JOINT PROGRAMMES: CONSTRUCTION

AND CHALLENGES

ASEM CONFERENCEQUALITY ASSURANCE AND RECOGNITION

IN HIGHER EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

LIMASSOL (CYPRUS)6 DECEMBER 2010

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PRESENTATIONBY

WICHER SCHREUDERS

• ERASMUS UNIVERSITY ROTTERDAM• ROTTERDAM INSTITUTE OF LAW AND

ECONOMICS (RILE)• ERASMUS MUNDUS ASSISTANT

COORDINATOR EMLE PROGRAMME

PRESENTATION

INVITED TO GIVE SOME COMMENTS REGARDING COLLABORATIONS

THIS PRESENTATION IS ABOUT:• THE CONSTRUCTION OF JOINT

PROGRAMMES, JOINT DEGREES, JOINT QUALIFICATIONS

• THE CHALLENGES OF ACCREDITATION / RECOGNITION PROCEDURES

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A JOINT PROGRAMME

A JOINT PROGRAMME =• OFFERED JOINTLY BY DIFFERENT HEIs• IRRESPECTIVE OF THE DEGREE (JOINT,

MULTIPLE, DOUBLE) AWARDED

[ECA, PRINCIPLES, 2007]

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JOINT CONSTRUCTION (1)

• PARTNER CHOICE: LONG STANDING COOPERATION (MOSTLY RESEARCH)

• CONSORTIUM STRUCTURE = THE BOARD + DIRECTOR + SEVERAL COMMITTEES

• ORGANIZE MEETINGS REGULARLY (IN PERSON, NOT BY EMAIL OR SKYPE ONLY)

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JOINT CONSTRUCTION (2)

• BE TRANSPARENT• INVOLVE ALL PARTNERS• CONSORTIUM AGREEMENT• DISTRIBUTION OF THE TASKS• DISTRIBUTON OF THE MONEY• REPORT TO ALL INVOLVED

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JOINT ACTIVITIES(1)

• ADVERTISING / PROMOTION• WEBSITE• TUITION FEES / DISTRIBUTION OF FEES• SELECTION OF APPLICANTS• HARMONISATION OF THE COURSES

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JOINT ACTIVITIES (2)

• INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE• (EXAM) REGULATIONS• DECISIONS ON THESIS TOPICS• DECISIONS ON RESULTS AND RANKING

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A JOINT DEGREE? (1)

A JOINT DEGREE (THE DOCUMENT) =• AWARDED BY THE HEI’S THAT OFFER THE

JOINT PROGRAMME• ATTESTING THE SUCCESSFUL

COMPLETION OF THE JOINT PROGRAMME• A SINGLE DOCUMENT• THAT REPLACES THE INDIVIDUAL

DEGREES

[ENQA, METH. REPORT TEEP II, 2006]

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A JOINT DEGREE? (2)

• A JOINT DEGREE WAS AND IS NOT POSSIBLE IN ALL COUNTRIES!

• FOR INSTANCE IN THE NETHERLANDS THE LAW CHANGED ONLY RECENTLY….

MULTIPLE DEGREE

• STUDENTS RECEIVE THE DEGREE FROM ALL PARTNERS (2 OR 3 OR MORE) WHERE HE/SHE STAYED

= MULTIPLE DEGREE

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MIXED DEGREE

• STUDENTS RECEIVE A SINGLE DEGREE FROM ONE OR MORE PARTNERS AND A JOINT DEGREE FROM OTHER PARTNERS (WHERE HE/SHE STAYED)

= MIXED DEGREE

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FROM A MULTIPLE TOA JOINT DEGREE

• ‘SOME’ STEPS TO BE MADE:

- CHECK THE LEGISLATION IN ALL PARTNER COUNTRIES WHETHER A JOINT DEGREE IS ALLOWED

- ACCREDITATION / RECOGNITION IN ALL PARTNER COUNTRIES FOR THIS JOINT DEGREE

- THIS WILL TAKE SOME TIME….

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JOINT DEGREE AND QUALIFICATION

TWO OPTIONS:

JOINT DEGREE &:• MULTIPLE QUALIFIACTIONS• ONE JOINT QUALIFICATION

DEPENDS ON NATIONAL LEGISLATION!

QUALIFICATION = MASTER OF ARTS, MASTER OF SCIENCE, MASTER OF LAWS

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PROGRAMME RECOGNITION

• A JOINT PROGRAMME QUALIFICATION CAN BE RECOGNIZED ONLY IF THE JOINT PROGRAMME IS RECOGNIZED

• FOR THIS THE JOINT PROGRAMME NEEDS ACCREDITATION

[AERDEN & RECZULSKA, ECA, 2010]

• HOW? THAT IS A REAL CHALLENGE….

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ACCREDITATION /RECOGNITION (1)

• REGULATION DIFFERS PER COUNTRY• ALL PARTNERS (HAVE TO) MEET THE

NATIONAL REQUIREMENTS• THIS IMPLIES A LOT OF PROCEDURES:

- AT DIFFERENT MOMENTS- DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS- DIFFERENT DURATION

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ACCREDITATION /RECOGNITION (2)

• IT SEEMS TO BE A PERMANENT PROCESS• SITE VISITS AT THE NATIONAL

UNIVERSITY ONLY, NOT VISITING THE PARTNERS

• LOCAL COORDINATOR / LOCAL STAFF IS INVOLVED (NOT THE CONSORTIUM DIRECTOR / EM COORDINATOR AS SUCH)

• DOCUMENTS TO BE PRODUCED (LOCALLY) FOR EACH PROCEDURE

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ACCREDITATION / RECOGNITION (3)

• FOR NATIONAL AUTHORITIES IT IS HARD TO ‘EVALUATE’ / TO INCLUDE ALL FOREIGN PARTNERS

• HOWEVER: THEY SHOULD EVALUATE THE TOTAL PROGRAMME, INCLUDING THE FOREIGN PARTS AND FOREIGN PARTNERS

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ADDITIONAL ERASMUS MUNDUS REQUIREMENTS

• APART FROM DIFFERENT NATIONAL REGULATIONS: EM CONSORTIA HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ERASMUS MUNDUS REGULATIONS / REQUIREMENTS

• HAVING TO PRODUCE EVALUATION REPORTS TO THE EM AGENCY REGULARLY

• EVALUATION REPORTS CHECKED BY THE EM AGENCY

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JOINT PROGRAMME, JOINT DEGREE, JOINT

QUALIFICATION (1)

• VARIOUS OBSTACLES• TRANSNATIONAL PROGRAMMES VS.

NATIONAL LEGISLATION• TRANSNATIONAL PROGRAMMES VS.

NATIONAL ACCREDITATION AND RECOGNITION

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JOINT PROGRAMME, JOINT DEGREE, JOINT

QUALIFICATION (2)• CROSSBORDER MUTUAL RECOGNITION IS

NEEDED• EVEN BETTER: ONE SINGLE

ACCREDITATION PROCEDURE INSTEAD OF MULTIPLE ACCREDITATION PROCEDURES

• ACCEPT ONE JOINT QUALIFICATON

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CONCLUSION

SEVERAL STEPS:• JOINT PROGRAMME• JOINT DEGREE• JOINT SINGLE QUALIFICATION

THE CHALLENGE IS TO COMPLETE THIS CONSTRUCTION

INDEED: STEP BY STEP!

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INFO & CONTACT

• WEBSITES:

WWW.EMLE.ORG

WWW.RILE.NL

• EMAIL: SCHREUDERS@FRG.EUR.NL