ATLANTIS Programme EU-US Cooperation in Higher Education and Training Policy Oriented Measure

SHORT-CYCLE HIGHER EDUCATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE BULGARIAN HIGHER EDUCATION

SYSTEM

ASSOC. PROF. TODOR RADEVINTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

“The project has been funded with the support of the European Commission in the frame of Atlantis Programme, EU-US Cooperation in Higher Education and Vocational Training, project “Short-Cycle Higher Education in the US and Europe: Addressing Social and Economic Needs” , n. 2008-2434/001-001 CPT USPOLI. This presentation reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein”

ATLANTIS ProgrammeEU-US Cooperation in Higher Education and

Training Policy Oriented Measure

International Conference “Recogniton and Accreditation of Short-Cycle Higher Education Programs in Europe and the

United States”June 15-17 2009., Golden Sands resort


Training Policy Oriented Measure

International Conference “Recogniton and Accreditation of Short-Cycle Higher Education Programs in Europe and the United States”, June 15-17 2009

WORLD TENDENCIES:

EXPANSION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION

DIVERSIFICATION

LIFELONG LEARNING

CHANGING NATURE OF KNOWLEGDE AND SKILLS

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TrainingPolicy Oriented Measure

POPULARIZATION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION Practice examples :

Shortening the education duration; Broadening the access to higher education.

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Dimensions:Number of students after completion of secondary school level in the age between 20 and 24 as a percentage of the whole population in this age:

EUROPEAN UNION /EU 25/ - 57%;

USA- 81%;

BULGARIA– 35%.




EXPANSION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION

Conclusions:

There is a need for a change in the system – increase of the number of students who are granted an admission and strengthening of the control during the studies in order to achieve better quality at the “exit”;

According to the Higher Education Act in the period between 2007/2008 and 2010/2011 a 100% increase of the places for admission in the higher education institutions is envisaged in compliance with their educational capacity.

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DIVERSIFICATON

Variety of different types and kinds of higher education institutions and programmes;

New structure and education degrees with different levels of qualification;

Different forms of study;

Proves from the practice:

Broadening the network of non-university

higher education institutions.



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DIVERSIFICATIONDimensions: In USA from 4200 higher education institutions more than 2200 are non-

university higher education institutions;

In the Netherlands the number of non-university higher education institutions specialized in the applied sciences is higher than the number of the classic universities;

In Germany more there are more than 130 similar institutions (Fachhochschule);

In Austrian we recognize Universities of Applied Sciences;

In France there are more than 450 so called Technological Institutes;

In Bulgaria the professional higher education is represented and developed within the structure of the specialized higher education schools and independent colleges.



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DIVERSIFICATIONConclusions (1):

The variety of higher education institutions in Europe and across the globe provides better opportunity for social inclusion, broader access to education in different periods of life and wider choice of the type of education;

The different types of higher education institutions ensure the mobility possibility for the students;

In Bulgaria the higher education institution system is hierarchical and within it the professional colleges enjoy the lowest prestige.



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DIVERSIFICATIONConclusions (2):

The structure of the higher education institution system is not recently updated and does not respond to the present needs;

The higher education institutions have lost their traditional face -they offer a wide variety of programmes, for example interior design and law;

In the framework of the same university we can find elements of the professional and academic education at the same time;

The difference between the specialized higher education institutions is not clear and evident for the end consumer – the conditions for opening, validation, accreditation of a higher education institution and the education degrees which it offers are the same.



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LIFELONG LEARNINGExamples from the practice:

The need of LL arises from the technological development;

LL provides opportunity for increase of the competitiveness and

adaptability to labor market;

The universities have to rethink their position in the society and

their links to the business.



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LIFELONG LEARNINGPerspectives in front of Europe

Up to 2030 (according to the statistics of EU): Increase of the elderly population with almost 14 millions; Decrease of the young population with approx. 9 millions; Number of students within the education system decreases

with 2 millions; Approx. 72 millions Europeans have insufficient or even

missing qualification.



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LIFELONG LEARNING Today’s situation

Participation in the different forms of LL (in age between 30 and 34): European Union - 4,1%; USA - 7%; Bulgaria – 1.6%.



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LIFELONG LEARNING Conclusions on the ongoing lifelong learning

process in Bulgaria: The higher education system in Bulgaria is traditional, closed,

and mainly oriented towards the Bachelors’ and Masters’ degrees;

The business has sporadic connection to the academic world and is not interested in short-cycle education programmes, because they are mostly unknown, do not seem to meet its requirements and the lifelong learning system is less developed;

The higher education institutions are not interested and motivated to develop short-cycle education programmes, because these programmes would require changes in the programmes and flexibility of the education;



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LIFELONG LEARNING Conclusions:

The processes of lifelong learning require and demand essential changes in the higher education system;

The University of the 21. century has a new function and role – it should offer a wide variety of courses aiming at increase and improvement of the qualification in compliance with the needs and requirements of the business and individual consumers;

The lifelong learning processes open new horizons in front of the higher education institutions.



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Changing nature of knowledge and skills

The universities should create and stimulate the development of new skills and abilities in the students;

Students should learn to study and work independently;

A new systematic approach should be acquired and applied;

New interactive forms of education should be applied in addition to the classical education forms in order to develop team spirit and other new skills in the students.

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HIGHER EDUCATION IN BULGARIA Until 1989 the higher education in Bulgaria is state,centralized, marked by a lack of public control andacademic competition;At present in Bulgaria the dependence of thehigher education institutions from the statecontinues – the state defines the budget, thenumber of students, the type of investments etc.



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Harmonization of the Bulgarian higher education with the European Higher Education Area

European system for credit transfer and accumulation is introduced;

University systems for quality assurance are being developed;

Functioning education degrees – Bachelor and Master.

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Qualification framework in the European Higher Education Area

Short-cycle (within the framework of the first level) – approx. 120 ECTS;

I cycle/level – 180 – 240 ECTS;

II cycle/level – 90 - 120 ECTS;

III cycle/level – there is no system developed for credit transfer.

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TrainingPolicy Oriented

Measure

Qualification framework - Ireland


BULGARIAEducation system according to

ISCE-97

2А

POSTELEMENTATY EDUCATION OR SECOND STAGE OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

General education: Levels V-VIIIAge - 11-14 years.Duration - 4 years

Professional (after VI or VIIlevel) – I degree professional qualification

Age - 13 (14)-15 years.Duration 3 or 2 years.

2С

Vocational education for adults - I degree professional qualification (after VI level)

Age – 16 or more years.Duration - min. 300

hours2В

No programmes

3А

SECONDARY EDUCATIONSecondary general education IX-XII leves

Age - 15-18; Duration - 4 year.Secondary general education (specialized programmes) VIII-XII levels

Age - 14-18 г.; Duration - 5 г.Professional education – II degree professional qualification

Age - 15-18 years, Duration - 4 yeasrsProfessional education – III

Level of professional qualification(IX-XIII level. or VIII-XIII level)

Age - 15-19 or 14-19 years.Duration - 5 years. (after elementary education)

Duration - 6 years. (after VII level)

3В

No programmes

4СVOCATIONAL EDUCATION AFTER THE SECONDARY

EDUCATION– IV degreeProfessional qualification

Age - 19-20 years. Duration - 2 years.Vocational education for adults– III and IV degree

Professional qualification(after completed secondary education.) Age – 19 or more years.

Duration - min. 960 hours

4А

No programmes

0

Preliminary educationAge - 3-6 years.

Duration - 4 years.

1

PRELIMINARY EDUCATION OR FIRST LEVEL OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

Level - I-IV; Age - 7-10 years.Duration - 4 years.

3СVocational education – I degree

Professional qualification(after completed elementary education)

Age - 15-16 years. Duration – 1- 2 years.Vocational education for adults– II degree professional qualification

(after Х level)Age – 16 or more years.

Duration - min. 660 hours

5АHIGHER EDUCATION

Qualification degree “Bachelor”Age - 19-22 years.

Duration - 4 г.Qualification degree “Master”

Age - 19-23 or 19-24Duration - 5-6 years.

Qualification degree “Master”Age - 23-23 (24) years.

Duration - 1-2 years after the award of a “Bachelor” degree

5В

HIGHER EDUCATIONQualifiction degree “Professional Bachelor”

Age - 19-21 years.Duration - 3 years.

6

Qualification degree “Doctor” Age - 24-26 years.

Duration – 3-4 years.

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BULGARIAEducation System in Accordance with The International Standard Classification of

Education (ISCE)-97

3АSecondary Education

4СVocational Education after Secondary

Education

4АNo Programmes

5АHIGHER EDUCATION

Bachelor qualification degree Age - 19-22

Duration - 4 yearsMaster qualification degree

Age - 19-23 or 19-24Duration - 5-6 years

Master qualification degree Age - 23-23 (24)

Duration - 1-2 years aftera Bachelor degree

5ВHIGHER EDUCATION

Professional Bachelor qualification degree

Age - 19-21Duration- 3 years

6Doctor qualification degree

Age - 24-26Duration – 3-4 years



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Structure of degrees in Bulgaria

Within secondary professional education - from 1st to 4th qualification degree with ascending requirements towards skills, competences and knowledge;

In higher education there is no such a framework;

With the adopted changes in 2007 for higher education, the education structure turned into the following scheme 3+2+3, a lot preferred by the private higher schools, or 4+1+4, in the state universities.

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Why to introduce the SCHE in Bulgaria (1)

It facilitates the access to higher education;

The industry might mostly prefer such education, because it ensures the opportunity to shorten the period between studying and practicing;

The short cycle graduation and labor market entering would provide many people the opportunity to return to the higher education system and continue further on their education cycle;


Why to introduce the SCHE in Bulgaria(2)

SCHE with 120 ESTC awarded (up to 2 years) will give the opportunity for students’ mobility worldwide and recognition of the obtained qualification;

It provides the universities with the opportunity to think out their educational policy and to meet the needs of the business.

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ATLANTIS ProgrammeEU-US Cooperation in Higher

Education and TrainingPolicy Oriented Measure



Международна конференция “Признаване и акредитация на краткосрочните програми за висше образование в Европа и САЩ: изравняване на образователните системи”15-17 юни, 2009

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

For contacts:International University College

9300 Dobrich, Bulgaria3, Bulgaia str.

Tel.: +359 58 / 655620, 655626 Fax: +359 58/ 605760

e-mail: [email protected]

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Documents

ATLANTIS Programme EU-US Cooperation in Higher Education and Training Policy Oriented Measure