“ECTS, as a Transfer and Accumulation System,
and the engineering curriculum design”
Prof. Iacint Manoliu
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest
Workshop
“ECD EAST, Engineering Curricula Design”
Kaunas, 21-22 February 2011
Contents
Credits-hours in U.S.A.
ECTS in Europe
CATS
Thematic Network EUCEET and ECTS
Tuning
Thematic Network TREE and ECTS
MOCCA
EQF
Conclusions
Credit-hours in U.S.A.
“Notes on the civil engineering education in USA”
“In order to understand a study programme at an American
university is necessary to explain, in first place, how are “accounted
for” the learning activities of the students. The existence in parallel of
compulsory courses and of others, which, although compulsory, can
be selected from a certain block, as well as the objective necessity of
facilitating the transfer from an university to an other one and, hence,
to have common measuring units, lead to the generalization in the
American universities of the system of credit-hours which consist in
the following: to each course is attributed a certain weight expressed
in “credit-hours”. Usually, the number of the “credit-hours” is equal to
the number of lecture hours per week assigned to the respective
subject. Sometimes, however, when besides lectures to the subject
are assigned also laboratory hours or other practical activities, the
number of the “credit-hours” can be greater than the number of
lecture hours.
The final condition for the degree is the following one: the graduate
must prove that he/she collected the number of “credit-hours”
required for the given study programme, obtained from both the
compulsory subjects and from the elective ones.
The total number of “credit-hours” needed for graduation varies
from institution to institution. However, a figure frequently met in civil
engineering departments is 136 “credit-hours”. For an average
number of 3 hours/week assigned to a course, the 136 “credit-hours”
imply the success, along the four years of study, in 45 courses, 5 or 6
in each semester”.
Manoliu, I. ”“Notes on the civil engineering education in USA” (in Romanian)
Buletinul Stiintific, Institutul de Constructii Bucuresti, Nr. 4/1969
U. T. Austin
web page: http://www.utexas.edu/
ACCREDITATION BOARD FOR ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
(ABET) 2010 – 2012 CURRICULAR DISTRIBUTION
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN BACHELOR OF
SCIENCE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the University of Teas at Austin is
currently accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering Technology (ABET). The
minimum ABET curricular distribution combines MATHEMATICS and BASIC SCIENCES (32
hours), ENGINEERING TOPICS including ENGINEERING SCIENCE and ENGINEERING
DESIGN (48 hours), and
GENERAL EDUCATION including HUMANITIES and SOCIAL
SCIENCES (16 hours).
Completion of a program of study in engineering which is accredited by ABET at time of
graduation is considered to meet the education requirements for registration as a
Professional Engineer by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers.
ECTS in Europe
A historical note
During the period 1989-1995 the European Commission developed the European
Credit Transfer System (ECTS), in close collaboration with some 145 higher
education institutions. The intention of this system was to come up with a tool
that would make it possible to compare periods of academic studies of different
universities in different countries. Such an instrument was thought necessary to
improve the recognition of studies completed abroad. ECTS was intended to be a
transfer system, to connect the different higher education systems and structures
of the countries in Europe. As a transfer system, based on general assumptions
concerning workload and information and on a philosophy of mutual trust and
confidence, it worked well.
Experience of European universities before the
introduction of ECTS
A Tempus projects initiated and coordinated by TUCEB:
The CESNET project (1995 – 1998)
The Technical University of Civil
Engineering Bucharest
1. Faculty of Civil, Industrial and Agricultural Buildings
2. Faculty of Hydrotechnics
3. Faculty of Railways, Roads and Bridges
4. Faculty of Building Services
5. Faculty of Technological Equipment
6. Faculty of Geodesy
7. Faculty of Engineering in Foreign Languages
Universities partner in CESNET
From Romania
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest
Politehnica University Timisoara
Technical University “Gheorghe Asachi” Iasi
Technical University Cluj-Napoca
From EU
Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées Paris
City University London
Technische Universitat Berlin
Politecnico di Torino
Universidad Politecnica de Madrid
Instituto Superior Tecnico Lisbon
National Technical University Athens
CESNET mobilities at undergraduate
level
• Romanian students at level BAC + 4
• From the whole list of subjects offered by the host institution at
both undergraduate and graduate level, was established a
“menu” made of those subjects which fitted in the programme of
the 4th years of study at the Romanian university
From a CESNET report at the end of the second
year of the project:
“The positive experience of the mobilities at undergraduate level
organized in the academic year 1996-1997, led to the decision to
include such mobilities, in even greater number, in the third and last
year of the CESNET project.
Although none of the involved institutions has so far adopted the
European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), the use of documents similar
to those implemented by ECTS, like the “Student application form”,
the “Learning agreement” or he “Transcript of records” will, no doubt,
be very beneficial”.
Brussels, 6 February 2009
ECTS credits and workload
Credits are always described by the level at which they are awarded,
based on the level of learning outcomes of the programme or
component. Only credits awarded at the appropriate level can be
accumulated towards a qualification. The appropriate level is
stipulated in the national or institutional progression rules.
From the key features:
“Workload indicates the time students typically need to complete all
learning activities (such as lectures, seminars, projects, practical
work, self-study and examinations) required to achieve the expected
learning outcomes.”
CATS
Q: What is CATS?
A: A famous musical (second
longest-running show in
Broadway history) composed
by Andrew Lloyd Weber
…
CATS = Credit and Accumulation Transfer
System
A CATS implemented at
the Technical University of Civil Engineering
Bucharest
(paper presented at the CATS Conference in Derby by
Prof. Iacint MANOLIU and Prof. Ovidiu IANCULESCU )
The CATS was introduced at TUCEB
for the first year of study
in the academic year 1997-1998
A sample: Plan of study in use in the academic year 2010-2011 at the Faculty
of Engineering in Foreign Language for the first two-years of study
Thematic Network EUCEET and
ECTS
The Thematic Network Project EUCEET,
initiated by TUCEB and coordinated by
ENPC
EUCEET I
1998 –2001
EUCEET Dissemination
2001 –2002
EUCEET II
2002 –2005
EUCEET III
2006 –2010
Specific Project 8 of EUCEET II
“Synergies between TN EUCEET and
other activities under the SOCRATES Erasmus Programme”
tackled the matter of ECTS
A survey was conducted among academic partners in EUCEET, with 33
answers coming from 20 countries.
One of the question was:
“Do you follow the rule that 1 ECTS credit = 30 working hours?”
Only 3% of respondents said YES
TUNING
Five lines of approach
• generic competences or transferrable skills
• subject specific competences
• new perspectives on ECTS as a transfer and
accumulation system
• approaches to learning, teaching and assessment
• the role of quality enhancement in the educational
process
Tuning Educational Structures in Europe
Phase I: 2000 – 2002
Subject areas:
Business Administration
Chemistry
Geology
Education Sciences
European Studies
History
Mathematics
Physics
Phase II: 2003 - 2006
As a Synergy Group in 2004 – 2005:
Civil Engineering
The Tuning approach
Credits and learning outcomes
In an accumulation and transfer system, credits and learning outcomes, expressed in
terms of competences are inseparably linked. They are the two sides of the same coin.
While credits express the volume of learning, learning outcomes express the content of
that learning. Credits are only awarded when the learning outcomes are achieved by the
learner. However, in general terms there is not a one to one relationship between
credits and learning outcomes. The time required for the average learner or typical
student to achieve the learning outcomes is decided not only by the volume of
knowledge and skills to be taught and learned but also by the context in which the
process of learning takes place.
The Tuning approach
Overall curriculum designing
Role of desired learning outcomes
In the quantitative framework assured by the use of credits, it would seem beneficial to
develop course programmes on the basis of desired learning outcomes.
The learning outcomes foreseen for the first cycle and the second cycle must be clearly
distinguished. Although the final outcomes and the competences to be acquired should be
discipline/ programme related, more general objectives can be formulated also. In practice
two types of learning outcomes can be distinguished:
• General competences (transferable skills)
• Subject specific competences (theoretical, practical and/or experimental knowledge and
subject related skills)
Both should have a recognisable place in the course programme and should be verifiable at
the end.
The Tuning approach
Student workload
Four steps
The Tuning approach
PLANNING FORM FOR AN EDUCATIONAL
MODULE
(to be completed by the teacher)
Programme of Studies: …………………………………………………………..........…......…..................
Name of the module / course unit: ……………………………………………..............……..............
Type of course (e.g. major, minor, elective): …………………..............……………………………….
Level of the module / course unit (e.g. BA, MA, PhD): …………………………..….........………..
Prerequisites: ..............……………………………………........…………………………....…………………….
Number of ECTS credits: ……………………………………………………….........……..........................
Competences to be developed:
1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….
3. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Learning outcomes
Educational activities
Estimated student
work time in hours
Assessment
The Tuning approach
FORM FOR CHECKING WORLOAD OD AN EDUCATIONAL MODULE
(to be completed by the student)
Programme of Studies: …………………………………………………………..........…......…..................
Name of the module / course unit: ……………………………………………..............……..............
Type of course (e.g. major, minor, elective): …………………..............……………………………….
Level of the module / course unit (e.g. BA, MA, PhD): …………………………..….........………..
Prerequisites: ..............……………………………………........…………………………....…………………….
Number of ECTS credits: ……………………………………………………….........……..........................
Competences to be developed:
1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….
3. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Learning outcomes
Educational activities
Estimated student
work time in hours
Assessment
The Tuning approach
Thematic Network TREE
and ECTS
Thematic Network
Teaching and Research in Engineering
Education
(2004 – 2008)
Special Interest Group A2:
From ECTS to a complete qualification profile in Engineering
Education
A survey among institutions, with 28 respondents
“Have been undertaken in your institution actions in order to link the 12 – YES
credits with the learning outcomes and levels of study?”
16 – NOT
YES or NOT
A survey among students – 30 respondents from 6 countries
Few questions and answers
“Was the respondent involved in the preparation of the learning 28 – YES
agreement between the sending institution and the host institution?”
2 – NOT
YES or NOT
“Was the learning agreement modified after the arrival of the respondent 12 – YES
at the host institution and for what reasons?”
18 – NOT
YES or NOT
“Following the recognition of the study period abroad, had the 4 – YES
respondent to undertake additional activities at the house institution, in 26 – NOT
order to compensate fro missing course, units, in total or in part
(chapters, projects etc)? YES or NOT
“In a ranking scale of 1 to 4, please make an evaluation of the impact 4 – moderate;
made by the study period aboard on your academic development”
7 – great;
(1 – little;
19 – very great
2 – moderate;
3 – great;
4 – very great)
Brussels, 6 February 2009
References for further reading
Curriculum design
Volker Gehmlich, Andy Gibbs, Raimonda Markeviciene, Terence
Mitchell, Graeme Roberts, Anne Siltala, Marina Steinmann
(2008)
Yes! Go! A Practical Guide to Designing Degree Programmes
with Integrated Transnational Mobility, DAAD
http://eu.daad.de/eu/mocca/06493.html
MOCCA
Q: What is MOCCA?
A: A well known and most popular coffee
blend
…
MOCCA = Model for Core Curricula with
Integrated Mobility Abroad
European
Qualifications
Framework
EQF
implementation in
Romania
NQRHE is the instrument for
optimising the university
curricula, for ensuring
readability and convergence
of learning outcomes for all
levels and types of
programmes within the
national qualifications
system. NQRHE is a catalyst
for the implementation of
the Bologna process and an
essential stage for the
European and international
recognition of diplomas and
qualifications.
Conclusions
15 years after its introduction, ECTS became a system
quasi generalized in the European higher education area.
The tremendous development in recent years of the
mobility of Erasmus students would have not been possible
without the use of ECTS.
Accumulation of credits, following the rules established
by each higher education institution, sets a basis for successful
completion of a degree programme.
As a quantitative framework, expressing the volume of
learning, credits have a role in the design of a curriculum.
However, this cannot be a principal role.
In first place should come the learning outcomes (in
correlation with the level in the qualifications framework).
Then, credits required for achieving the learning
outcomes have to be established.
Thank you for your
attention