NQF in Austria

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TEMPUS PROJECT KICK-OFF MEETING

Tempus Project INARM

Veronika Nitsche, WUS Austria

Lublin, 13/2/2013

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NQF in Austria


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HIGHER EDUCATION IN AUSTRIA

22 public Universities (292.000 students)

13 private Universities (6.000 students)

21 Universities of Applied Sciences (40.000 students)

The Austrian HE sector is currently being converted inaccordance with the objectives of the Bologna

Declaration.

The 2002 University Studies Act (UG 2002) brought completeautonomy for public universities as well as new steeringinstruments such performance agreements.


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The Austrian National QualificationsFramework (NQF)

2006

Governments decision to implement an NQF inAustria

Working groups were set up to prepare an NQF

2007 Surveys & Analysis

National steering group was established First fact-finding phase Information and public awareness work Analysis by ordering diverse studies Preparing a consultation paper


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The National Qualifications Framework

2008 Consultation Process

Public consultation process until 11/2008, allstakeholders have been involved

Commentaries evaluation by experts: Thereport identified a number of open questions

and challenges for the further NQF development. Report to the national steering group which

presented the conclusions and recommendationsend 2008


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2009 Analysis of consultation Council ofMinisters

Preparation of a policy paper of the both ministries(BMWF & BMUKK) involved to devise the strategyfor the Austrian NQF implementation.


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2010

- Decision about a general framework

- Development criteria and process of allocation ofnon-HE-qualifications to NQF (Draft Handbook)

- First steps to present informal and non formalqualifications

- Establishing a national contact point (NCP)


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2011

- Start of the simulation of allocation of selected non-HE-qualifications

- Testing of critical parts of process of allocation

- Peer learning activity for the steering committee- Extended PR activities (road show, seminars Fit for

NQF, and individual counselling)


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2012

- Completion of the Austrian EQF classification report

2013

- All Austrian qualifications will be referenced to aNQF level by 2013


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Organisation

National steering group

Representatives of all ministries and socialpartners and the Lnder

Defines general framework and guidelines

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Organisation

Advisory board in the BMWF

Representatives of the tertiary education sector Exchange of information

Defining general strategy to follow


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Aims of the NQF

- Promotion of mobility, lifelong learning and learning outcomeorientation

- Easier transparent allocation to the EQF levels

- Neutral benchmark, who makes transparency andcomparability of qualifications possible, which were gained indifferent systems and at different levels

- Positioning if Austrian qualifications through the NQF and EQFin the national and European labor market


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QUALIFICATION PROFILES

Need to be developed for each curriculum;

Related to the occupational area;

based on meetings/surveys with alumnis, with representativesfrom the labour market, et al. (bottom-up approach);

Defines the qualifications a graduate should have at the end ofhis studies (professional and social/generic competences);

This qualification profil is the basis for the definition of thelearning outcomes of the study program and its modules.


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FRAMEWORKS

QUALIFICATION PROFILES

Development of Qualification Profils

European Qualifications Framework National Qualifications Framework

Dublin Descriptors

Standards by Law: 2002 University Studies Act (UG

2002)


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EUROPEAN QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK(EQF)

Acts as a translation device

Makes national qualifications more readable accross Europe

Promotes workers and learners mobility between countries

The core of the EQF concerns eight reference levels describing

Knowledge,

Skills and Competences.


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AUSTRIAN NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONSFRAMEWORK (NQF)

Based and very much connected to the EQF, also with 8reference levels.

Each of the 8 levels is defined by a set of descriptors indicatingthe learning outcomes relevant to qualifications at that level inany system of qualifications.

Each level ist described on the basis of knowledge, skills andcompetences, whereas the levels 6-8 in higher education aredescribed along the Dublin Descriptors.


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DUBLIN DESCRIPTORS

provide very general statements of typicalexpectations of achievements and abilitiesassociated with awards that represent thatrepresent the end of a Bologna Cycle.

General level decriptors have been developed for thefirst, second and third cycle.


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Dublin Descriptors:

= set of criteria

The following five sets of criteria are distinguished:

Knowledge and understanding

Application of knowledge and understanding

Ability to make judgements Ability to communicate

Learning skills


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Dublin Descriptors:

e.g. 2) Application of knowledge and understanding

Qualifications that signify completion of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd cycle are awarded tostudents who

1st) can apply their knowledge and understanding in a manner that indicates aprofessional approach to their work or vocation, and have competencestypically demonstrated through devising and sustaining arguments and

solving problems within their field of study;2nd) can apply their knowledge and understanding, and problem solving abilities

in new or unfamiliar environments withing broader (or multidisciplinary)contexts related to their fields of study;

3rd) have demonstrated the ability to conceive, design, implement andadapt a substantial process of research with scholarly integrity.


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LEARNING OUTCOMES

Bologna related features:

Efficiency and effectiveness of higher education

Improve the traditional ways of describingqualifications

All modules and programmes should be (re)writtenin terms of learning outcomes


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Learning Outcomes

. are used to express

what learners are expected to achieve, and how they are expected to demonstrate thatachievement


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Approaches

teacher-centered approach

focused

on the teachers input on assessment in terms of how well the students absorbed the

material taught

difficult to identify precisely what the student has to be able to do inorder to pass the module or programme

student-centered approach

focuses

on what the students are expected to be able to do at the end of themodule or programme


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Learning Outcomes

Definition

Learning outcomes are statements of what a learneris expected to

know,

understand and/or, be able to demonstrate

after the completion of a process of learning


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To be continued


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Thank you for your attention!

www.wus-austria.org

Veronika Nitsche, [email protected]
http://www.wus-austria.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.wus-austria.org/http://www.wus-austria.org/http://www.wus-austria.org/http://www.wus-austria.org/

NQF in Austria

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