Learning Outcomes & the European Qualifications Framework in Higher Education Iceberg, plague or opportunity? Opinions from European countries M a Begoña Arenas Romero, Scienter (ES) Thomas Kretschmer, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg (DE)

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia Outline  A) Background  B) Survey  C) Results  D) Conclusions

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia A) Background – The Bologna Process  Aims:  Development of an European Educational Framework of standards, definitions and concepts  transformation of national systems according to this framework  comparability of European Educational Systems

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia A) Background – Some concepts  European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)  measurement of students‘ workload  Use of Learning Outcomes (LO)  allows courses/programmes to be expressed in terms of what a learner/student is expected to be able to do by the end of the course/programme (knowledge, skills, competences)

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia A) Background – Learning outcomes  Advantages:  Employers know* what a student is able to do  Employers can provide input for the re-engineering of programmes taking into consideration industry requirements  Increased self-awareness of students on what they are able to do  Matching of students‘ profile with job requirements  Comparison of programmes and courses  Common framework/platform for evaluating levels and degree qualifications

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia A) Background – EQF  The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) provides the basis for mapping the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) of each European country against this framework, thus mapping each country’s educational system against another country’s system

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia A) Background – The UNILO project  UNILO project: Promoting the EQF Learning Outcomes approach within European Universities  UNILO thus intends to explore the Learning Outcomes approach in the frame of EQF/EHEA contributing to its full understanding and application by promoting the active involvement of the Career services of the Universities helping the huge target group of European University students and holders of professional qualifications to better understand its potential in a clear and practical way

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia B) Survey - Structure  Online survey  Section on personal data (age, role, country)  10 questions for all respondents (5-point scale)  13 questions for experienced respondents on the status of implementation  17 questions for experienced respondents on their personal opinion

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia C) Results – Personal data

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia Thank you for your attention!!  UNILO:   Skype: kre.fim  Web:  Web:

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia C) Results – Questions for all respondents Bologna Process European Qualifications Framework (EQF)

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia C) Results – Experienced respondents

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia C) Results – Status of implementation  Examples:  Seminars/Information days on LOs are organised by your university  Written information regarding the EQF and NQF is provided by your university  Course syllabi from lecturers are expressed in terms of LOs in your university

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia C) Results – Personal opinions  Examples:  EQF and NQF will help to make Europe more competitive  LOs are almost unknown amongst the universities’ staff  The promotion of the LO approach is important and should be supported more intensively

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia D) Conclusions (I)  Huge diversity with respect to awareness about LOs and EQF/NQF  Even many HE professionals are unaware  Well-informed respondents have a rather positive attitude towards LOs and EQF  Most HE institutions show at least some activity to promote the approach(es)