Qrossroads

Glossary

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Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree refers to the qualification awarded after successfull completion of the first cycle in the Qualifications Framework of the European Higher Education Area. The degree usually requires a minumum of 180 and a maximum of 240 ECTS.

Bachelor-master system

Bachelor-master system refers to the system proposed by the Bologna Declaration in which access to the second cycle requires successful completion of first cycle studies. 
This two-cycle system proposed by the Bologna Declaration was replaced by a three-cycle system in 2005 when the Qualifications Framework of the European Higher Education Area was adopted.
The degree awarded after the first cycle is now commonly referred to as the Bachelor's degree, the degree awarded after the second cycle is referred to as the Master's degree and the degree awarded after the third cycle is referred to as the Doctoral degree.

Benchmarking

A benchmark is a point of reference against which something may be measured. Benchmarking is then a process of identifying benchmarks in order to distinguish and understand good practice in order to maintain and improve performance.

  • Dr. Valerie Shrimplin, Bar Standards Board

Binary system

A binary higher education system is:

  • a system where higher education is taught in two different types of institutions: traditional (academic/research) universities and more professionally-oriented institutions (such as university colleges, polytechnics, Fachhochschulen and hogescholen); or
  • a system where higher education programmes have either an academic orientation or a professional orientation and these programmes are not necessarily linked to a type of institution.
  • Qrossroads

Bologna Declaration

The Bologna Declaration is actually a document called the 'European Higher Education Area' that was signed in 1999. It was signed by 31 ministers (or their representatives) from 29 countries. 
The Bologna Declaration contains an action plan aimed at creating a European Higher Education Area as a means to improve the international competitiveness and attractiveness of European higher education in the world and to ensure mobility and employability of students and graduates.

Bologna Process

The Bologna Process started in 1999 with the signing of the Bologna Declaration. It is an intergovernmental process with a high level of stakeholder involvement aimed at creating the European Higher Education Area. This aim should be achieved by further integrating and harmonising the different higher education systems within Europe.

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