Use of Memorandum of Understanding for QA – academic and managerial aspects Andrew Skidmore GEM Consortium ITC, NL

The MSc Program GEM : “Geo-information Science and Earth Observation for Environmental Modeling and Monitoring” Sequential course –September to January (17 weeks) – University of Southampton –January to May (19 weeks) – University of Lund –May to June (6 weeks) – University of Warsaw –June to March (39 weeks) – ITC 4 semesters 18 months, 120 ECTS

The Memorandum of Understanding Legal document signed by the Vice-Chancellor/Rector of the four Institutions 5 year approval Specifies agreements and obligations including: –Course description and prescription –Grading and Assessment –Progression and Exemptions –Academic standards and QA procedures (evaluation, reviews) –Finance and budget –Marketing –Intellectual Property –Escalation and Mediation –Termination –Applicable Law

Joint and Multiple Degree PROBLEM –Southampton: joint only –Lund: multiple only –ITC: multiple only –Poland: multiple SOLUTION –Southampton changed its degree award to allow multiple degrees (after UK National Authority ‘translated’ EU requirements) –As part of MoA we will switch to joint degree as the legislation in Sweden and the Netherlands is amended

Academic transcript – Course Record PROBLEM –Multiple and joint degrees have national requirements for course records SOLUTION –MoA specifies procedure –Both National and EU grading stated on the course record (with ECTS statement)

Degree Accreditation PROBLEMS –UK : self accreditation –Sweden : Self accreditation –NL : national accreditation SOLUTIONS –Used an ITC accredited course name for all 3 partners –Exactly the same name will appear on all diplomas/degrees with cross-referencing –MoA as basis for QA

Quality Assurance PROBLEM –Grading –Course calendar –Admissions –ECTS –Progression –Teaching evaluation –Curriculum description MoA SOLUTION –EU grading conversion –Use existing structures –“Most stringent” policy –Adopted “Bologna” –Adapted inst. rules –Minimum requirement –Adopted ITC protocol All Issues Fully Described in Memorandum of Agreement Formally adopted and signed by the Rectors/VCs

Strategic ‘benefits’ of using MoA in Erasmus mundus Benefits of Erasmus mundus label are –Improve quality by using most stringent QA rules for each matter –Consortium was able to gain approval for the program through their respective institutes earlier and faster –Budget arrangements clearly specified –Cooperative marketing of EM course –Cultural and linguistic obligations specified –Erasmus mundus is a recognised stamp of quality & prestige

How MoA helped reduce the strategic ‘costs’ of Erasmus mundus Multi-national courses are hard work to start up and run Administration & logistics (moving 45+ students and 8 visiting scholars around) EU reporting (financial and organizational) Development of cultural and language programs Need to meet QA ‘rules’ beyond institutional requirements Financial - you need cross-subsidy or numbers of ‘own accounter’ students

Future challenges Full fee paying students –EU students –Non-EU students National policies impacting on EM –National study financing should become available for pan-EU studies –“Free” or low cost fees –Visas –Joint versus multiple degrees