ECTS at the Tbilisi State University: Problems and Perspectives

1
ECTS at the Tbilisi State University Problems
and Perspectives

• 5.05.2006
• Lika Glonti
• Quality Assurance Service
• www.tsu.ge/qa

2
About TSU

• History oldest in the region and leading
  university in the country
• 22 faculties ca. 22 000 students 3 000 academic
  staff
• Two cycles of HE (B M) adopted in 1994
• Highly centralized governance
• Current situation transition period
• 2004 new Law on HE
• Aggressive reforms appointment of rector,
  ongoing structural changes
• 6 faculties cut off of academic staff ca. 800
  will stay

3
Last Developments at TSU

• Reform priorities Implementation of Bologna
  principles
• (Georgia has joined Bologna Process in May 2005)
• Three-cycle degree system
• Introduction of ECTS
• Diploma Supplement
• Establishment of Quality Assurance Service

4
ECTS at TSU

• ECTS obligatory for all levels and study
  programs since 2005 (according to the HE Law,
  Bachelor 240, Master 120, PhD 180 credits)
• ECTS used mainly for curriculum design, but
  also for mobile students
• 1 credit 25 hours
• max. 20 contact hours per week
• minimum 5 credits per subject at the
  undergraduate level
• New methods of student assessment
• ECTS coordination QA Service staff

5
ECTS as a Tool for Curriculum Development

• Before introduction of ECTS
• Teacher oriented system contact hours of
  teachers
• Limited flexibility in career choices
• Heavily overloaded programs (e.g. 85 subjects at
  bachelor level)
• Highly specialized programs already at the
  undergraduate level 102 programs of the first
  cycle
• After introduction of ECTS
• Student oriented programs students workload
• Major/minor at the undergraduate level
• Number of subjects per program limited
• Internal mobility of students
• Number of both B/M programs decreasing since 2005

6
Program Design at the Bachelors Level
7
Curriculum design at TSU

• Major/minor at the undergraduate level provides
  broader education and gives students better
  chances for further studies and labour market
  entrance
• Modularized system modules as bricks of
  curricula, providing more flexibility
• New system of student assessment - final grade of
  student comprises of many components
  precondition for credit award is achievement of
  51 out of 100 points
• Learning outcomes specifying requirements for
  credit award

8
Major challenges and problems

• Transition period
• Limited autonomy
• New appointments of academic staff
• Absence of legal academic bodies
• Lack of quality culture
• Lack of funding

9
ECTS related problems

• Newly introduced system no plausible feedback
  yet limited student questionings
• Not always deliberate calculations of student
  workload
• Administrative failures outdated student
  registration forms, insufficient coordination,
  lack of horizontal links between faculties

10
Outlook

• Integration into the European Higher Education
  Area
• Modern and competitive curricula
• Student and staff mobility (bilateral!!!)
• International cooperation - joint degree programs

11

• Thank you!
• Lika Glonti
• Tbilisi State University
• lika_at_tsu.ge