Bologna

University of Aberdeen and the Bologna Process.

Curriculum review was initiated in November 2006 when the Principal proposed to Senate that the University should turn its attention to a “full scale review of the curriculum available to students.” This led to the appointment of a commission which in September 2007 began to address its remit to “review and make proposals for the reform of our education objectives, programme structures and curriculum content, with a view to developing a high quality distinctive and attractive education experience for undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Aberdeen, which takes account of international approaches.” During the process of evidence collection, we were regularly exposed to comment about the need to embrace internationalisation and adopt proposals that would place us at the leading edge of international developments, and about the benefits of student and staff mobility and the importance of aligning ourselves with developments in European education relating to the creation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

Where does it fit in terms of Curriculum Reform?

The Bologna sub group was established as part of the outcome of the Curriculum Reform project with the specific remit to deal with report recommendations 9 and 16 relating to the provision of advice and the establishment of a group to provide advice on Bologna-related issues. The sub group also contributed to discussions related to recommendations 45 (graduate transcript) and 39 (overseas study) which fell within the remits of the Registry and Co-curriculum groups, respectively.

Who are the members of the Aberdeen University Bologna sub group?

J.A. Anderson (Chair, CoPS), J. Feldmann (CoPS)
B. Connolly (CLSM), J. Sternberg (CLSM).
F. J.G. Pedersen (CASS), C.W. Haerpfer (CASS)
G. Mackintosh (Registry)
J.G. Roberts, (Senior Associate, Higher Education Academy).

The group met on a regular basis during 2009, provided a series of reports to the CREF implementation board and also created a series of recommendations.

What is the Bologna Process?

This originates from the signing in 1999 by the ministers of 29 European countries (now 47) of a declaration with the objective of creating a European Higher Education Area by 2010.
Key features of the agreement and subsequent ministerial meetings in Prague (2001) and Berlin (2003) include:

  • Creation of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees
  • System based on two stages or cycles (undergraduate and postgraduate) now superseded by a three cycle system which includes the masters and doctoral levels
  • A system of transferable credits (based on ECTS)
  • Promotion of student and staff mobility.
  • Focus on lifelong learning
  • Promoting of the European dimension in higher education.
  • Promotion of the awareness of the European Higher Education Area

For more details on the process, view the document entitled "What is the Bologna Process?"

Glossary of Terms

EHEA

European Higher Education Area. On 12 March 2010, the ministers of the now 47 countries participating in the Bologna Process adopted the Budapest-Vienna Declaration and officially launched the European Higher Education Area.

ECTS

European Credit Transfer and accumulation system. In most countries 1 ECTS credit corresponds to 25-30 hours of study and successful completion of an academic year provides 60 ECTS (1 ECTS = 2 Aberdeen credits). A first cycle award typically requires 180-240 ECTS and a second cycle award 90-120, with a minimum of 60 at second cycle level. Credits are not currently used for the third cycle (PhD), which is commonly assumed to require 3-4 years of study.

Erasmus Mundus

Erasmus Mundus 2009-2013 continues and extends activities previously launched in the first phase of the programme (2004-2008). This is run by the European Commission and is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field of higher education that is designed to enhance quality in European higher education, to promote the European Union as a centre of excellence in learning around the world and to foster inter-cultural understanding with Third Countries and to assist the development of higher education in Third Countries. The scheme provides support for collaborative masters and doctoral programmes offered by consortia of European, and possibly Third Country, higher education institutions. It also provides support to individual students, researchers and university staff to spend a study/research/teaching- period in a partner institution as part of an awarded programme. For further details, see http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/index_en.php