Final Report Pilot Project - Phase 1

the Tuning project that if the next necessary steps are not taken soon,there is real danger that the objectives of Bologna will not be met, andthat the whole process will be compromised. Comparable degrees anda division in two cycles imply that there is a certain agreement aboutwhat is actually meant. However, this is not so as there is no accord orcommon understanding about what distinguishes the two cycles. Astatement alone that there should be two successive cycles is clearlyinsufficient to make degrees comparable and compatible on aEuropean level. This fact was already recognised by the seminarorganised in Helsinki in February 2001 about the bachelor level (firstcycle) degree, to which also the Prague Communiqué refers. Theconclusions of this seminar, which were accepted by the HigherEducation sector are twofold:—the first degree should be seen as an entity in itself andexperienced as an appropriate qualification for the labour market;—the length of the undergraduate degree should be 180 to 240ECTS-credits (three to four years for full-time studies).The outcomes of this seminar make clear that the length of degreeprogrammes in terms of credits is not an issue that stands on itself butshould be regarded as a crucial factor in the process of convergence ofhigher education.The role of competences and learning outcomesThe contribution the Tuning project wants to make to the discussionof the length of degree programmes is that the focus should not belimited to the overall system, but extended to the content, nature andlevel of learning programmes. In that respect Tuning has drawnattention to two important elements in the designing, construction andassessment of qualifications: learning outcomes and competences.By learning outcomes we mean the set of competences includingknowledge, understanding and skills a learner is expected to know/understand/demonstrate after completion of a process of learning —shortor long. They can be identified and related to whole programmes ofstudy (first or second cycle) and for individual units of study (modules).Competences, can be divided into two types: generic competences,which in principle are subject independent, and subject specificcompetences. Competences are normally obtained during differentcourse units and can therefore not be linked to one unit. It is howeververy important to identify which units teach the various competences in248