars from other continents.

5
From Bologna to Bergen

• The progress on building a dynamic and inclusive
  Europe at both a national and European level has
  been too slow.
• GDP per head for the EU as a whole is still only
  around 70 of that in the US the same level as
  30 years ago.
• There are countries in European Union where
  public spending on education has meet the Lisbon
  targets but not all.

6
Bologna ProcessParticipating Countries

7
Bologna Action Lines

• Easily readable and comparable degrees
• Two cycle structure
• Use of credits such as ECTS
• Mobility
• Cooperation in quality assurance
• European dimension
• Lifelong learning
• Involvement of students
• Attractiveness and competitiveness of the EHEA
• Doctoral studies and synergies between EHEA and
  ERA

8

• Previous practice how higher education
  qualifications are described is listing the
• admission requirements,
• duration of programme (later workload in
  credits),
• study contents, i.e. lists of courses
• but almost nothing has been said about learning
  outcomes competencies, skills, etc.

9
The Three-Cycle System

• Pre-Bologna
• Various types of degrees across Europe
• Increased students and academics mobility
• Recognition problems.
• From two to three cycles
• Bologna, 1999 first and second cycle
  (undergraduate and graduate)
• Berlin, 2003 doctorate as third cycle.
• Bologna Declaration
• First cycle lasts at least three years
• First cycle qualification gives access to second
  cycle and shall be relevant to European labour
  market
• Use of a credit system (ECTS).

10
Learning Outcomes Dublin Descriptors

• Generic statements of typical expectations of
  achievements and abilities associated with
  qualifications at the end of a cycle
• Outcome approach results are more important than
  how they are acquired
• Dublin Descriptors look at knowledge and
  understanding, its application, making judgments,
  communication, learning skills
• Descriptors should be read in relation to each
  other (Bachelor Master Doctorate).

11
Example Dublin Descriptors on Making Judgements

• Bachelor (involves) gathering and interpreting
  relevant data
• Master (demonstrates) the ability to integrate
  knowledge and handle complexity, and formulate
  judgements with incomplete data
• Doctorate (requires being) capable of critical
  analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and
  complex ideas

12
Key Features of ECTS

• ECTS European Credit Transfer and Accumulation
  System
• History from mobility to accumulation
• Quantitative measure based on student workload
  required
• to achieve learning outcomes
• Credit is a way of quantifying the learning
  outcomes
• Credits can only be obtained after completion of
  the work required and assessment of the learning
  outcomes achieved
• Credits are allocated to all educational
  components of a study programme (such as modules,
  courses, placements, dissertation work, etc.) and
  reflect the quantity of work each component
  requires

13
Key Features of ECTS

• Additional mobility tools Diploma Supplement,
  Learning Agreements, Mobility Pass
• ECTS principles
• 60 credits full-time academic year (1500 1800
  hours)
• i.e. 1 credit ca. 25 30 working hours
• Credits for all components of study programmes
  reflect quantity of work each component requires.

14
Diploma Supplement

• Include Programme requirements
• Include details of any particular features that
  help define
• the qualification, especially information on the
• requirements for successfully passing it.
• If available, provide details of the learning
  outcomes,
• skills, competencies and stated aims and
  objectives
• associated with the qualification

15
Diploma Supplement

• Add any additional information not included
  above but relevant to the purposes of assessing
  the nature, level and usage of the qualification
• Give information on the higher educational
  system its general access requirements types of
  institution and the QUALIFICATIONS STRUCTURE.
  This description should provide a context for the
  qualification and refer to it.

16
Implementation Issues (from EUAs Trends reports)

• Access and articulation From Bachelor to Master
  entry requirements for Doctorate?
• Employers understanding New system well
  understood by employers? What should be done in
  order to better promote the new degrees?
• Curriculum reform Formal adoption of new degrees
  or profound reform?
• ECTS Correct use?
• Diploma Supplement Issued everywhere to all
  students?
• Recognition Problems solved?
• Students centred learning Already well
  understood?

17
Bologna Degree systems corecardAll
Bologna Process countries1- Establishment and
recognition of joint degrees2- Access to the
next cycle8 - Stage of implementation of
diploma supplement10 - Stage of implementation
of the ECTSGreen (5) , Light green (4),
Yellow (3),Orange (2), Red(1)
18

• Thank You for patience