the bologna process, student centred learning and norway

The Bologna process, Student Centred learning and Norway

Toril JohanssonDirector General

Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research

2 Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research

The Bologna Process

• 47 countries

• EU Commission

• Consultative members


European Process

• NOT an EU initiated or EU governed process

• No supranational element

• Original aim: Establish the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) by 2010.Decision to continue cooperation until 2020.

The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) established at the ministerial meeting in Budapest/Vienna 2010.


• Structure: – Ministerial meetings every second year set

new goals (Bologna 1999, Prague 2001, Berlin 2003, Bergen 2005, London 2007, Leuven 2009, Budapest/Vienna 2010, next Bucharest 2012)

– Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG)– BFUG Board– Since Budapest/Vienna system of co-chairing– Bologna Secretariat

Bologna Process


Recent developments

• Independent evaluation of the Bologna Process prior to the ministerial meeting in Budapest/Vienna

• Conclusions:Concurrent with previous conclusions from

”Stocktaking”– Come quite far in introducing the

instrumental elements (Degree system, ECTS, recognition, Quality Assurance etc)

– A lot remains with regard to in-depth implementation


Independent evaluation cont

– Quite a lot remains with regard to e.g.• The social dimension, • LLL• Description and use of learning

outcomes/qualifications frameworks

One of the main points: Without national agenda attuned to the

Bologna Process, compliance rather than in-depth reform seems to occur


– Norway successful in the Bologna Process – coincided with national needs

– The Quality Reform; national follow-up of the Bologna elements

The Bologna Process in Norway


Bologna politically important for Norway

• allows Norway to have a say in the development of European higher education policy...

• ... and provides a platform to learn about other countries and systems in order to inspire national policy

• Priorities: global dimension and social dimensions


Norwegian involvement

• Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research active in – BFUG– Working groups on

• Reporting (implementation of the elements of the Process)

• global dimension• social dimension


Student Centred Learning in the Bologna Process

• Not a thematic area tackled directly in the Bologna process from the startBut: important elements for SCL such as

flexibility tools (ECTS, recognition, QFs) dealt with from early on)

• Included in Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve 2009– Concept of student centred learning

mentioned and the teaching mission of HEIs reasserted

– Highly important in order to underline the aspect of teaching at the HEIs


Student Centred Learning

• Benefits for students

• Benefits for teachers and academics

• The wider benefits of SCL


Student Centred Learning cont.

• One of the necessary preconditions for SCL is student involvement - important concept in Norwegian higher education

• Development of social dimension important to development of SCL – one of the priority areas for Norway in the Bologna Process.


Norway

• No firm definition of the notion of student-centred learning, butt essential feature of the Quality Reform– Better system of follow-up of each student– Individual Education Plans– New forms of assessment – More systematic QA incl. student evaluation

of teachingBut: method of teaching left to the individual

HEI


Qualifications frameworks

• QFs are important as a guide through the education system – flexible learning paths and step-by step approach

• Learning outcomes approach – paradigm shift from teaching to learning, from input to outcome

• Norwegian QF for higher education adopted March 2009

• All HEIs in the process of rewriting their study programmes based on learning outcomes


Quality guiding principle

• Quality should be the guiding principle in the provision of higher education in Norway – important also for SCL

• Some important traits – Internationalisation– All higher education research-based– Relevance and employability– Modes of teaching and assessment

• Quality assurance • Quality remains the responsibility of the HEI –

where quality is made


Strategic dialogue

• Leadership for education• The link between learning qualification

frameworks, learning outcomes and Student Centred Learning


Mobility to high quality institutions

Emphasising:• Quality criteria and lists of high quality

institutions must be developed• “Freshman” year support of Bachelor degree if

good enough quality• Larger grants to cover tuition fees at

institutions or study programmes of high quality

• Level of grants might be associated with institutional agreements

• Phased in gradually – from 2011/2012 at the earliest

Quality is also diversity


Thank you for your attention

the bologna process, student centred learning and norway

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