The Bologna Reform: Beyond 3+2+3 Prof. Dr. Konrad Osterwalder Rector, ETH Zürich

The Bologna Reform:Beyond 3+2+3Prof. Dr. Konrad Osterwalder

Rector, ETH Zürich

Bologna Conference, Portoroz, Slovenia, May 7, 2006

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Questions asked

Why did ETH decide for the Bologna Reform in the first place?

How did it prepare and organize the reform? Who was responsible for what?

Why did it decide for 3+2, how is the content of the programs structured?

How is the international cooperation and cooperation with the economy embedded in the policy of ETH?

Ect.


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Bologna Reform: the main stagesI. Setting the European stage: Bologna, Salamanca

II. The national stage1. the 12 Theses of the Rector’s Conference2. The recommendations (academic)3. The guidelines (political)

III. ETH1. Defining the general strategy2. The Bachelor Level3. The graduate School: Master and PhD4. Admission rules, changing the tracks5. Exams and selection: new approaches6. New teaching methods7. Quality 8. Networking


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The Bologna Reform

I. Setting the European Stage: Sorbonne/Bologna (1998/1999), Salamanca (2001)


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Bologna Reform: Action Lines (Bologna)

1. Adoptation of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees

2. Adoptation of a system essentially based on two cycles

3. Establishment of a system of credits4. Promotion of mobility5. Promotion of European cooperation in

Quality assurance


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Bologna Reform: Action Lines (Prag, 2001)

6.Support of lifelong learning7.Participation of students in HE institutions8.Promotion of the attractiveness of the

European Higher Education Area to students of Europe and other parts of the world

9.Taking account of the social dimension


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The details

Adoption of a system essentially based on two main cycles, undergraduate and graduate. Access to the second cycle shall require successful completion of first cycle studies, lasting a minimum of three years. The degree awarded after the first cycle shall also be relevant to the European labour market as an appropriate level of qualification. The second cycle should lead to the master and/or doctorate degree as in many European countries.


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Salamanca (March 30, 2001)

More than 500 representatives of European Universities

European universities [..] want to shape their own future in the new European context. They clearly expressed their will, their intention and their determination to take up the challenge of the Sorbonne/Bologna declaration and to be proactive in the process of building the European Higher Education Area, by 2010


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Competition

Higher education institutions are willing to take the responsibility of operating in a competitive education arena, but this requires more real managerial autonomy (going beyond classical academic freedom), a flexible regulatory framework and fair financing.


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Freedom with responsibility

Universities as legal entities need autonomy in, and want to be held accountable for:

strategic planning, setting goals and priorities funds allocation

selection of partners, locally, nationally and internationally, in research and in teaching

selection of research areas definition of curricula management of human capital, in particular the hiring

the professors setting of admission rules for students.


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Quality

Quality as underlying condition for trust relevance mobility compatibility attractiveness

in the European Higher Education Area


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Bs – Ms System

Higher education needs to be structured in such a way that after 3 - 4 years (or rather 180 - 240 ECTS credits) a student should be eligible for a Bachelor-type degree. This degree should either lead to immediate employment or provide preparation for further studies leading to a Master degree. Under certain circumstances a university may decide to structure a curriculum as a 5-year integrated (i.e. unbroken) programme leading directly to a Master-level degree


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Employability

Employability in a university context means: A well developed imagination The ability to approach and to solve a problem

systematically and methodically applying substantial knowledge

The capacity to lead social processThe overall structure of university programs and each element thereof must be targeted towards the development of the above mentioned personal skills, while allowing for a great variety of curricular approaches and for competing course designs


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The Bologna Reform

II. The national stage


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Vision / GoalsOffering a future oriented top quality education

Rethinking curricula, teaching and learning Flexibility and transparency Quality assurance Mobility of students and staff

Competition for the best students Undergraduate level: mainly national Graduate level: international

Cooperation in networks, Alliances, (Fusions?) Arc Lémanique, Zürich, … TIME CLUSTER IDEA League

Institutional autonomy and responsibility


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Principle

The academic side

takes the initiative is the process owner


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II.1 The 12 Theses of the Rector‘s Conference (2000)

1. General approval of Bologna program2. Revision of the curricula, coordination at national

level3. Definition of cycles, duration4. Avoid parallelism (Diploma versus Master)5. Minimize prolongation of study times6. Determine additional costs


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The 12 Theses of theRector‘s Conference (cont.)

7. Standard university qualification is Master8. Bachelor as intermediate degree (“hinge”)9. Ability to work in a profession versus

qualification for a profession10.Every institution defines its own admission

rules for the master programs11.Maintaining the two track system:

professional and academic12.Transfer from Universities of Applied Sciences

(HES): sur dossier


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II.2. The Guidelines (political, binding)

Organization in three levels Introduction of ECTS Admission to the Master Level Coordination of the titels


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II.3 The Recommendations of Rector’s conference: the 10 basic topics

1. Organization of studies 2. Performance based credit system3. Admission procedures4. Titles, Diploma Supplement5. Terminology6. Continuing Education7. Promoting mobility (study plans, financial and legal aspects)8. Quality assurance and accreditation9. Promoting the European Dimension10.Social aspects (stipends, part time students, equal opportunities)


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1. Organization of studiesThree cycle systemIntegrated Bachelor-Master ProgramsIntegrated Master-Doctoral Programs (graduate school)

Definition of profiles for Bs and Ms

Joint Master Programs (with HES?)

New learning and teaching habits (self-study, coaching, reading courses, etc.)

Whole programs in English


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2. Performance based credit system

Credit points depend on • learning effort (30 hours/point on the average)• learning outcome: points are given for sufficient

performance only

Reform of the examination system (avoid killer topics)


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3. Admission Procedures

Bachelor level: same as now. Master Level: Minimal requirement defined in Directives CUS. For the rest: Universities are free.

Problems: •Admission of Bachelors from other Swiss Universities•Admission of Bachelors from HES


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4. Titles, Diploma Supplement

Harmonization of TitlesProtection of TitlesNo further awarding of old titlesNo conversion of old titles

Name of awarding Institution as part of the title


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5. Terminology


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6. Continuing Education

New structuringAdmission rulesTitles and terminology

besides that: financial aspects


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7. Promoting Mobility

Admission procedures to Master programs should promote mobility, not obstruct it: it should help to choose the appropriate program

Elimination of political obstacles (immigration)

Portability of grants

Scholarship programs


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8. Quality assurance and Accreditation

Quality assurance is in the first place an obligation of every university

Accreditation still has to be established

Berlin: Ministers advocate the introduction of a European Register for Quality Assuranceand the cooperation between national accreditation agencies


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9. Promoting the European Dimension

Curricular cooperation at European level

Erasmus World, joint Master and other graduate programs


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10. Social aspects

•Grants and loans•Part time students•Equal opportunities

• Include the students and the staff in the reform


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III. ETHIII.1 Defining the general strategy (Decisions by the bord of Management)

• Introducing the new model in stages: students already present finish according to old system, with Diploma

• Beginn of new system distributed over several years (completed BS in 2005, Ms in 2008)

• Limitation of study time: Bs < 5 years, Ms < 3 years


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III.1 Defining the general strategy

•No credit point without proof of achievment (exam, paper, report on experiment, etc.)•Part of teaching in English, at Ms level some curricula everything in English•Diploma Supplement, including detailed Qualification Profiles•Curricula determined by qualification profiles


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Begin of Bachelor coursesStudiengang WS

2001/02 WS

2002/03 WS

2003/04 WS

2004/05 WS

2005/06 Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnologie Maschineningenieurwissenschaften Materialwissenschaft Chemie Chemieingenieurwissenschaften Bewegungswissenschaften und Sport Berufsoffizier Bauingenieurwissenschaften Umweltingenieurwissenschaften Geomatik und Planung Informatik Rechnergestützte Wissenschaften Mathematik Biologie Erdwissenschaften Umweltnaturwissenschaften Agrarwissenschaft Lebensmittelwissenschaft Architektur Physik Pharmazeutische Wissenschaften Interdisziplinäre Naturwissenschaften


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III.2 The Bachelor Level

•Duration: 3 years•Admission according to the legal rules•First year: now credit points for individual courses•Aptitude test at the end of the first year.


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New Qualification Profiles Undergraduate

•Core Competences•Broad Education in Basic Sciences: Math, Physics Chemistry, Computer Science, Biology•Solid Basic Knowledge of the Discipline•Methodological and Scientific Thinking•Including Humanities and Social Sciences•Scientific english (starting year 2)•Experience in team work, practical work

•Optimal Preparation for Graduate Programmes at ETH and at other leading Universities worldwide•Concentration and advanced placement in Master Courses possible•No particular preparation for entering the job market•Limited study time: < 5 years


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III.3 The graduate School: Master and PhD


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New Qualification Profiles: Master

Scientific SpecializationFirst Research experience through collaboration in a research groupMaster thesis (~6 Months)fast tracks into the doctorate for the excellent studentselite programsFluent in (scientific) Englishjoint master programs with other universitiesand:introduction into management, finance, human resource


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Studying at ETH Zürichnumbers: estimates

duration

Gra

duat

e le

vel

Bac

helo

r lev

el

Gra

duat

e st

udie

sDoctorate

Master level

(Total 3‘000)

Bachelor studies

(Total 6‘000)

(Total 3‘000)

2‘200 p.a.

1‘600/ Jahr

500 p.a.

1‘500 p.a.

Master(standard degree)

External Masters

Bachelorintermediate degree, „hinge“

200 p.a.

1‘000 p.a.Ph.D.

500

External Bachelors400

500 p.a.withdrawls Changing the

program100


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Master

Doctorate / Master

Admission to the graduate school

30 KP ECTS +

Research work (30 KP)

Titel of Master, acceptance of research plan

Doctoral thesis and doctoral studies

Master studies 60 KP ECTS

Master Thesis ca. 30 KP

The Graduate School

Regular path to doctorate

Fast track

Assessment, admission to the fast track

30 KP + good grades + additional work + agreement with supervisor

External masters

Bachelors

Doctorat

Ok of supervisor, admission

Research plan and additional conditions

Admission to Doctorate

Doctoral thesis and doctoral studies

Zeita

chse

(ca.

Sem

este

r)

0

3

2

1

9

8

4

27.6.2003 Ba/Pgr


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III.4 Admission rules, changing the tracks

Bachelor: free admission with Swiss “Maturität” or with top grades from a Gymnasium abroad

reduced admission exam with foreign final High school examfull admission exam without any prior exam

Master: free admission in the same subject and Bs from a Swiss university. Admission procedure for foreigners and for “specialized Master programs”

Specific rules for entering from a university of applied sciences


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III.5 Exams and selection: new approaches

optimize selection at the entry point. Assessing and advising the entering students

Goal: Bachelor: loss rate first year < 15% (now 25%)

loss rate 2./3. year < 4% (as now)

Master: less than 5%

Evaluation of examination and selection methods


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III.6 New teaching methods

Teaching closer to actual researchMore individual learningUsing the new technologies, usw.-> program to support and to finance new approaches to teaching and experimentingControlling the quality of teaching

New modes of assessing performance, quality control

Master Thesis: Part of learning Process and proof of performance


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III.7 Quality Management

Opinion Poll Students (end of term)Opinion Poll alumni 3,4,5 years after graduationPeer Review: one week, every 5 years

New project: evaluation the assessment of performance (exams, etc.):Are the assessments fair, objective, do they show what is relevant, are they reliable, etc.


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III.8 Networking

IDEA League: Imperial College, TU Delft, ETH, RWTA Aachen, ParisTech (new member)

UNITECH International: 8 Technical Universities and 25 global Companies

TIME network

IARU Network


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ETH Zurich worldwide: IARU network


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Conclusion: a story of Mr. Keuner(Bertolt Brecht)

An old friend he had not seen in a while, greeted Mr. Keuner with the words:„You havn‘t changed a bit“.

„Oh“, said Mr. Keuner and went pale.


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The Bologna Reform is about….more mobility, yes, but mainly about

more competition, but no cannibalism (developing countries)

more differentiation and more comparability more flexibility and transparency more autonomy and more responsibility more quality renovating the curricula, the selection process renovating teaching and learning

The Bologna Reform is a major Change Process

The Bologna Reform: Beyond 3+2+3 Prof. Dr. Konrad Osterwalder Rector, ETH Zürich

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