Design of joint degrees
Activities
5.1 Investigate the possibilities and support establishment of joint degrees
Definition: joint degrees versus double/multiple degrees
joint: Partners agree to organize a common programme via the exchange of students and/or teaching staff and leading to a joint diploma mentioning all partner institutes organising the programme.
double/multiple: Partners agree to aim at transmitting to the students some common competences (programs need not to agree completely in the partner institutes). A student having followed the programme successfully receives separate diplomas from the partner institutes.
Features of joint degrees (according to the Bologna Process website)
• the programmes are developed or approved jointly by several institutions;
• the students spend significant periods of time at the participating institutions;
• periods of study and exams are recognised fully and automatically by all institutions and countries involved;
• teaching staff from each participating institution devise the curriculum together, form joint admissions and examinations bodies and participate in mobility for teaching purposes;
• the degree is awarded jointly by the participating institutions, and fully recognised in all
countries.
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/actionlines/joint degrees features.htm
Role of the European Union regarding joint programmes/degrees
Apart from guidelines regarding the definition of research/education projects in programmes like
Tempus, Erasmus, Erasmus Mundus, … the EU does not issue general directives or regulations related to joint (or double/multiple) degrees.
Useful sources of information related to joint degrees
the Bologna Process: “The overarching aim of the Bologna Process is to create a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) based on international cooperation and academic exchange that is attractive to European students and staff as well as to students and staff from other parts of the world.”:
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/
ECA: “the European Consortium for Accreditation in higher education (ECA) aims for the mutual recognition of accreditation and quality assurance decisions.”