Howest and

Higher Educationin Europe & Flanders

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Belgium

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Belgium• a federal state• Dutch-speaking Flemings of the North and the French-

speaking Walloons of the South• with constitutional amendments granting these Regions

(economics) and Communities (language, culture, education) formal recognition and autonomy

• with three levels of government▫ Federal▫ regional ▫ linguistic community

• with a complex division of responsibilities, not taking into account the provincial level and the local level

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Belgium• Belgium is a hereditary constitutional monarchy• the King is the head of the State. He is above all religions,

ideologies, political persuasions, debates or economic interests.

• the King is the guardian of the country's unity and independence.

• he is of high value for international relations and trade.• but Belgium is also a federal state

▫ with a federal prime minister▫ and several Minister-Presidents for the Regions and Communities!

• Population ▫ Belgium: 11 mio inhabitants▫ Flanders: 6,2 mio inhabitants▫ Province of West-Flanders: 1,2 mio inhabitants

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Province of West-Flanders

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Province of West-Flanders• The Province is the interface between the policies at the

different governmental levels. It is situated between the European, the federal and the Flemish authorities on the one hand, and the municipalities on the other.

• The Provincial Council outlines the Province’s policies. The council consists of a chairperson and 84 members. The members of the Provincial Council belong to different political parties and are democratically elected every six years.

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Brugge

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Brugge

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Some pictures: Zeebrugge

Zeebrugge

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Some pictures: Kortrijk

Kortrijk

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Some pictures: Ypres

Ieper

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Some pictures: Oostende

Oostende

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Higher Education in Europe• 47 “Bologna” countries (most recent one = Kazachstan)• > 5600 HE institutions • > 31 mio students• Bologna process = process of creating the EHEA (European

Higher Education Area)• The envisaged European Higher Education Area will

▫ facilitate mobility of students, graduates and higher education staff

▫ prepare students for their future careers and for life as active citizens in democratic societies, and support their personal development

▫ offer broad access to high-quality higher education, based on democratic principles and academic freedom

16Bologna

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Bologna (It)• based on Bologna-declaration (19 june 1999) between 29 EU

countries▫ transparant HE structure with 3 cycles (ba – ma – PhD)▫ Europese Qualification Framework (EQF), translated into national

compatible qualification structures (Flemish QS)▫ quality assurance conform ESG (European Standards and Guidelines)▫ recognition of foreign qualifications (ECTS – DS)▫ context LLL (LifeLongLearning)

• Leuven (B) communiqué (april 2009): status after 10 years Bologna and goals for next 10 years▫ goal: 20% mobility before 2020 (ambitious?)

• Budapest-Vienna declaration (march 2010) (47 EU countries)

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BaMa structure

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Flemish Qualification Structure• implementation of EQF• classification of qualifications = base for LLL• qualification = a set of competences for which ‘students’ can

obtain a legal certificate by the Flemish Government• a qualification shows what competences are relevant for a

profession or to start an education program• how can you receive a qualification?

▫ through education▫ through EVC (earlier obtained competences): prove your

competences by a portfolio, …• level descriptors in terms of learning outcomes:

▫ level 6: bachelor▫ level 7: master▫ level 8: PhD

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Flemish Qualification Structure• Professional Bachelor degree studies (PBA) have the

objective to bring students to a level of general and specific knowledge and competences required to perform a particular profession or group of professions independently. A professional Bachelor’s program can therefore lead directly to a place on the labour market.

• The main objective of the Academic Bachelor degree studies (ABA) is that students go on to a Master’s program. Thus they are geared towards bringing the students to a certain level of scientific or artistic knowledge and competences, in general, and towards a specific field of sciences or arts in particular. Preparing students for the labour market is only a secondary objective.

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ECTS - DS• ECTS: European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System

▫ compatible with EQF▫ European system to recognice qualifications▫ based on the workload of students to reach the ‘learning outcomes’ ▫ 60 ECTS = 1 year ; 30 ECTS = 1 semester (1 ECTS = 25 – 30 hours of

study time) (1 year = 1500 – 1800 hours)▫ Credits can only be obtained after successful completion of the work

required and appropriate assessment of the learning outcomes achieved▫ transfer of ECTS credits only if credits and learning outcomes are

recognised by cooperating institutions (learning agreement before mobility)

▫ responsibility of quality assurance for each institution (accreditation)▫ base documents:

study guide student application form learning agreement and transcript of records Diploma Supplement (DS)

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ECTS grading scale

Grade best/Next

Definition

A 10 %

B 25 %

C 30 %

D 25 %

E 10 %

FX Fail - some more work required before the credit can be awarded

F Fail - considerable further work is required

EXCELLENT - outstanding performance with only minor errors

VERY GOOD -above the average standard but with some errors

GOOD -generally sound work with a number of notable errors

SATISFACTORY- fair but with significant shortcomings

SUFFICIENT - performance meets the minimum criteria

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ECTS grading scale

10/04/2023

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Modular and flexible HE • education program

▫ 180 ECTS (ba) + 60/120 ECTS (ma)▫ divided in modules ▫ a module can be divided into partims/courses

• flexible education program▫ model program : program for a group of students▫ individual program

• 3 types of contract:▫ diploma contract▫ credit contract▫ examination contract

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Modular and flexible HE• competence: integration of knowledge, insight, skills and

attitudes within a certain (professional) context• important: congruence between different learning methods

and assessment

input

integration

evaluation

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Learning credit• based on new financial model of HE

(01/01/2008)• student is also responsible!

• start learning credit is 140 credits• the first 60 achieved credits with

diplomacontract are counted double• students are financed only if learning

credit > 0

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Learning credit

•The perfect student

Learning credit start

Credits registered

Credits achieved

Learning credit

2008-2009PBA

140 60 60 140-60+(60 x 2) = 200

2009-2010PBA

200 60 60 200-60+60 = 200

2010-2011 PBA

200 60 60 200-60+60 = 200

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Learning credit

•Student with bad startLearning credit start

Credits registered

Credits achieved

Learning credit

2008-2009PBA

140 60 15 140-60+(15 x 2) = 110

2009-2010PBA

110 60 50 110-60+(45x2) +5 = 145

2010-2011 PBA

145 60 56 (+4 gedelib)

145-60+56 = 141

2011-2012PBA

141 55 55 141-55+55 = 141

18010/04/2023

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Financial mechanism for HE• (Flemish) governmental subsidary by means of closed

enveloppe!• approx. 5000 € / student / year from government• fixed part based on number of students (credits registered)• variable part based on financed credits with exceptions of first 60

credits, that are always financed• results:

▫ pressure to grow faster than your competitors▫ pressure on education efficiency (>60 credits) (learning credit)

• extra finances:▫ fixed registration fee for each student: 564,3€ / student / year▫ research subsidiaries + contracts with industry (Howest: >10% of

turnover)▫ infrastructure subsidiaries▫ subsidiaries for diversity

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Quality assurance in HE• internal quality assurance• external quality assurance

▫ cooperation between Flanders and The Netherlands▫ NVAO: Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and

Flanders ▫ 8 year cycle for each education program:

self evaluation report visitation commission visitation report accreditation

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Howest

University College West Flanders

Partner in Ghent University Association

Howest

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Our mission

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Our mission

•High quality and practically oriented education

•Creative professionals for creative people•Students are partners

•Didactic approach: student centered and competency based

•Caring for the welfare of students and staff•Applied scientific research•Community services

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Our mission

•Lifelong education

•Permanent innovation

•Centre for knowledge and learning

• Internationalization as an essential benefit

•Pluralism, democracy, accessibility, tolerance, respect, co-operation, solidarity

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Our mission

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Howest: 4 campuses2 in Bruges

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Howest: 4 campuses2 in Kortrijk

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>5000 students: bachelors and masters

838 staff members – 470 FTE

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24 bachelor – 7 master programmes- Architecture- Health care- Business and management- Industrial sciences and technology- Education- Social sciences

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Architecture

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Architecture

•Applied Architecture (PBa)

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Health care

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Health care•Biomedical laboratory technology (PBa)•Nursing (PBa)•Occupational therapy (PBa)•Sports and movement (PBa)

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Business and management

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Business and management

•Applied computer sciences (PBa)•Communications management (PBa)•Business management (PBa)• Journalism (PBa)•Network Economics (PBa)•Office management (PBa)•Tourism and leisure management (PBa)

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Industrial sciences & technology

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Industrial sciences & technology•Multimedia and communication technology

(PBa)• Industrial product design (Pba)•Biochemistry (ABa + Ma)•Chemistry (ABa + Ma)•Electro-techniques - automation(ABa + Ma)•Elektro-mechanics (ABa + Ma)•Electronics-ICT (ABa + Ma)•Environmental sciences (ABa + Ma) • Industrial design engineering (ABa + Ma)

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Education

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Education

•Teacher training:▫Pre-primary education (PBa)▫Primary education (PBa)▫Secondary education (PBa)

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Social sciences

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Social sciences

•Social work (PBa)•Applied psychology (PBa)

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Applied scientific researchCommunity services

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Applied scientific research• 6,2 mio euro/year external research funding, with a

social leverage of 3x that figure

• 174 researchers

• Mainly SME’s – also large companies and non-profit

• Different project types:o One to one projects o Sector oriented projects o Supportive platforms

• National and international

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Applied scientific research / Community services

• Incubator and Business accelerator▫ creative areas: 

multimedia/new media gaming/interactive 3D-technology product design

▫hosting Howest Spin-offs & creative units of companies which want intensive interaction with Howest

•Howest FoundationCorporate Social Responsability program (national and international)

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Community services

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Howest international

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Howest international

Internationalisation as a spearhead of our policy

•Strong international dimension in all courses

•ALL Howest students have an intense international learning experience

•ALL Howest students undertake an international mobility, short or long term, individually or in group

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Howest international

•Teaching staff have international experience(s) on a regular basis

•Strategic International Cooperation forms

•Further development of our capacity to host international students and staff

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International accomplishments•Recognized expertise concerning the

coordination of Erasmus Intensive Programs (IP´s), involving both students and staff

•Our approved Erasmus Multilateral Curriculum Development project Espiew:  “Entrepreneurial Spirit Improving European Welfare” 2008

•European Quality in Mobility Award 2006 Leonardo da Vinci placement project ‘e-picture’

•2nd & 3rd places in the Microsoft Imagine Cup

•Active member of numerous international organisations and networks

•Active & successful participation in numerous international projects (Tempus, Erasmus, Interreg, Development co-operation, Framework, …)

•Structural partnerships in Europe, US, China… 60

International accomplishments

•6 international semesters (30 ECTS) in English:▫Digital Business Management I & II (Fall &

Spring)▫Applied Computer Sciences (Fall & Spring)▫Tourism Management (Fall)▫Multimedia & Communication Management

(Spring)

• Summer School in EnglishCreative Prototyping Skills Training

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English taught course offer

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DAE international

Full DegreeProgramme

Unique in Flanders

•Constantly developing course offer in English

•Our students do traineeships in four continents

•They discover the world: China, Barcelona, New York, Berlin, …

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Howest international

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Howest

• ‘Because we love the new generations’

Questions?

Thank you for your attention