ECTS CREDITS
ECTS Credits Certification
Education Quality Accreditation Commission
ECTS CREDITS CERTIFICATIONS FOR EUROPEAN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
The Education Quality Accreditation Commission may certify the qualification of an institution to issue ECTS credits for any course, training or program of study. In order to obtain this qualification to issue ECTS credits the institution must demonstrate that the corresponding learning outcomes and hours of study hours for the course, training or program of study have been met.
Get certified by EQAC if you are interested in issuing ECTS credits.
What are the ECTS credits?
ECTS means European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System.
ECTS credits are based on the workload students need in order to achieve expected learning outcomes. Learning outcomes describe what a learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do after successful completion of a process of learning. They relate to level descriptors in national and European qualifications frameworks. Workload indicates the time students typically need to complete all learning activities (such as lectures, seminars, projects, practical work, self-study and examinations) required to achieve the expected learning outcomes. See more...
The European Union does not have legal competences in matters of education. In other words, education regulations are set by each country Ministry of Education or designated organism. The ministries of education from the different European countries (including E.U., Turkey & Russia) agreed to sign the Bologna declaration in order to transform and merge their diverse educational models according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) guidelines. The goal of this declaration was to facilitate international student mobility, to adapt the universities curricula to actual social demands, and to improve education quality and competitiveness thought a better comprehension and transparency of what has beed studied in each country. See more...
Non formal education initiatives are not affected by the Bologna declaration, but from the legal framework of their respective countries. The European Higher Education Area has recognised the importance of non formal education initiatives and recommends to follow the ECTS credits guidelines to promote better understanding and acceptance of these initiatives.
Following the ECTS credits guidelines does not imply the automatic and obligatory acceptance of the credits from any third party institution or organisation. Each institution is free to accept and validate any ECTS credits obtained at other institutions, wether formal or non formal. Although, the fact that any program of education is expressed in the the ECTS format facilitates its comprehension and potential recognition.
How are the ECTS credits certified?
Any educational institution that wished to issue ECTS credits must demonstrate through the Application for Accreditation (Self Assessment Report) that several of the standards set forth by the Education Quality Accreditation Commission are met. In order to apply for the certification to qualify for issuing ECTS credits, the school or institution must:
- Download and fill out the EQAC Application for Accreditation (Self Assessment Report).
- Contact the EQAC Secretary to ensure eligibility for this certification.
- Pay the validation fee of 900 Euros. There are no refunds of this fee.
Certification to qualify to issue ECTS credits: 900 Euros
EQAC will apply the same procedures described in the process of educational accreditation with some limitations and adaptations resulting from the European Higher Education Area guidelines about the ECTS credits.
Click here to download the Application for Accreditation (Self Assessment Report .docx)
The application for the certification to issue ECTS credits is the same than the application for accreditation, but not all the standards listed for the accreditation need to be addressed. Consequently, the cost of this process is less.
The school or educational institution does not need to meet all the requirements for a complete accreditation. 12 of the 26 standards described in the application for accreditation are required. The standards necessary to qualify for issuing ECTS credits are:
- A1. Identification
- A2. Legal authorization
- A3. Accreditation, recognition and references
- C1. Courses / Programs description
- C2. Hours of study
- C3. Course objectives or expected learning outcomes
- C4. Course contents & materials
- C7. Teaching methodology
- C9. Teachers proficiency
- C10. Assessment & Evaluation
- C11. Certificate or diploma
- C12. Transcript or equivalent
Once the application is received, the EQAC will guide the educational institution to adapt and meet the European Higher Education Area guidelines in order to issue the ECTS credits. Click here to know more about the required accreditation standards. See more...
The certification to issue ECTS credits is exclusive for European educational institutions.
The certified school will receive an evaluation report noting any improvement or adaptation requirements to meet the European guidelines concerning the ECTS credits. The school will also receive a certification diploma once the whole process has been satisfactorily accomplished.
The certified educational institutions may be included in the list of accredited institutos from the Education Quality Accreditation Commission provided that the corresponding yearly maintenance fee is paid. See list...
IMPORTANT CLARIFICATIONS
ECTS is the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. The ECTS is not an organism, they are a directive. The European Union does not issue or recognise ECTS credits. The E.U. defines the ECTS credits and encourages institutions to use this systems for a better understanding and acceptance of educational achievements.
The Bologna declaration is an agreement, not an institution. The different Ministries of Education made the compromise to change their diverse educational systems into the common ECTS credits. Each country has set monitoring accreditation entities to control correct adherence to the ECTS System for the institutions affected by the Bologna declaration. These accreditation bodies have the obligation to monitor formal education within their countries. Non formal education may be or not be assessed by these accrediting bodies. Often it is not possible to evaluate non formal education within the formal educational setting.
Any educational institution may issue ECTS credits provided that they meet the requirements established by the European Higher Education Area. Issuing ECTS credits does not change the legal or recognition status of the educational institution. ECTS credits issued by official or formal educational institutions are considered with official validity, the ones issue by non formal educational institutions are considered non formal ECTS credits. ECTS credits issued by non formal institutions are more likely to be accepted provided that they meet the requirements established by the European Higher Education Area. ECTS credits not meeting these requirements will be considered fraudulent and will involve legal consequences.
The Education Quality Accreditation Commission is not an official institution. The EQAC is an independent organism that promotes education quality and helps educational institutions by promoting good educational standards through accreditation and advising how to comply with the ECTS credits regulations.
Get certified by EQAC if you are interested in issuing ECTS credits.
