The Bologna Declaration and its implementation at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium)

JEP UM -18094-2003

Zagreb, 28 October 2004

An Huts

International Relations Office

K.U.Leuven

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium)

Leuven

K.U.Leuven

• Founded in 1425• Founding member of the Coimbra Group of the

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) from 130 countries

K.U.Leuven

• 30.000 students• 7571 staff at the university:

1424 professors

851 assistant professors

2624 researchers

2672 administrative staff• 7365 staff at the university hospital• yearly university budget: 442 Mio euros

K.U.Leuven : former degree structure

• « Kandidaat » first cycle: two years (120 ECTS)

• Licentiate/Engineer/pharmacist second cycle:

two years (120 ECTS) or

three years (180 ECTS)

depending on the discipline

• Medical doctor first cycle: 3 y.second cycle: at least 4 y.

• PhD programmes in each faculty 4 years

• Semester system

• ECTS is applied

K.U.Leuven : New degree structure (2004- …)

• Academic standards for all master degrees

• PhD degrees in all faculties

• New legal framework: academic bachelors and masters at universities, professional bachelors at polytechnics

• 6 associations in Flanders

The institutional response to Bologna: institutional objectives

• Re-think and optimize the curricula: large scale and comprehensive innovation, convergence of all recent reforms in one adapted development plan (educational concept, curriculum development, ICT and innovation, semester system)

• Profile its international mission and position: attractiveness, competitiveness

The institutional response: overview

• from 1998: discussion in the faculties (Sorbonne)• 2001-2004: preparation of the reform• 2004-2010: implementation into practice• Working method:

- Setting up a Steering Committee to create an institutional framework and to prepare the implementation

- Large scale and deep level operation- Contribution to the national decision making process

Structures for the Bologna reform

• The Standing Programme Committees: programme directors, 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

Summary of the approach

• 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

Specific options at K.U.Leuven

Three main objectives:

• Central educational concept: guided independent learning

• General principles for all curricula

• Internationalisation

Central educational concept: guided independent learning

Five objectives of guided independent learning, reconciling teaching and research:– knowledge of results of scientific research

– understanding of procedures of scientific research and critical scientific attitude

– interpretation of new information

– active contribution to knowledge development

– evaluation of scientific information and development of a personal view on issues in society

Guided independent learning

Guidance:– learner centered vs

teacher centered (constructive learning)

– collaborative learning

– well-balanced

– monitoring diminishing over time (scaffolding - fading)

General principles for all curricula

• Educational capacity as a key criterium:– academic staff:

• quality (competence)• quantity (number of staff available)

– intake of students– outflow of certified students

• Total number of curricula: not more than at present

General principles for all curricula

• Priorities :- re-engineer existing curricula

- create multidisciplinary programmes

– propose entirely new curricula

• Total length of studies:– not longer than before

– exceptions to be motivated (educationally/resources available)

Bachelor programmes

• Features:– general academic education

– basic competencies in a scientific discipline

– preparation for a study at the master level

– 180 ECTS

• Bachelors not free-standing, prepare for a master

Master programmes

• Features:– preparing for a research or professional career– more profound approach, research-based master project

(at least 20 ECTS)

• Structure:– entrance requirements: at least one specific bachelor

degree; in some cases a prior master degree;– 60 or 120 ECTS – access for international students (FL policy)– various main subjects within one master

Master in advanced studies

• Features:– very specialized– research-based– international context

• Structure:– entrance requirements: master degree– access for international students

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• Motivation based on information of the market

(stakeholders) and international comparison• When: October 2001 - May 2002 (selection in

October): 250 proposals were processed

Stage 2: Selection of proposals:

Results

Existing Restructured/newprogrammes programmes

Rest. New Total

First cycle 51 Bachelor 52 1 53Second cycle 63 Initial master 84 1 85Third cycle 111 Non-initial ma 59 16 75Total 230 Total 195 18 213

Stage 2: Development and approval of curricula

• Who: the Standing Programme Committees• What: Elaboration of the curricula• Educational guidelines of the Academic Council• Consultancy on demand

by central support service (6 specialized staff)

• Result: recognition by Academic Council

• When: October 2002 - May 2003

Stage 3: Implementation of the Programmes

Implementation in cohorts: • guidance by special service• October 2004:

– start first Ba-programmes– start post-Ma programmes (master level)– start Ma in advanced studies

• October 2007: start of first Ma-programmes • October 2008: start most Ma-programmes• October 2010: start last Ma-programmes

Internationalisation of curricula

• Horizontal and vertical mobility, physical and virtual mobility

• Co-operation at the programme level: international course teams, joint programmes and degrees, international seminars,…

• Master in advanced studies• PhD students • Programmes taught in a

foreign language• Attractiveness

and competitiveness

Evaluation (2003)

• Focus on curriculum reform, bachelor-master structure and ECTS, quality assurance and accreditation (conditions for success)

• European orientation is to be elaborated : mobility, university co-operation, European competitiveness/

attractiveness

• Complementarity with the

curricula of the polytechnics in the K.U.Leuven Association.

Further development plan (2003-2006): focus

• Guided independent learning

• Flexibility (access; study progress

planning; method; curriculum)

• Internationalisation