 A European Overarching Qualifications Framework
In the Bologna Process one of the main objectives in the establishment of a European Higher Education Area by the year 2010 was, right from the beginning, an easily readable, comparable and compatible degree structure. Another objective was to establish a system based on a two-tier structure, commonly known as a Bachelor/Master structure. In the first phase of the process the main focus lay on the setting up of the two-tier structure where it did not exist before. Most countries have by now introduced this structure, although not necessarily for all kinds of degree courses yet. Official Bologna seminars on the topic of Bachelor and Master Degrees took place and primarily focussed on more technical aspects, such as how many credits does a Bachelor’s degree require etc.
The implementation in the single countries differed quite a lot. Some countries took the opportunity for a complete restructuring of the curricula towards a more output and student centred model. Some countries though just divided their existing one-tier courses into two parts and gave them a different name than before. This pure re-labelling fulfilled the objective of the system based on two tiers. Soon, however, it became obvious that the objective of a more easily readable, comparable and compatible degree structure required more than just this. The question of recognition problems was not solved by giving degrees another name.
It was never envisaged to harmonise the contents of degree courses in different countries. However, what was envisaged was to make the learning outcomes more compatible and more importantly to have some more transparency in the national systems. Therefore some actors in the process thought about tools, which could enhance the transparency and thus the compatibility. Some countries had a national Qualifications Framework, namely Ireland, Scotland and a more or less joined one for England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Denmark was just developing its own. These Qualifications Frameworks are output oriented and allow for easier comparability, as the qualifications obtained at different Higher Education Institutions are compatible.
Such Qualifications Frameworks became the model, which was deemed most useful also in the European context. Although not specifically mentioned in the Prague Communiqué an official Bologna seminar was organised in 2003 by the Danish authorities. In the conclusions of the seminar and its recommendations for the minister responsible for Higher Education it was stated that countries should develop national Qualifications Frameworks, in which the qualifications should be described in terms of workload, level, quality, learning outcomes and profile. A European Qualifications Framework should in more generic terms describe the qualifications with due regard to institutional, historical and national contexts. Whereas national Qualifications Frameworks should encompass all levels of education the focus on the European framework should be the qualifications gained in Higher Education and the ones needed for access to Higher Education. This also implied looking at sub-degree post-secondary education. Some months later another official Bologna seminar took place in Prague, which focussed on Lifelong Learning. One of the outcomes was that also Lifelong Learning activities should fit into a Qualifications Framework.
Towards the Berlin ministerial summit some more discussions about Qualification Frameworks arose, finally leading to the passage in the Berlin Communiqué, which asks the countries to set up national Qualifications Frameworks, which describe qualifications in terms of workload, level, learning outcome, competences and profile. This will be one of the major tasks on the national level. At the same time the task on the European level will be to set up an overarching European Qualifications Framework against which the national frameworks could articulate. The Level of Knowledge
Every country has a national Qualifications Framework. However, often this is not known by many people, but the framework which describes the various steps towards and in Higher Education is a Qualifications Framework. However, what is envisaged in the work towards the European Higher Education Area is a more distinguished and elaborated Qualifications Framework. These kind of framework exists only in the vast minority of countries party to the Bologna Process. Scotland has been the first to establish such a framework, Ireland, England & Northern Ireland & Wales and Denmark took a similar initiative and set up their own ones.
Now the setting up of National Qualifications Frameworks became part of the Bologna Process and an objective for the participating countries. Another conclusion from the Berlin ministerial summit was to establish an overarching European Qualifications Framework. There is not much time left if the date 2010 should be met. Also some countries are really pushing forward this topic and would like to see a result better today than tomorrow. On the other hand, apart from the aforementioned countries the level of knowledge about this topic is comparatively low. This poses a number of questions.
How can countries develop their frameworks, which should pay regard to the national, historical and institutional situation, without copying one of the existing frameworks? What kind of support is needed for achieving this aim? How can we guarantee that the establishment of frameworks is done in accordance to meet all major purposes of education with all the time pressure in mind. How to guarantee that the discussions about the European framework reflect the opinions of all countries and not just the ones who are more experienced in this field?
Certainly the level of knowledge varies concerning all objectives and some countries are usually more advanced than others. But in this field the differences are enormous and have to be counteracted if the final aim is to establish a truly European Higher Education Area as a result of truly European discussions and conclusions. Workshops Topics common to all the workshops: Student Involvement in designing the Qualifications Framework The establishment of an overarching European Qualifications Framework How do we tackle the issue where such huge differences in the knowledge exist and some countries are pushing very hard and quickly?
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