1. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Bologna – Tuning Experts International Seminar
Thursday 14 / Friday 15 May 2009
Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Robert Wagenaar
Joint Coordinator TUNING Process Projects
Chair Netherlands Bologna Experts Group
Coordinator Erasmus Mundus MA Programme Euroculture: Europe in the Wider World
Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Programmes

2. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Outline of presentation
Study and Work placement mobility: general observations
The implications of a more flexible curriculum at first cycle;
The academic challenges to increased mobility:
Core curriculum
Recognition
Credits
Assessment

3. Mobility is obtaining momentum again:
Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
General observations
Mobility is obtaining momentum again:
EC High level advisory group on Mobility 2008
Leuven Communiqué 2009:
“… mobility shall be the hallmark of the European Higher Education Area. We call upon each country to increase mobility, to ensure its high quality and to diversity its types and scope. In 2020, at least 20% of those graduating in the EHEA should have had a study or training period abroad.”

4. The arguments (according to Leuven):
Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
The arguments (according to Leuven):
enhances the quality of programmes
strengthens the academic and cultural internationalization of European higher education
is important for personal development and employability
fosters respect for diversity and a capacity to deal with other cultures
encourages linguistic pluralism
increases cooperation and competition between higher education institutions

5. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Growing study and work placement mobility is a real challenge to the HE world which requires a coherent strategy and approach, that is:
Learning outcomes based programmes
WHY LEARNING OUTCOMES?
WHY TUNING?
“We reassert the importance of the teaching mission of higher education institutions and the necessity for ongoing curricular reform geared toward the development of learning outcomes… Academics, in close cooperation with student and employer representatives, will continue to develop learning outcomes and international reference points for growing number of subject areas.” (Leuven Communiqué 2009)

6. What is Tuning? Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Developed by and for academics and students
Offers:
A transparent way to (re-)design degree programmes based on the concept of student centred learning
Offers a language understood by all stakeholders (employers, professionals and academics)
An approach respecting and allowing for differentiation / diversity
An approach for developing flexible and divers degree programmes in a Life Long Learning context
Shared reference points (not standards) at subject area level
Methodology for high standard degree programmes in terms of process and outcomes

7. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
From staff oriented to student centred degree programmes
Key factors for a necessary change of paradigm:
- Focus on employability and citizenship
- International cooperation in higher education: recognition of periods of studies
- Development of transnational integrated programmes
- Introduction and acceptance of (the Dublin / LLL) cycle level descriptors as well as subject area descriptors as a basis for degree programmes and Qualifications Frameworks
Reflected in Tuning methodology: degree programmes based on academic and professional profiles, cycle level descriptors, learning outcomes / competence and time-based ECTS credits

8. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Agreed basic structure for degree programmes in Europe:
Degree profile Doctorate
3rd
cycle
Third cycle learning outcomes defined in terms of generic and subject specific competences
Degree profile 2nd cycle (MA)
2nd
cycle
Second cycle learning outcomes defined in terms of generic and subject specific competences
Degree profile 1st cycle (BA)
1st cycle
First cycle learning outcomes defined in terms of generic and subject specific competences
Ass.
Degree
Degree profile Associated degree
Associated Degree / Certificate LO defined in terms of competences

9. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
2. The implications of a more flexible curriculum at first cycle
Different role for academic staff
Consequences for design of degree programmes
Programmes need to be based on profiles and learning outcomes
Learning outcomes approach has consequences for learning, teaching and assessment methodologies
Growing importance of quality assurance and enhancement for programme design and delivery

10. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Tuning model
Degree programme according to the Tuning methodology:
Programme based on profile, sets of competences to be obtained, desired learning outcomes to be achieved, ECTS credits to be awarded
Programme design is team work, based on consultation, discussion, cooperation
Learning outcomes / competences to be developed are the basis for credit allocation
Teaching, learning and assessment approaches respect credit allocation: feasibility is key factor
60 ECTS
FIRST CYCLE PROGRAMME
COURSE UNIT
Top-down

11. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
From the Tuning glossary (November 2006):
“Degree profile
“A description of the character of a degree programme or qualification. This description gives the main features of the programme which are based on the specific aims of the programme, how it fits into the academic map of disciplines or thematic studies and how it relates to the professional world”.

12. Profile Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Profiles has to serve different purposes
A good profile takes into account different users’ perspectives & interests
society
person
Profile
professional
academics

13. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Degree profile (professional and/or academic)
Key elements:
Orientation: theoretical or applied
Subject related knowledge/ know how (mono, multi, inter)
Generic competences
Subject specific skills
Level of qualification (role of descriptor(s))
Employability (regulated / non-regulated)
Social and professional responsibility
Particular focus / specialisation
Approach(es) towards TLA
Role of work placement

14. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Academic area vs. professional area and competences
Competence Circle
Employment profile
Academic field
Academic field
Academic field

15. THE TUNING DYNAMIC QUALITY DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE
Study and Work Placement Mobility
THE TUNING DYNAMIC QUALITY DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE
Definition of academic and professional profiles
Identification of resources
Programme design: identifying subject specific and generic competences / definition of learning outcomes
Construction of curricula: content and structure + balanced ECTS credit allocation
Evaluation and Improvement (on the basis of feed back and feed forward)
Selection of types of assessment
Selection of teaching and learning approaches

16. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Degree Programme Profile and Learning Outcomes
Subject Area (Level) Descriptors and Reference Points (Sectoral Qualifications Framework)
Descriptors National and International Qualifications Frameworks

17. Study and Work Placement Mobility
European perspective: Tuning and Qualifications frameworks
EQF for Higher Education
(Bologna Process -
46 countries)
EQF for Lifelong Learning (an EC initiative)
(27 countries)
Dublin descriptors
National Qualification Frameworks
Sectoral Qualification Frameworks
TUNING reference points for Higher Education programmes

18. International environment QFs of other world regions
Study and Work Placement Mobility
Word wide perspective: Tuning and Qualifications Frameworks
International environment
European QF
Tuning United States
Tuning America Latina
NQF
NQF
QFs of other world regions
Sectoral QF
Sectoral QF
Internationally established (subject specific) Tuning reference points
OECD-AHELO pilot

19. USA Qualifications frameworks and cycle level descriptors
Tuning America Latina
USA
Tuning reference points have global relevance
Tuning Asia? Tuning Canada? Tuning Australia? Tuning Africa? etc.
EQF for Higher Education
National Qualification Frameworks
Sectorial Qualification Frameworks
Tuning Russia
Tuning Georgia
Tuning Europe
Tuning reference points are generic and subject specific
Tuning reference points for HE programmes

20. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
3. The academic challenges to
increased mobility:
Core curriculum
Recognition
Credits
Assessment
All these elements play a key role in:
Joint degrees and integrated programmes
Mobility windows
(International) work placements
Key role Bologna Experts’ teams: Offer advise and examples of good practice (for example) for Transnational Programmes and Work Placements (at different cycle levels)

21. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
To conclude:
Core curricula based on LO allow for comparability and compatibility. Reference: internationally agreed Learning Outcomes
BUT: Core curricula also allow for diverse and flexible programmes, because they cover only 40 to 60% of degree programmes.
It can include for instance particular modules / units like work placements. Each of these modules / units has its own set of LO.
The LO approach does not prescribe the number of ECTS credits per unit or the TLA approaches, but it will facilitate recognition of periods of studies.

22. Student Study and Work Placement Mobility
Thank you for your attention !