1. Accreditation, Certification, Assessment, QA 4 programs were presented: - many different schemes - diverse solutions - one coordinator - great deal of flexibility - high level of trust

2. Certification - most of the programs wanted JD, but in the end they had to adopt a DD certification, at least for some partners - national regulations, common - sometimes the certification becomes complicated, and might cause problems at the labour market - Joint DS - Leipzig issues for Global Studies DO: try to achieve a high level of transparency, at least in the DS DONT: 2 different names for one Master program

3. Assessment - different grading scales: one of the biggest hassles - conversion tables adopted, sometimes to the German model PROBLEMS: - sometimes it is like comparing apples and oranges, some universities and countries have totally different grading criteria, e.g. marking most students as excellent, or having internal rules like everybody with grades lower than B may be put on probation (Ethiopia) - QUESTION: Why not use ECTS scale in Joint DS? DO: Introduce common standards for assessment

4. Master thesis, graduation - diverse situation again - universities ready to adopt solutions that are needed by other partners (e.g. to some extent thinking about thesis topic already during the first semester) DO: - joint supervision of theses, if possible (German studies) - strengthen external examination

5. Accreditation - Leipzig: tried to base most of the program on existing accreditations Advantage- from one point of view: (avoided problems, time shortage) DO: On the other hand, some problems may be identified in the approval stage. It can be a QA measure.

6. Quality Assurance - all of the programs had some measures DO: - introduce more external examination measures - more secure data sharing, e.g. a databank - have joint management board

7. Ideal ? - - Joint award on single parchment [proving transparency to employers etc] - Integrated core programme structure [detailed elements may vary] leading to integrated set of learning outcomes and quality of learning experience - single assessment/grading scheme and criteria - integrated recruitment and selection/admission - full data sharing and secure databank - mutual recognition of courses and complete trust -limited number of partners??? - high level of flexibility and compromise needed -one main coordinator and one dedicated administrator and one dedicated academic per partner - have joint management board - joint supervision/examination or research theses - external evaluation at approval stage and ongoing - security of funding for sustainability - ongoing review of programme