Robin van IJperen European Commission 10 June 2010, Graz The challenges of joint programmes: haute cuisine or (con)fusion? The view of the European Commission.

Robin van IJperenEuropean Commission10 June 2010, Graz

The challenges of joint The challenges of joint programmes: haute cuisine or programmes: haute cuisine or

(con)fusion?(con)fusion?

The view of the European The view of the European CommissionCommission

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1. EU/Bologna context: the importance of joint programming and joint degrees

2. Stocktaking of the main bottlenecks

3. Conclusion: what can the Commission do and what can you do?

Outline presentation

1. Bologna and Joint Degrees

• Easily readable and comparable degrees (Diploma Supplement)

• Two main cycles (undergraduate/graduate)

• Credit system, such as ECTS• Promotion of mobility• European cooperation in quality assurance • Promoting European dimension in HE

Joint degrees relate strongly to these objectives

«  JD: a hallmark of the EHEA »

• Prag 2001 Ministerial Summit: call for more modules, courses and curricula offered in partnership with HEI from other countries and leading to joint degrees

• Europe is the only continent able to offer students the experience to study in different countries, systems and cultures and obtaining a recognised degree

Definition: what is a JD?

No official definition, but agreement that most of the following characteristics should typically apply:

• Programmes developed and approved jointly by several HEI• Students from each HEI study at the other HEI• Students’ stays are of comparable length• Periods of study and exams passed at partner HEI are automatically

recognised• Professors of each HEI teach also at the other HEIs and form joint

commissions for admission and examination• Graduates obtain either the national degrees of each HEI pr a a

degree awarded jointly by them

BUT...

• Back in 2001 only very few countries had specific legal provisions for JD, in many countries JD were legally impossible

• Mental barriers among professors and administrators

• JD were a very marginal phenomenon• Progress has been slow and difficult

Progress since 2001 (Trends V)• 60% of HEI say they have JP in at least one of the

3 cycles (mostly at Ma level), only 4% say they see no need for this

• 15% have JP in all three cycles

• HEI in DE, ES, FR, IT, NL and UK have the largest number of JP

• BUT: very small numbers of participating students – too early to assess impact of JP

2. Pros and Cons of JP (Trends V)

+ help to understand how other HEI adapt to change and implement reforms

+ allow to develop trust across national borders (QA!)

- are expensive, require additional funding - may not deliver the substantial increase in

mobility that was expected by Bologna reformers

Stocktaking 2009: JD• No legal problems any more: 75% of countries

have included JD in legislation• In 25 % of countries, more than half of HEI are

involved in JD cooperation• In half of the countries, less than 25% of HEI are

involved in JD• In 20% of countries no JD exist at all• There may be 2500 JP running in the EHEA

Further findings from Stocktaking 2009

• JD exist in all areas of study, but mostly in:• engineering, natural sciences, economics, business,

social sciences, ICT and health sciences• Actions to stimulate JD: legal measures, additional

funding, joint QA, codes of good practice• Some countries give specific student support

What the Commission can do: Erasmus and tools

• Erasmus supports JP/JD through centralised actions (curriculum development and networks)

• Recognition tools: ECTS, Diploma Supplement, European Qualifications Framework

What the Commission can do: Erasmus Mundus (since 2004)

• To meet Lisbon objectives (excellence, competition,mobility, employability)

• Enhance the quality of European higher education through support to Joint Masters Courses

• Enhance the attractiveness of EU HE through scholarships and promotion actions

• Promote dialogue and understanding between peoples and cultures through cooperation with third countries

Erasmus Mundus 2004-2008main results

• 103 Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses• 6,000 grants for incoming third-country students• 1,000 grants for incoming third-country academics• 50 Partnerships• 1,000 grants for outgoing EU-students• 500 grants for outgoing EU-scholars• 50 attractiveness projects

Erasmus Mundus II:(since 2009) What is new?

– Joint doctoral programmes + scholarships– Better scholarships for EU students– Four-fold budget: from 230 million to almost 1 billion €– Results of first round of EM II:

31 new Ma, 19 renewed Ma, 13 joint doctorates– Second call for EM II to be published end of November,

deadline April 2010

Conclusions (1)

• Joint Programmes remain rare and Joint Degrees even rarer

• Legal obstacles are removed, but numerous practical problems remain (funding, recognition, QA...)

• Built further on mutual trust and work done already: EM-projects, EUA Guidelines joint degrees, ECA-project Team II , to develop common principles

Conclusions (2)

• It takes a bottom-up approach and pioneers to just do it: you are those pioneers: congratulations!

• Haute cuisine or (con)fusion: definitively not haute cuisine, rather fusion within certain limits/principles

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Bon appétit!