1. Bologna Process in Europe: Two-cycle degrees
Workshop: Boosting quality: International Credential Evaluation and Higher Education Quality Assessment in SSH (PHOENIX)
Bishkek, April 2006
Gunnar Vaht
Head of the Estonian ENIC/NARIC

2. Traditional Europe (Pre-Bologna)
Diversity
degree structures - one-tier; two-tier; multi-tier structures
nominal duration
in some systems the first degree (“Bachelor”) is not relevant to the labor market
credit systems
names of degrees and other qualifications
Misunderstandings, unfair recognition, obstacles in mobility

3. Bologna Declaration
“Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees,… in order to promote European citizens employability and the international competitiveness”
“Adoption of a system essentially based on two main cycles, undergraduate and graduate”

4. Two-cycle degrees
Two main cycles (undergraduate-graduate; first and second cycle; Bachelor-Master)
so-called 3+2 structure as the dominant model
First cycle degree shall also be relevant to the labor market
same (but not equivalent) learning principles and outcomes in EHEA
two cycles at universities and other type of higher education institutions (different orientations - i.e. professional Bachelor)

5. Bachelor-level degree
Nominal duration of 3…4 years (in most cases 3 years, “professional” degrees - 4 years)
Capacity 180…240 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits
Universities and professional higher education institutions
different orientations and profiles - “professional” and “academic”
Basic knowledge in the subject/field and skills of a speciality are obtained
access to the labor market
to prepare students for further studies in second cycle (master level)

6. Master-level degree
Second-cycle degree; general access requirement - completed bachelor-level qualification
Nominal duration of 1…2 years (together with Bachelor no less than 5 years)
Capacity 60…120 ECTS credits (Bachelor+Master = 300 credits)
(in some disciplines traditionally still one long cycle program, e.g. in medicine, civil engineering, etc)
Universities and professional higher education institutions
achieved level of knowledge and understanding; high level competence (in-depth preparation for the speciality and specialisation)
eligible to doctoral study

7. Qualifications framework
Elaboration of the framework of comparable and compatible qualifications for higher education systems in Europe, which should seek to describe qualifications in terms of:
workload
level
learning outcomes
profile
competences