anchoring joint masters in the institution lessons from the eua pilot project discussion group b

Anchoring Joint Masters in the Institution

Lessons from the EUA Pilot Project

Discussion Group B

5th EUA Conference: Working Together - Joint Degrees 24-25 October 2003, Babes-Bolyai University

Anchoring JM programmes within an institution requires:

Conviction building Removing existing obstacles and addressing

specific challenges Adopting institutional responsibility Developing means of institutional support


Conviction Building

Many institutions support the concept of Joint Masters, but in the few cases where they have developed, programmes tend to occur on the periphery of normal institutional activity:

Support and integration at the level of finances, infrastructure, administration, and university governance is needed for the sustainability of programmes

To gain greater institutional support, programmes must begin with institutional conviction building


Knowing Added Value -> Anchoring

Added value for the institution: Combining (disperse) strengths of individual and

institutions builds a greater potential for specialised programmes with high quality teachers and infrastructure

Involvement in innovative and collaborative programmes may further an institution’s standing/reputation

Particularly enhances international reputation of an institutions (tool for marketing)

May explicitly attract new students to an institution



Added value for the institution (II): Opens the doors of the institution: confronts

interaction with other universities – quality development tool

Enables smaller universities to offer highly attractive programmes



Added value for students and staff: Tested and developed network ties establish solid

international research contacts Developed research ties emphasise complementarity

in programme teaching And foster interaction between teaching and

research in specialised areas Students/Staff gain from different academic

environments/traditions



Added value for students and staff (II): Students/Staff benefit from different social

environments (language learning, culture) Enables students to develop international

research/work experience (appreciated for their CV)



Added value for Europe: Encourage rapid implementation of all Bologna

reforms, adding a sense of urgency: – comparable degree structures– degree recognition– European dimension of QA– Use of ECTS and Diploma Supplement

Able to respond to European professional development needs (training in an international environment on transnational issues)



Added value for Europe: Develops European citizenship and cultural

understanding Exciting and innovative programmes may

retain Europe’s best students, attract overseas students, and encourage cooperation with non-European institutions (in the name of international understanding)


Removing Obstacles

To anchor means removing unresolved obstalces:

Recognition seen as a central challenge:– Legal recognition of “joint degrees”– Professional recognition– Recognition of modules (use of ECTS)


Removing Obstacles

Finances: – student (access issues)– Support for teaching and administrative costs– Reconciling inter-network national funding

differences– Need for extra institutional funding for both “3rd

country” (Erasmus Mundus) and for European students (notably CEE) through national or European sources


Addressing Challenges

Language:- While exposure to language learning is a

strength, it remains a challenge for involving staff


Institutional Support

Means of institutional support could include: Lobbying at national level to change legislation (in the short term) Dialogue between rectors of institutions

involved to facilitate degree awarding (Financial and administrative) support for staff to be involved in

curriculum development and teaching Inclusion/visibility of programmes in the course handbook and

on the institutional website Assist in encouraging language training for students and staff Implementation and assistance with Diploma Supplement and

other transparency tools


Remaining challenges

Difficulty getting institutional support from rectors who are structure-driven when programmes are content-driven

In progress towards a common definition of (joint) “Master” level

Desire for a positive quality label

anchoring joint masters in the institution lessons from the eua pilot project discussion group b

Documents