1. A point of view: implementation of ECTS
Raimonda Markeviciene
Brussels,

2. Guidelines of ECTS concept at national level
Development of the Concept of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) at the National Level: Harmonization of the Credit and Implementation of the Learning Outcomes Based Study Programme Design
Strategic group
Project experts
TUNING training for the Lithuanian experts
Development of strategic documents
Analysis of ECTS Iimplementation in EU countries
Analysis of legal acts of Lithuania in the light of ECTS implem.
Competence development methodology
Methodology for development of Generic competences
Integration of ECTS in the internal QA system
Competences /methodology for 7 subject areas
Guidelines of ECTS concept at national level
demo versions of 12 (4x3) ECTS based study programmes
Investigation and methodology for the profession field research of
7 subject areas
Information campaign: conferences, trainings, articles

3. Attention to credit as a measure for the student workload;
Emphasis:
Attention to credit as a measure for the student workload;
Variety: absolute number of hours per year and credit VS “corridor”;
3. Hierarchy of various legal documents: law, ministerial decrees, recommendations of rector’s conferences, etc…

4. Main approaches to ECTS implementation on national levels
based on law and/or ministerial decrees (strong presence of the state authorities and regulations)
Level of implementation depends on precision and prescriptions of the legal acts, experience of HEIs, traditions & collaborative culture
Legal
based on rectors’ (presidents’) conferences, qualification authorities , informal agreement among HEIs of a country (state authorities are not actively involved, decisions are taken by the immediate actors of HE system – HEIS and/or quality assurance agencies)
Provides elaborate methodological support – guidelines. Is permissive rather than prescriptive
Consensus-based
no express regulations from the state and no recommendations. ECTS is seen as a good practice.
The HEIs relate directly to European documents in the spirit of open-coordination method – informal consensus model
Recommendation-based

5. General suggestions Is such framework useful?... ECTS philosophy
The model adopted for the introduction of ECTS has no direct influence on the level of implementation and understanding on the institutional level
Consensus based approach is most helpful leading to clear national credit framework and methodology
Institutional regulations on credit framework have to be clear and foster common understanding
Important – right balance between maintaining the framework and avoiding prescriptiveness
Institutional credit framework - a notion of a window
Is such framework useful?...
“The completion of obligations in study is evaluated using a credit system compatible with the principles of ECTS.
The total number of credits required for completion of study in the study program corresponds with a thirty-fold of the number of semesters of the standard period of study thereunder.”
ECTS philosophy

6. Lithuanian Higher Education
State universities – 13 Non-state universities - 8
State colleges – 12 Non-state colleges - 10
1993
Introduction of 3 cycle system + national credit system
2000
New law on HE – binary system
Professional bachelor for colleges since 2007
2009
New law on HE and research - status, governance, QA, ECTS credit system
Study credit means a unit of the volume of studies, by which study results and student’s working time are measured hours of one academic year shall equal to 60 credits.

7. Credit system before 2011 Problems Reality
National credit based on student workload (declaration not reality)
40 national credits per academic year
1 N.Credit = 40 student workload hours
1 N.Cr =1,5 ECTS
National cr. could have worked but…
National credit for accreditation
ECTS used for transfer; Mechanical conversion using multiplier 1,5
Voluntary use by the institutions
Reality
In reality credit not really based on student workload
Credit not used for programme design
No credit thinking in the country and rational connection to Learning outcomes
Problems
Ministerial decree on recognition of periods of study (2007)- limited improvement, distorted view.

8. Notions to be adopted: application of ECTS
Credits from LO and student workload
ECTS
Accumulation
Transfer
Non-formal & informal /experiential learning
Recognition
Quality assurance
Credits for agreed LO
Credits from LO and student workload
Credits from LO only
Credits from LO only

9. Facing challenges of the system
Is there a MASTER PLAN?
Breaking existing culture and attitudes to study
Challenging the practice and order of decision taking in HE (top-down)
Internalizing acquired information and developed skill – the question “WHY do we do this?”
Do new legal documents (ministerial decrees, NQF) support the changes?
Do other initiatives embrace the changes (QA, accreditation, programme registration
Time factor

10. Transparency and Quality assurance
Notions to be adopted: application of ECTS at a study programme perspective
Indication of the time students need to complete all learning activities
Student workload
Learning outcomes
Credit and its application
Transparency and Quality assurance
Statements of what a learner is expected to know , understand and be able to do after the process of learning
Expressed through competences

11. Challenges for the institutionsLO
Workload
Credits
Confusion between competences and LO
Lack of skills in formulating LO
Problems of translating the term and using appropriate language
There is no tradition to calculate workload and consult students – time and activities do not match
Organization of teaching and learning still teacher centred
No credit thinking in the country and most of the institutions
Credits are not seen as a tool for programme design
Limited use of credits to measure student progress
Institutional regulations practically do not deal with..

12. Challenges for the teachers – “free your mind!”
Calculation of workload
Mechanical and only subject specific LO (intended, achieved)
Credit levels
Demands for formulas, lack of creative thinking
Lack of understanding of ECTS philosophy

13. “Credit thinking” and institutional regulations
Accumulation: “ageing”, compensation, condonment
Quality assurance
Transfer: credit and grade balance
Lifelong learning strategies
New way to think! Free your mind
“ Where a student is granted exemption from part of the programme of study on the basis of credit transfer, the marks obtained by the student for such prior learning will not be used for classification purposes ”. U-ty of Kent
Allows not to mix different teaching, learning and grading cultures with the consequences for students

14. Distribution of grades awarded in Vilnius University in percentages
Vilnius University grade and its definition
Distribution of grades awarded in Vilnius University in percentages
Facylty of Chemistry
Faculty of Economics
Faculty of Philology
Faculty of Philosophy
Faculty of Physics
Faculty of Natural Science
Institute of Foreign Languages
Faculty of History
Kaunas Faculty of Humanities
Faculty of Communication
Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics
Institute of International relations and Political s.
Centre of Oriental Studies
Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Law
Bachelor
Integrated studies
10 (excellent)
21.5
16.7
17.8
18.6
16.8
17.0
13.1
20.1
13.3
15.9
18.1
28.0
25.4
23.2
13.9
9 (very good)
17.6
25.8
22.2
26.1
19.5
19.8
22.5
22.0
27.2
15.6
24.7
28.5
29.5
29.2
18.8
8 (good)
24.6
24.4
26.9
21.6
26.4
23.8
23.9
17.5
23.5
20.2
7 (highly satisfactory)
12.1
16.9
17.4
16.2
21.1
15.1
18.0
14.7
15.3
10.4
12.3
13.2
16.1
6 (satisfactory)
11.0
8.5
9.2
6.6
12.4
11.4
12.7
8.9
11.3
7.1
12.8
7.7
4.4
6.2
6.0
11.9
5 (sufficient)
10.7
5.0
3.7
10.2
7.8
5.3
5.9
7.0
3.9
4.1
2.0
4.0
2.8
4 - 1 (Insufficient)
10.3
2.6
3.0
2.2
2.5
5.2
2.7
4.6
1.6
5.6
2.3
2.4
Master
34.8
13.8
16.4
31.6
41.3
32.7
41.9
18.4
28.7
18.2
29.7
33.8
30.4
21.3
24.5
27.4
26.3
23.4
28.8
28.2
27.3
25.0
34.1
21.4
24.0
21.0
35.5
22.3
26.2
27.9
19.3
28.1
14.8
9.6
8.2
12.9
12.6
16.5
12.5
7.4
11.5
3.5
3.6
5.7
8.1
5.8
6.7
6.8
0.6
8.7
4.2
1.9
1.0
1.2
2.9
0.3
0.0
1.7
0.8
0.4

15. Thank you for your attention!