The Spanish Degree in Informatics: A FIB Perspective

1
The Spanish Degree in Informatics A FIB
Perspective

• Nuria Castell, Jordi Garcia and Maria-Ribera
  Sancho
• Facultat d'Informàtica de BarcelonaUniversitat
  Politècnica de CatalunyaBarcelone, Espagne

2
The official documents (1)

• "La integración del sistema universitario español
  en el EEES. Documento-Marco"
• February 2003
• RD 1044/2003, "(...) diploma suplement"
• September 2003
• RD 1125/2003, "(...) credits european system"
• September 2003

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The official documents (2)

• Proyecto RD, "Estructura de las enseñanzas
  universitarias y regular los EUO de grado"
• August 2004
• RD 55/2005, "(...) regular estudios
  universitarios oficiales de grado"
• January 2005
• RD 56/2005, "(...) regular estudios
  universitarios oficiales de posgrado"
• January 2005
• Proyecto RD, "Modificación RD 55/2005 (grado) y
  RD 56/2005 (posgrado)"
• July 2005

4
The official documents (3)

• "Presentación de la propuesta de directrices
  generales propias de los estudios de grado"
• January-February 2006
• "Borrador de propuesta para la renovación del
  actual catálogo de títulos"
• February 2006
• "Estudios de posgrado adaptados al EEES.
  Propuesta de límites de precios públicos"
• April 2006
• "La organización de las enseñanzas
  universitarias", working document
• 26 September 2006
• After submission/acceptance of this paper!

new!
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The Former System (still current)

• 3 years degree "Technical Engineering"
• Diploma in Computer Software/Systems
• 5 years degree "Engineer"
• Degree in Informatics Engineering
• Broader training
• The student can configure a specialization
• PhD just after Engineer degree
• 2 years of research courses
• 2-4 years for Thesis dissertation
• Workload measured in lecturing hours

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The Future System

• European Higher Education Area concepts
• B-M-D structure
• ECTS as a standard workload unit
• Objectives in terms of learning outcomes and
  competences
• New teaching and learning methodologies
• Specializations, at Bachelor or Master level
• Bachelor degree 240 ECTS
• Master degree between 60-120 ECTS
• Option 240120300 for bachelor plus master
• Last news no option for overlapping
• Defined the master framework
• Started this academic year, 2006-2007

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The Current Situation

• There are "recomendations" for
• Courses measured in ECTS
• Objectives in terms of learning outcomes and
  competences
• New learning methodologies
• The master structure has been approved
• However
• Officially, still the former credit unit
• The bachelor degree is not yet approved
• No academic contents nor professional competences
  defined
• Implement master on top of Engineering degree

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In other words...
Former System
Future System
The current situation
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Adaptation in the FIB

• In 2001 we started an update process
• Implemented in the academic year 2003-2004
• Maximal adaptation to the EHEA
• Revised and updated curricula
• Courses measured in ECTS
• Objectives in terms of learning outcomes and
  competences
• New learning methodologies
• Defined 7 profiles (diploma supplement)
• A master degree implemented in 2006-2007
• This model has been taken as a reference in
  several Spanish Informatics Schools
• Two awards for quality and innovation

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Conclusions

• The situation is critical. We still have to
• Set up the legal frame to use ECTS
• Definition of the bachelor (and master) degrees
• Definition of the bachelor competences
• Compared to those of the former engineers
• No news about accreditation and quality assurance
• In the FIB, some concepts have been implemented,
  but still a lot to do...