Towards the Lisbon Agenda 2010 and Beyond

22 November 2006

The European Council of Heads of State and Governments which was held in Lisbon in the year 2000 set as a strategic goal that the EU should become the world’s most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy by 2010. Education and training are central factors in achieving this goal. The EU Ministers in charge of education and training subsequently identified key strategic objectives that underpin the Lisbon Agenda in the field of education and training. These focused on improving quality and effectiveness of national systems, facilitating access to all and opening up education and training systems to the wider world.

The work at EU level in progressing this part of the Lisbon Agenda is now widely referred to as the ‘Education and Training 2010’ work programme. The purpose of the conference is to inform a wide range of stakeholders including policy and decision makers, practitioners and the social partners about the Education and Training 2010 programme and to stimulate a debate on Ireland’s progress in implementing change in the context of the Lisbon Agenda. The conference will also look beyond 2010 towards new approaches in teaching and learning that will be required to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Background Documents:

Powerpoint Presentations

Please click on the below links in order to view some presentations made at the conference:

Martin Shanahan, Head of Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, FORFÁS (1161 KB)
Tom Boland, Chief Executive, Higher Education Authority (205 KB)
John Fitzgerald, Econonomic and Social Research Institute (456 KB)
Kieran Tyrrell, Kerry Foods (87 KB)
Kathryn Raleigh, Director, ICT Ireland (2650 KB)

On 8 November 2006, Ireland became the first European country to verify the compatibility of its National Framework of Qualifications with the Bologna Framework.

The report concludes that:

The Irish Higher Certificate is an intermediate qualification within the Bologna first cycle.
The Irish Ordinary Bachelor Degree is compatible with the Bologna first cycle descriptor. However, holders of Irish Ordinary Bachelor Degrees and their equivalent former awards do not generally immediately access programmes leading to second cycle awards.
The Irish Honours Bachelor Degree is compatible with completion of the Bologna first cycle.
The Irish Higher Diploma is a qualification at the same level as completion of the first cycle, and is a qualification typically attained in a different field of learning than an initial first cycle award.
The Irish Masters Degree is compatible with completion of the Bologna second cycle.
The Irish Post-Graduate Diploma is an intermediate qualification within the Bologna second cycle.
The Irish Doctoral Degree is compatible with completion of the Bologna third cycle.

It is of note that there is an apparent inconsistency or paradox in the treatment of both the Ordinary Bachelor Degree and the Honours Bachelor Degree as first cycle qualifications compatible with the Bologna first cycle descriptor.The compatibility of both with the Bologna first cycle descriptor has been demonstrated in terms of the comparisons of the learning outcomes. Notwithstanding this, these awards are included at two different levels in the Irish framework, with different descriptors, and the Ordinary Bachelor Degree does not typically give access to Masters Degree (second cycle) programmes at present in Ireland.

Furthermore, it is considered that the Irish authorities should review this verification in the light of the implementation of the Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area by other countries, particularly in the context of new progression arrangements being put in place.It is anticipated that such a review might take place when at least 20 countries have aligned their national frameworks to the European Framework.

The report is available in a number of languages: English, Irish, French, German, Polish and Russian.

Verification of Compatibility of Irish National Framework of Qualifications with the Bologna Framework

Draft Verification Document

Prior to the finalisation of this report, the steering committee published a draft verification document.The steering committee hosted a workshop on the morning of 3 October 2006.

Consultation on the Verification of Compatibility of Irish Framework of Qualifications with the Bologna Framework

Under the aegis of the Bologna process, a working group has completed a report which concerns the elaboration of a Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area as called for by Ministers for higher education in the Berlin Communiqué in September 2003. The report was considered and agreed to by Ministers when they met in Bergen in May 2005. Please click on the link below in order to view the full report.

http://www.bologna-bergen2005.no/Docs/00-Main_doc/050218_QF_EHEA.pdf

Ireland has been invited to undertake a pilot project of the self-certification of the Compatibility of the Irish National Framework of Qualifications with the Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area.

A document has been prepared setting out an initial draft Irish response in relation to the criteria and the procedures established in the report of the Bologna Framework Working group which was adopted by European Ministers for higher education in Bergen in May 2005.

Report of Steering Committee for National Consultation – June 2006 (216 KB)

This document has been agreed by the steering committee established for this purpose.The membership of the steering committee is as follows:

Sjur Bergan, Head of the Department of Higher Education and History Teaching, Council of Europe
Bryan Maguire, Higher Education and Training Awards Council
Frank McMahon, Dublin Institute of Technology (alternate, Dr. Tom Duff)
Jim Murray , Qualifications Authority
Seán Ó Foghlú , Qualifications Authority, Chairperson of Steering Committee
Lewis Purser , Irish Universities Association
Robert Wagenaar, University of Groningen , joint co-ordinator of the Tuning project .

Workshop

The steering committee is publishing this document in June 2006 with a view to the consideration of the document by stakeholders.On behalf of the steering committee, the Qualifications Authority is distributing this draft to stakeholders.The steering committee hosted a workshop in the Davenport Hotel in Dublin on the morning of 3 October 2006 . Please click on the following links to view presentations from the workshop:

Please click here for a report on the workshop (46 KB)

Submissions

Stakeholders were invited to make submissions in advance of the planned workshop.

Please click here for submission template (57 KB)

List of submissions received

University of Limerick Submission (57 KB)
Limerick Institute of Technology Submission (41 KB)