National Qualifications Framework in Poland

Jolanta Rodzo Maria Curie-SklodowskaUniversity Lublin

The history of the Polish higher education

University of Krakow 1364.
From 1817 Jagiellonian University Nicolas Copernicus - 1491 - 1495 19th: 4 higher education institutions 1939: 18 higher education institutions (6 universities) 1990: 112 higher education institutions 2010: 470 higher education institutions

Collegium Maius the oldest building of University of Krakow

Reasons for increase in the number of higher schools?

Law on Higher Education 1990:

Green light to set up private higher schools
Number of higher education institutions
500 450 400 350

300
250 200 150 100 50 0 1990/1991 1992/1993 1995/1996 2000/2001 public schools 1 106 18 106 80 99 115 195

315

338

34% students

130 20052006

132 2010/2011

66% students

non-public schools

400 000 students

2 000 000 students

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Lublin
9 higher schools
5 public (state) schools 4 non-public schools

80 000 students Maria Curie Sklodowska University

24 000 students 56 courses of study 11 faculties

Poland in the European Higher Education Area

Memeber of the Bologna Process since 1999 Implementation of the objectives of the Bologna Process
Three-cycle degree system ECTS system Mobility programmes for students and teachers Flexible pathways of the learning process

2012
Implementation of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF)
the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

New rules in the teaching area New mechanisms of the quality control in higher education institutions

The reform

European (National) Qualifications Framework

Structure of the educational system

+
Description of planned learning oucomes for each level
Knowlegde Skills Social competences
formulated in a general way

The necessity to achieve the planned learning outcomes to obtain a diploma at a given level of education
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The structure of the National (Polish) Qualifications Framework

8 (3) 7 (2) 6 (1) 5 4 3 2 1 EQF levels Higher education levels 8 (3) 7 (2) 6 (1) 5 4 3 2 1 PQF levels
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Phd degree Masters degree Bachelors degree

Humanities

Art Sciences

Natural sciences

Exact sciences

Medical sciences

Social sciences

Technical sciences

Agricultural, forestry and veterinary sciences

The learning outomes for every domain in a more detailed way

Humanities K+S+SC

Art Sciences K+S+SC

Natural sciences K+S+SC

Exact sciences K+S+SC Agricultural, forestry and veterinary sciences K+S+SC

Medical sciences K+S+SC

Social sciences K+S+SC

Technical sciences K+S+SC

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The learning outomes for every domain in more detail way

Humanities K+S+SC

Art Sciences K+S+SC

Natural sciences K+S+SC

Exact sciences K+S+SC Agricultural, forestry and veterinary sciences K+S+SC

Medical sciences K+S+SC

Social sciences K+S+SC

Technical sciences K+S+SC

Separately for bachelors and masters degree

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Basis for the study programmes

The learning outomes for every domain in more detail way

Humanities K+S+SC

Art Sciences K+S+SC

Natural sciences K+S+SC

Exact sciences K+S+SC Agricultural, forestry and veterinary sciences K+S+SC

Medical sciences K+S+SC

Social sciences K+S+SC

Technical sciences K+S+SC

Separately for bachelor and master leveles

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How to create a study program?

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How to create a study program?

Political economics

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How to create a study program?

Humanit. Social Natural Technical Medical A+F+V Art Exact

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

Political economics

15

How to create a study program?

Humanit. Social Natural Technical Medical A+F+V Art Exact

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

Political economics
K S SC

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How to create a study program?

Humanit. Social Natural Technical Medical A+F+V Art Exact

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

Political economics
K S SC

GeoIT

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How to create a study program?

Humanit. Social Natural Technical Medical A+F+V Art Exact

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

Political economics
K S SC

GeoIT

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How to create a study program?

Humanit. Social Natural Technical Medical A+F+V Art Exact

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

K S SC

Political economics
K S SC

Geo-IT
K S SC

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And then.....
Prepare a set of subjects to achieve the planned learning outcomes Determine other elements of study programme (number of hours, ECTS, ....) Have it approved by the Faculty Council Have it approved by the Senate of a given school

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Compatibility of learning outcomes

Subject 1 Subject 1 Levels: PhD DEGREE The domain

The course
POLITICAL ECONOMICS

Subject 1
Subject 1

SOCIAL SCIENCES

MASTERS DEGREE

BACHELORS DEGREE Subject 1

Detailed learning outcomes

General learning outcomes

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Compatibility of learning outcomes

Subject 1 Subject 1 Levels: PhD DEGREE The domain

The course
POLITICAL ECONOMICS

Subject 1
Subject 1

SOCIAL SCIENCES

MASTERS DEGREE

BACHELORS DEGREE Subject 1

Detailed learning outcomes

General learning outcomes

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Compatibility of learning outcomes

Subject 1 Subject 1 Levels: PhD DEGREE The domain

The course
POLITICAL ECONOMICS

Subject 1
Subject 1

SOCIAL SCIENCES

MASTERS DEGREE

BACHELORS DEGREE Subject 1

Detailed learning outcomes

General learning outcomes

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New approach in practice

The old way:
Local, regional and global problems of envinronmental protection

The new way: Student:

analyzes environmental problems on a local, regional and global scale gives the examples of problems that can be solved on a local, regional and global scale presents proposals for solving particular problems takes part in disscusion on environmental problems is aware that his habits have an impact on the natural environment
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Strenghts of the new approach:

Focusing on the results of the learning process Emphasizing the priority of students position in the teaching process

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Important!
1. 2. The list of approved (by the Ministry) courses of study does not exist There is no need to obtain the Ministrys permission to organise a planned course of study The Ministry of Higer Education is informed which courses of study a given school organizes every year

3.

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New courses of study in 2012

> 50 new courses Examples:
Water recourse management Communication management Crisis management Interpersonal communication Public policy Human nutrition Food safety GeoIT
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Barriers:
The choice of domain for the planned course of study
The one in which the faculty is authorised to confer the degree of habilitation to the PhD

Inter-domain courses
Necessity to organise a course with another faculty (with rigts to confer the academic degrees in a suitable domain)

The faculties which are not authorised to confer the degree of habilitation to the PhD
Need to receive a permission of the Ministry of Higher Education
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Adaptation to the labour market:

Profiles of study:
General academic profile scientifically oriented Practical profile corresponding to the labour market
Empirically oriented subjects Workshops-style classes Emphasis on practical skills Vocational training Cooperation with external institutions and businesses
Profile is chosen at the faculty level

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Implementation of Qualifications Framework

Advantages: Autonomy of the faculties in:
creating courses of study preparing study programmes cooperation with external institutions

Disadvantages: Compulsory implementation of the internal Quality Assurance Accreditation process = external assessment

From faculties point of view

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What is the quality of education?

Everybody talks about it, but nobody has seen it

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Quality Assurance a compulsory task for the faculties:

Prepare and introduce the system of measures to ensure the high quality of education for us Prove that the quality system works for external assessment

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What does it mean?

To prepare the measures to ensure the quality of education Set of:
Methods of checking the learning outcomes (all of the planned ones) Methods of evaluating programmes Rules of cooperation with external institutions Methods of supporting students (more and less capable ones) Requirements for teachers Requirements for equipment Rules of teachers evaluation Etc.

To prove that the quality system works

To prepare the procedures for all elements of the educational process To show that the procedures are being used That the procedures are being evaluated and improved That procedures are known for students and teachers

Bureaucracy
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Structure of Quality Assurance

Faculty 1 Team for Quality of Education Assurance Faculty 2 Team for Quality of Education Assurance Faculty 3 Team for Quality of Education Assurance

University Team for Quality of Education Assurance

Rectors plenipotentiary the chairperson of the UTQEA

Faculty 4 Team for Quality of Education Assurance

Faculty 5 Team for Quality of Education Assurance

Faculty 6 Team for Quality of Education Assurance

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Accreditation body:
2001: the State Accreditation Committee 2011: the Polish Accreditation Committe
the only statutory body entrusted with the responsibility of evaluating the quality of higher education

Full member of:

European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA) - since December 2005 International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) - since May 2007 European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA)- since January 2009
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Types of accreditation process

Programme evaluation:
The chosen course of study
The programme The staff quality The equipment quality Syllabuses Ways of verifying learning outcomes Etc.

Institutional evaluation:
Management of educational system at the faculty
The procedures concerning particular elements of the educational process Process of implementation of the procedures

Everything that is connected with the educational process

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The attitude to the reform

The followers
There is a need to follow the changes in Europe, in the world The reform gives opportunity to create a better offer for students

The opponents
The new approach does not fit into the Polish higher educations tradition It relates to the primary school This way of thinking about higher education is impossible to be apllied. Reform should be rejected

The pragmatists
Work has to be done because of the accreditation process

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The faculties versus the reform

1. Reform as the necessity
Change in the form of programmes addition of the learning outcomes to the old programmes 2. Reform as the chance Deep changes in the educational offer,
New courses, new specialties adjusted to the modern society and the labour market

Development of the educational activity

Cooperation with external institutions, bussinesses Cooperation with students New forms of classes Etc.
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2012 students enrollment

Practical profile Courses relevant to the labour market New courses

Encouragement to extend the offer for students

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Students future career

Benefits ???

Losses ???

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Thank you for your attention

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