Permeability at level 5: the short cycle and beyond

Bryan Maguire

Director of Quality Assurance, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)

Peer Learning Activity, Brussels, 20-21 June, 2016

The long path to the short cycle• Bologna process policy and

implementation• CEDEFOP study of the diversity and

promise of EQF level 5• Systems design, institutional

imperatives and learner agency

Yerevan ministerial communiqué (2015)

• “to include short cycle qualifications in the overarching framework of qualifications for the European Higher Education Area (QF-EHEA), based on the Dublin descriptors for short cycle qualifications and quality assured according to the ESG, so as to make provision for the recognition of short cycle qualifications in their own systems, also where these do not comprise such qualifications”

EHEA implementation report 2015

YES, and short cycle programmes exist and they are considered as part of HEYES, short cycle programmes exist but they are considered as part of VETNO short cycle programmes exist. Country considers short programmes as part of VETNO short cycle programmes exist. Country considers short programmes part of HEData not available

CEDEFOP (2014) classification of level 5 qualifications

Policy drivers for level 5 qualifications

• To bring education and the world of work closer together

• To meet the skills deficit at intermediate level due to the economical, technological or societal developments

• To contribute to meet the participation target for the 18-30 population

• To offer opportunities for those who want to enter HE later in life

• To give a stimulus to LLL: upskilling and reskilling workforce

Profile of level 5 qualifications– Level 5 qualifications are only considered as an

intermediate step towards a (mostly professionally oriented) bachelor degree;

– Level 5 qualifications are independent qualifications with primarily a labour market relevance

– Level 5 qualifications are independent qualifications but provide clearly articulated entry and progression opportunities into a (professionally oriented) bachelor programme (the focus of the level 5 provision is mainly on transition and a stepping stone to HE for non-traditional students)

– Level 5 qualifications have a double function: progressing in professional career and progressing in higher education

Different types of institutions authorized to offer level 5

– Higher education institutions– Centres for adult education– A VET college– A college for further education– Schools for post-secondary vocational

education– Other providers, including private

providers– Mixture of arrangements

Popular fields of learning– Information technology– Media– Automatization– New technologies– Child care and education– Health care– Tourism and hospitality– Social work– Business (retail)– Logistics– Etc.

Qualification names– Associate degree– Vocational qualification/degree– Occupational qualification– Advanced certificate– Higher certificate;– Brevet de technician supérieur– Diplôme universitaire de techonologie– Craftsman diploma– Undergraduate certificate– VET higher diploma– Foundation degree– Higher national diploma– Higher national certificate– etc

Learning pathways– Full-time school/college based programmes

including short work placements or substantial work placements (up to 1/3?)

– Part-time school/college based programmes including short work placements or substantial work placements (up to 1/3?)

– Dual programmes; periods of employment/work combined with school/college based programmes

– Validation of non-formal learning and informal learning

– Long work placement combined with periods of schooling/mandatory courses

Learner cohort– Age: traditional HE age cohort, adult

learners, – Work experience (validation?)– In employment – Educational background:

• secondary VET• general secondary education • Other level 5 qualification • Prior HE qualification

Progression to HE– Notional/planned– The share of level 5 qualifications

holders that progress to HE: less than 10%, between 10-25 %, between 25-50% or more than 50%;

– Credit transfer course by course– Block credit transfer– Agreements between the institutions

concerned

Progression to HE• Half of the EQF level 5 qualifications are SCHE

qualifications: generally provide access to BA: (e.g. NL, FR, IE, MT, UK), but the extent to which they are recognised for progression with credit differs across countries

• 120 ECTS credits can be transferred (e.g. HR, NL, FR, IE, LU, MT, UK):– Closely articulated with bachelor programme curricular fit)– Bilateral agreements /institutional cooperation, top up ‐

programmes, ‘articulation hubs’ in Scotland• Progression opportunities are used differently across

and within the countries• Progression to HE is not an explicit goal for some CVET

qualifications (with strong labour market focus)

Sociological perspectives• Literature on transition to HE

– Gale & Parker (2014)• Transition as

– Induction– Development– Becoming

• Social background of participants in different institutions/levels/fields

International recognition/articulation

Country of origin Receiving countryRecognition articulation

SCHE level 5 qualif. SCHE level 5 qualif.++ ++

HVET level 5 qualif SCHE level 5 qualif.-/+ -/+

SCHE level 5 qualif. HVET level 5 qualif.+ +

HVET level 5 qualif. HVET level 5 qualif.++ -/+

Non-formal learning. SCHE level 5 qualif-/- -/-

SCHE level 5 qualif. Non-formal learning.-/+ ++

HVET level 5 qualif. Non formal learning.+ -/+

Questions for discussion• What should be the basic characteristics of the short

cycle programme so they can be treated by all EHEA members as a HE qualifications?

• How short cycle qualifications should be treated in EHEA countries which do not comprise such qualifications (e.g. in terms of holders’ progression)?

• What factors are facilitating/hindering recognition and articulation/permeability national and cross-border? (on the basis of examples of good practices, stories, facts, ..)

• What are the rationales/driving factors for facilitating articulation?