Shared ‘Dublin’ descriptors for Short Cycle, First Cycle, Second Cycle and Third Cycle Awards
A report from a Joint Quality Initiative informal group (contributors to the document are provided in the Annex.
18 October 2004
1 INTRODUCTION
This note proposes a shared ‘Dublin’ descriptor for qualifications awarded to students that signify completion of the higher education short cycle (within the first cycle). The descriptor extends the existing Dublin descriptors for Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral awards that have been published previously through the Joint Quality Initiative.
In keeping with the Dublin Descriptors for the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral awards, the short cycle descriptor is a general statement of the expected attributes of a student following completion of a short cycle (within the first cycle) award that is independent of the precise nature of the educational process. The descriptor draws upon other sources some of which are associated with national frameworks of qualifications including:
Quality Assurance Agency Framework for higher education qualifications
Irish National Framework of Qualifications
Danish Qualifications Framework
The note also considers the sequence of three Dublin Descriptors that relate to completion of the first, second and third Bologna cycles and indicates the progression steps between the cycles.
2 BACKGROUND
2.1 The Berlin Communiqué
In September 2003 the Berlin Communiqué 2003, Ministers refer to an overarching framework of qualifications for the European Higher Education Area:
Ministers encourage the member States to elaborate a framework of comparable and compatible qualifications for their higher education systems, which should seek to describe qualifications in terms of workload, level, learning outcomes, competences and profile. They also undertake to elaborate an overarching framework of qualifications for the European Higher Education Area.
More specifically, in relation to qualifications frameworks and the shorter higher education qualifications the Communiqué mentions:
Ministers invite the Follow-up Group to explore whether and how shorter higher education may be linked to the first cycle of a qualifications framework for the European Higher Education Area.
2.2 On formulating a higher education short cycle (within the first cycle) descriptor
A range of higher education awards are available to students who have undertaken a programme of study within the Bologna first cycle, but which do not represent the full extent of this cycle. Such awards may prepare the student for employment, while also providing preparation for, and access to, studies to completion of the first cycle. These awards are referred to as higher education short cycle (within the first cycle). National systems may have various qualifications within the first cycle. This descriptor is intended for a commonly found type, which approximates to 120 ECTS credits or equivalent
3 DUBLIN DESCRIPTORS FOR SHORT CYCLE, FIRST CYCLE, SECOND CYCLE AND THIRD CYCLE AWARDS (Previously referred to as bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral awards)
3.1 ‘Dublin’ Descriptors
The JQI Dublin descriptors for Bachelors and Masters were first proposed in March 2002 (see: http://www.jointquality.org). The JQI meeting in Dublin on 23 March 2004 proposed that for a better understanding of the ‘Dublin descriptors’ in the context of the Berlin communiqué and their possible future usage, alternative headings, as indicated below, may be more appropriate. The JQI meeting on 23 March also proposed a set of shared descriptors for third cycle qualifications. The higher education short cycle (within the first cycle) descriptor was proposed following the JQI meeting in Dublin on 18 October 2004. The complete set of ‘Dublin descriptors’ is set out below:
* Qualifications that signify completion of the higher education short cycle (within the first cycle) are awarded to students who:
- have demonstrated knowledge and understanding in a field of study that builds upon general secondary education and is typically at a level supported by advanced textbooks; such knowledge provides an underpinning for a field of work or vocation, personal development, and further studies to complete the first cycle;
- can apply their knowledge and understanding in occupational contexts;
- have the ability to identify and use data to formulate responses to well-defined concrete and abstract problems;
- can communicate about their understanding, skills and activities, with peers, supervisors and clients;
- have the learning skills to undertake further studies with some autonomy.
* Qualifications that signify completion of the first cycle are awarded to students who (alternative title as proposed by the Joint Quality Initiative Meeting, in Dublin, on 23 March 2004):
- have demonstrated knowledge and understanding in a field of study that builds upon and their general secondary education, and is typically at a level that, whilst supported by advanced textbooks, includes some aspects that will be informed by knowledge of the forefront of their field of study;
- can apply their knowledge and understanding in a manner that indicates a professional (defined in Glossary 1) approach to their work or vocation, and have competences typically demonstrated through devising and sustaining arguments and solving problems within their field of study;
- have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their field of study) to inform judgements that include reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues;
- can communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences;
- have developed those learning skills that are necessary for them to continue to undertake further study with a high degree of autonomy.
* Qualifications that signify completion of the second cycle are awarded to students who:
- have demonstrated knowledge and understanding that is founded upon and extends and/or enhances that typically associated with Bachelor’s level, and that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and/or applying ideas, often within a research context;
- can apply their knowledge and understanding, and problem solving abilities in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their field of study;
- have the ability to integrate knowledge and handle complexity, and formulate judgements with incomplete or limited information, but that include reflecting on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgements;
- can communicate their conclusions, and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously;
- have the learning skills to allow them to continue to study in a manner that may be largely self-directed or autonomous.
* Qualifications that signify completion of the third cycle are awarded to students who:
- have demonstrated a systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of the skills and methods of research associated with that field;
- have demonstrated the ability to conceive, design, implement and adapt a substantial process of research with scholarly integrity;
- have made a contribution through original research that extends the frontier of knowledge by developing a substantial body of work, some of which merits national or international refereed publication;
- are capable of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas;
- can communicate with their peers, the larger scholarly community and with society in general about their areas of expertise;
- can be expected to be able to promote, within academic and professional contexts, technological, social or cultural advancement in a knowledge based society;
Glossary
1. The word ‘professional’ is used in the descriptors in its broadest sense, relating to those attributes relevant to undertaking work or a vocation and that involves the application of some aspects of advanced learning. It is not used with regard to those specific requirements relating to regulated professions. The latter may be identified with the profile / specification.
2. The word ‘competence’ is used in the descriptors in its broadest sense, allowing for gradation of abilities or skills. It is not used in the narrower sense identified solely on the basis of a ‘yes/no’ assessment.
3. The word ‘research’ is used to cover a wide variety of activities, with the context often related to a field of study; the term is used here to represent a careful study or investigation based on a systematic understanding and critical awareness of knowledge. The word is used in an inclusive way to accommodate the range of activities that support original and innovative work in the whole range of academic, professional and technological fields, including the humanities, and traditional, performing, and other creative arts. It is not used in any limited or restricted sense, or relating solely to a traditional 'scientific method'.
Differentiating between cycles
Cycle Knowledge and understanding:
1 (Bachelor) ... [Is] supported by advanced text books [with] some aspects informed by knowledge at the forefront of their field of study ..
2 (Master) ... provides a basis or opportunity for originality in developing or applying ideas often in a research context ..
3 (Doctorate) ... [includes] a systematic understanding of their field of study and mastery of the methods of research associated with that field..
Applying knowledge and understanding:
1 (Bachelor) ... [through] devising and sustaining arguments
2 (Master) ... [through] problem solving abilities [applied] in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts ..
3 (Doctorate) ... [is demonstrated by the] ability to conceive, design, implement and adapt a substantial process of research with scholarly integrity ..
... [is in the context of] a contribution that extends the frontier of knowledge by developing a substantial body of work some of which merits national or international refereed publication ..
Making judgements:
1 (Bachelor) ... [involves] gathering and interpreting relevant data ..
2 (Master) ... [demonstrates] the ability to integrate knowledge and handle complexity, and formulate judgements with incomplete data ..
3 (Doctorate) ... [requires being] capable of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas..
Communication
1 (Bachelor) ... [of] information, ideas, problems and solutions ..
2 (Master) ... [of] their conclusions and the underpinning knowledge and rationale (restricted scope) to specialist and non-specialist audiences (monologue) ..
3 (Doctorate) ... with their peers, the larger scholarly community and with society in general (dialogue) about their areas of expertise (broad scope)..
Learning skills ..
1 (Bachelor) ... have developed those skills needed to study further with a high level of autonomy ..
2 (Master) ... study in a manner that may be largely self-directed or autonomous..
3 (Doctorate) ... expected to be able to promote, within academic and professional contexts, technological, social or cultural advancement ..
Annex 1
List of Contributors in attendance at the JQI meeting in Dublin on the Short Cycle Descriptor on 18 October 2004.
Country - Name - Organisation - e-mail
Belgium - Nina Arnhold - EUA - [email protected]
Belgium - Stefan Delplace - EURASHE - [email protected]
Belgium - Linda De Kock - Ministry of Education - [email protected]
Belgium - Klara De Wilde - VLHORA - [email protected]
Denmark - Mogens Berg - UMV - [email protected]
Denmark - Tina Holm - EVA - [email protected]
Denmark - Anne-Katherine Mandrup - Um-Denmark - [email protected]
France - Sylvie Bonichon - Blois - [email protected]
Ireland - Jim Murray - NQAI - [email protected]
Ireland - Dermot Douglas - CDIT - [email protected]
Ireland - Karena Maguire - HETAC - [email protected]
Ireland - Orlaith McCaul - HETAC - [email protected]
Ireland - Bryan Maguire - DLIADT - [email protected]
Netherlands - Bert Broerse - Ministry of Education - [email protected]
Netherlands - Marlies Leegwater - Ministry of Education - [email protected]
Netherlands - Arian Van Staa - HBO-Raad - [email protected]
Norway - Tone Flood Strom - Ministry Ed & Res - [email protected]
Norway - Astri Hildrum
Spain - Juan Franco - ANECA - [email protected], [email protected]
UK - David Bottomley - QAA - [email protected]
UK - Nick Harris - QAA - [email protected]
font: http://www.fhk.ac.at/themen/Dublin_Descriptors_2004_1.31.pdf