Tuning Educational Structures in Europe, Africa and the World

Update on Tuning and associated developments

in various contexts

Robert WAGENAAR, University of Groningen (NL)

Joint coordinator Tuning Process

Director International Tuning Academy Groningen

TUNING AFRICA PHASE II

Cairo

12-14 October 2015

Setting the stage:

1. Role of the Economic crisis

2. Wider acceptance of competence approach in Higher

Education

3. Integration of domain / subject specific and generic

competences

4. Major trends in Higher Education

5. Contribution of TUNING

6. Tuning in global context: Central Asia, China, Europe

Outline

Deusto and Groningen Tuning teams

The Tuning Process is coordinated by

the University of Deusto, Bilbao,

Spain and the University of

Groningen, the Netherlands

High level of unemployment (e.g. 26 million in Europe)

Vacancies / job openings: experience required

Tenures / Jobs for life have become exceptional

Life Long Learning: Mismatch capacities and needs:

role of companies / organizations

Tendency to prolong studies: knowledge related, less

skills and wider competences but in contrast also more

intense studying and avoiding part time work

Social cohesion of societies challenged

Individual tolerance and self-confidence under

pressure

Are there other relevant tendencies not mentioned?

1. Role of the economic crisis

Required modernization process develops very slowly

Most degree programmes still not student-centred: expert/teacher

based not student-based

Discourse of the relevance of generic competences has spread

More attention towards number of basic competences: analyzing

and synthesizing, writing and oral skills

Use of instrument of (work) placements is growing

Development of competences such as entrepreneurial skills,

creativity, teamwork, project work, leadership, intercultural

competences, conflict management obtain still no or very limited

attention

Main challenge: How to train and assess many of these competences

when expertise and experience is missing

2. Wider acceptance of

competence approach in Higher

Education

Well understood by now that graduates need generic

competences and these need to be trained; however, academic

staff is missing the expertise; staff development not being a

priority

Only sensible way forward is to relate generic competence

development to a domain of knowledge: forces academic staff to

re-think their modes of teaching, learning and assessment

Is there an alternative approach? Suggestions?

Bringing in external experts? Employers? Graduates?

Implication for informal and non-formal contexts

3. Integration of domain / subject

specific and generic competences

4. Major Trends in Higher

Education

Key developments that have changed the Higher Education

sector throughout the World:

Obvious need for reliable instruments for:

Reforming HE degree programs

Recognition of Studies in national and international

perspective (Meta-Profiles for disciplines, Qualifications

Frameworks)

Measuring Learning Time and Level (Credits and

Learning Outcomes)

Comparing Learning (Qualifications

Frameworks)

Quality Enhancement and Assurance

Facilitator National and International Cooperation of

Higher Education Institutions and its academics (globally)

Application of bottom-up approach to reform

International referencing of levels and approaches:

Development and use of international conceptual

frameworks / meta-profiles at disciplinary and sectoral

level (reference points / standards)

Development and use of methodology for reforming

and enhancing degree programs

5. Contribution of TUNING

Europe

Latin-America

Russia

Japan

Africa

Central Asian Republics

United States

Middle East and North Africa

Feasibility studies: Australia, Canada, China, Thailand,

India

6. Tuning is in global context

146 publications !

Tuning

Europe

Tuning

Russia

Tuning

América

Latina

Tuning Africa

TuCAHEA:

Towards a Central

Asian Higher

Education Area

CALOHEE

September 16,

2015

Slide

10

TuCAHEA is a Tuning project for Central Asia, supported by the

European Commission through TEMPUS (2012-2016)

It comprises 47 partners: 5 Central Asian Ministries of Education, 34

CA Universities and 8 EU Universities, experts in Tuning.

The Grantholder is the University of Groningen, the scientific

Coordination by the University of Pisa.

The countries involved are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,

Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The objective: to build a Central Asian Higher Education Area,

aligned with but not identical to the EHEA.

September 16,

2015

Slide

11

To this end:

elaboration of a Central Asian list of generic competences

elaboration of subject specific competences for eight Subject Areas

(Business, Economics, Education, Engineering, Environmental

Protection, History, Language, Law)

consultation (20463 responses) with academics, students, graduates

and employers about the importance and level of achievement of the

competences

creation of «Guidelines and Reference Points» for each of the Subject

Areas

elaboration of competence-based tools for trasparency, mobility,

recognition

communiqué by ministerial representatives (Rome, June 2014; Riga,

June 2015)

Pilot student mobility within Central Asia

Tuning China Tuning EU-China Study

Following the first conference of EU-China High Level People-to People Dialogue on 18

April 2012 in Brussels, both sides decided to launch an EU-China Tuning Joint Study.

The General objectives:

Strengthen the compatibility of EU and Chinese Higher

Education and draw on the experience and detailed

understanding of the Tuning approach developed in the

EU

Enhance outcome-based education

Establish commonly acknowledged quality criteria

Develop tools for mutual recognition

Overcome obstacles to mobility of students, graduates

and academic staff between China and the EU

To enable closer ties between higher education policy

makers in China and the European Union

Outcomes of Study

The Tuning ‘student-oriented and competences based’ approach is in compliance with the Chinese reform policy for Higher Education

The theories and methods of Tuning have obvious value as reference for the planned reform process of the talent – training model of Higher Education in China

The lack of a credit mechanism to compare and recognize periods of studies between China and Europe (ECTS) proves to be a substantial obstacle for the extension and deepening of cooperation

This observation is

supported by the

experiences of the Erasmus

Mundus Chinese Lots

Follow-up (1)

On the basis of the outcomes of the three subject Pilot

Study it is recommended to set-up an Extended Study :

1. Disseminate and discuss the outcomes of the Pilot Study

among HE institutions in China which offer degrees in the

three disciplines covered: Business, Civil Engineering and

Education

2. Widen the group of disciplines to cover other key

academic domains of Higher Education (e.g. Natural

Sciences, Health Care, and Arts and Humanities)

Follow-up (2)

3. Align the EU and Chinese credit systems by focusing on

the outcomes of the learning process and the workload of

students, which might imply to move forward the reform

process of the present credit system(s) in China.

4. Align the quality assurance mechanisms in China and

the EU to facilitate recognition and mobility.

5. Disseminate outcomes of Pilot Study in Europe by

publication of book and articles in English and on Tuning

Website and offer presentations at designated conferences

http://tuningchina.org

Follow-up (2)

3. Align the EU and Chinese credit systems by focusing on

the outcomes of the learning process and the workload of

students, which might imply to move forward the reform

process of the present credit system(s) in China.

4. Align the quality assurance mechanisms in China and

the EU to facilitate recognition and mobility.

5. Disseminate outcomes of Pilot Study in Europe by

publication of book and articles in English and on Tuning

Website and offer presentations at designated conferences This should lead to a better

understanding and appreciation of the

Chinese Higher Education system and

its degree programmes

Is a crucial element for

developing successful joint

programmes between European

and China universities

October 12, 2015 Slide

17

CALOHEE: Measuring and Comparing

Achievements of Learning Outcomes in

Higher Education in EUROPE

Intended Learning Outcomes – Implemented Learning Outcomes – Achieved LO

Supported by EU

Consortium Partners:

10 universities

European Associations

and Organisations:

ESU, ECA,

EURASHE, ENAEE (in advisory board also: EUA

and ENQA)

European University

networks: Coimbra,

Santander, UNICA,

Utrecht, Compostela

Open Call of Interest will be launched in October 2015 to

identify another 60 universities to involve !

Press Release:

Do students enrolled in higher education around Europe develop the competences they need? Are study programmes delivering their promises? Can we learn to compare student's achievements in different countries in a meaningful way?

A new EU funded project, called CALOHEE, will help to find the answers to

these questions by developing the infrastructure that will eventually make it

possible to test bachelor and master students’ performance Europe-wide across

a range of fields in a way that satisfies the needs of the various stakeholders in

the European higher education community.

The project will start this autumn and first results are expected in spring 2017.

The project will initially cover five subject areas, representing five significant

academic domains: Engineering (Civil Engineering), Health Care (Nursing),

Humanities (History), Natural Sciences (Physics) and Social Sciences

(Education). After this initial stage, the outcomes can be used to examine many

other degree programmes as well.

From the above it can be learned that the student-centred

approach is spread globally.

General challenge: Omission of a student workload /

learning outcomes based credit system in many regions

USA: initiative to develop a system based on learning credits

parallel to Carnegie credit hours system

Latin America: testing of Credit System for Latin America (CLAR)

China: initiative to develop a workload based credit system

Also the Challenge for AFRICA as a crucial element for developing

an harmonized African Higher Education Area!

Slide

18

A globally compatible Credit

system as common

denominator and challenge

Tuning methodology is of global significance: more than 100 countries involved

CLEAR CONCEPT

EASY TO UNDERSTAND

WORLDWIDE ACCEPTANCE

RESPECTS DIVERSITY

In conclusion:

TUNING’s Global

Significance

Including also again the countries

of continental Africa !

Welcome (back) to the TUNING

family !