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K.U.Leuven and the Bologna process. Valparaiso Seminar (08/04/03). LUC DELBEKE (International Relations Office, K.U.Leuven). - Why get involved ? Adherence to the objectives of the Bologna Declaration - Focus on who and how. Interdependence of policy levels.
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K.U.Leuven and the Bologna process Valparaiso Seminar (08/04/03) LUC DELBEKE (International Relations Office, K.U.Leuven)
- Why get involved ? Adherence to the objectives of the Bologna Declaration - Focus on who and how
Interdependence of policy levels • The European level: the Council of Ministers of Education • The national level: Minister of Education and Parliament; Rectors’ Conference • The institutional level: central and decentral decisions; stakeholders (students, staff, professional organisations, research bodies, society) • Top down and bottom up processes • A complex reform: preparation period is essential
The Flemish Community: the main actors • The Minister of Education • The Department for Higher Education and Scientific Research • The Vl.I.R. and the VLHORA (binary system) • The Flemish Parliament: preparing the new act on the Flemish HE-system (voted on 2/04/03 1991 1929) • Universities and « hogescholen » as institutions
The institutional response: the K.U.Leuven case • Reflection in the faculties (awareness building) • Contribution to the national decision making process • Response according its own mission and educational concept • 2001-2004: preparation of the reform • 2004-2010: implementation into practice • Setting up a Steering Committee to create an institutional framework and to prepare the implementation • a large scale and deep level operation
The K.U.Leuven • Founded in 1425 • Founding member of the Coimbra Group of the old European universities (1987) • Founding member of the League of European Research Universities (2002) • A « complete » university: 14 faculties and university hospital • A research university: basic and applied, spin offs • An international university: 3000 international students (non-Erasmus), 116 countries
The K.U.Leuven (II) • 28.000 students • 7571 staff at the university: 1424 professors 851 assistants 2624 researchers (500 postdoc ’s) 2672 administrative staff • 7365 staff at the university hospital • university budget: 442 mio euros
The K.U.Leuven (III): present degree structure • « Kandidaat »: two years (120 ECTS) • Licentiate/Engineer/pharmacist: two years (120 ECTS) three years (180 ECTS) depending on the discipline • Medical doctor: at least 4 years • Semester system • ECTS is applied
K.U.Leuven: structures for the Bologna reform The Standing Programme Comittees: directors of programme, reform of the programmes The strategic framework: the Steering Committee and its Working Groups The Faculties: coherence with regard to content and structure The Academic Council
K.U. Leuven: the Bologna implementation • Awareness raising: systematic information and dialogue with the faculties since the Sorbonne Declaration • General approach: innovation of all the programmes • Criteria for internal recognition of programmes • Respecting the dynamics of each faculty
K.U. Leuven: basic documents (2001-2002) • Ba-ma document 1: The implementation of the ba-ma structure at the K.U.leuven • Ba-ma document 2: The concept of ba and ma programmes at the K.U.Leuven: suggestions and criteria • Ba-ma document 3: Decisions making structures and processes with regard to ba and ma programmes
K.U. Leuven: basic documents (2001-2002) (II) • Ba-ma document 4: Postgraduate programmes and the ba-ma programmes from a perspective of internationalisation • Ba-ma document 5: Criteria for the internal recognition of bachelor and master programmes • Form for the call for proposals for ba and ma programmes (referring to criteria in 5) • Time table management - planning
Stage 1: design and selection of proposals • Who: the Standing Programme Committee, a faculty, any group of academics • What: general proposals based on a template (target group, level, objectives, content, staff, capacity,…) • Consultancy on demand • When: October 2001 - May 2002 (selection in October): 250 proposals are processed
Stage 2: Development and approval of curricula • Who: the Standing Programme Committee • What: Elaboration of the curricula • Guidelines of the Academic Council • Consultancy on demand by central support service (6 specialized staff) • Result: recognition by the Academic Council • When: October 2002 - March 2003
Current “BaMa” 1st cycle Kandidaat (2/3) Bachelor (3) 2nd cycle Licentiaat/Arts/Ir (2/3/4) Master (IMA) (1/2) Postgra-duate GAS (compl. st’s) GGS (spec. st’s) (1/2) Master (after master: MAM) Master (adv. studies: MAS) Doctoral Dr ( 4) Dr. CE Certificates Certificates Stage 2: Development and approval of curricula (II)
Stage 2: Development and approval of curricula (III) Stage 3 Pending: 29
Stage 3: Development and approval of curricula Pending: 29
Stage 3: Implementation of the Programmes • 30/9/03 : submission of tansformation • proposals ( Fl. Gt) • 15/2/04 : Fl.Gt decides about registration • of transformed programs • 2004/2005 or 2005/2006 : start of transformed • ba-pr’s • pi-ma’s • gradual implementation over successive • years: ba i-ma ( 20012-20013) • 2005-2006… within one year after “registration”, • pr’s have to obtain accreditation through a • recognized international accreditation body.
Criteria for internal recognition: overview cf. Bologna objectives + • clear profiling & flexibility to facilitate reorientation in students’ study carreers - more learner-centred and less teacher-centred • guided independent learning • supported by creative use of ICT • collaborative learning schemes - internationalization
Difficulties ? Difficulties: yes, sure… • Legal barriers: severe limitations in the use of foreign languages in ba en i-ma • Financial limitations: 3+1 curricula 4+1 or 3+2 curricula in other countries? • Heavy (perceived?) workload: curriculum reform + new teaching systems + new teaching & research evaluation systems + additional demands on academics…
A few reflections… • Mobility on the BA-level is not evident • On the IMA-level, and more so on the post-IMA- level, European universities ARE competitive with many of their counterparts elsewhere • Deep level transformations of study programmes within a relatively short period of time ARE possible, but guiding, steering and motivating steps have to programmed on a regular basis within the transformation process: the Bologna flowers do not grow naturally…