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ECTS - European Credit
Transfer and Accumulation System
"Ministers stress the important role played by the
European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) in facilitating student mobility and
international curriculum development. They note that ECTS is increasingly
becoming a generalised basis for the national credit systems. They encourage
further progress with the goal that the ECTS becomes not only a transfer but
also an accumulation system, to be applied consistently as it develops within
the emerging European Higher Education Area."
What is a credit system?
A credit system is a systematic way of describing an educational
programme by attaching credits to its components. The definition of credits in
higher education systems may be based on different parameters, such as student
workload, learning outcomes and contact hours.
What is ECTS?
The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System is a
student-centred system based on the student workload required to achieve the
objectives of a programme, objectives preferably specified in terms of the
learning outcomes and competences to be acquired.
How did ECTS develop?
ECTS was introduced in 1989, within the framework of Erasmus, now part of the
Socrates programme. ECTS is the only credit system which has been successfully
tested and used across Europe. ECTS was set up initially for credit transfer.
The system facilitated the recognition of periods of study abroad and thus
enhanced the quality and volume of student mobility in Europe.
What are the key features of ECTS?
- ECTS is based on the principle that 60 credits measure the workload of a
full-time student during one academic year. The student workload of a full-time
study programme in Europe amounts in most cases to around 1500-1800 hours per
year and in those cases one credit stands for around 25 to 30 working hours.
- Credits in ECTS can only be obtained after successful completion of the work
required and appropriate assessment of the learning outcomes achieved. Learning
outcomes are sets of competences, expressing what the student will know,
understand or be able to do after completion of a process of learning, long or
short.
- Student workload in ECTS consists of the time required to complete all planned
learning activities such as attending lectures, seminars, independent and
private study, preparation of projects and examinations.
- Credits are allocated to all educational components of a study programme (such
as modules, courses, placements, dissertation work, etc.) and reflect the
quantity of work each component requires to achieve its specific objectives or
learning outcomes in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to
complete a full year of study successfully.
- The performance of the student is documented by a local/national grade. It is
good practice to add an ECTS grade, in particular in case of credit transfer.
The ECTS grading scale ranks the students on a statistical basis. Therefore,
statistical data on student performance is a prerequisite for applying the ECTS
grading system. Grades are assigned among students with a pass grade as follows:
A best 10%
B next 25%
C next 30%
D next 25%
E next 10%
A distinction is made between the grades FX and F that are used for unsuccessful
students. FX means: “fail- some more work required to pass” and F means: “fail –
considerable further work required”. The inclusion of failure rates in the
Transcript of Records is optional.
Informations from
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/ects/index_en.html#8
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