How Can We Count Credits for Flexible Education in Asia? : The - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Dialogue Session 3: Current Development of a National and Inter-regional Credit Transfer System in the Context of Flexible Education

How Can We Count Credits for Flexible Education in Asia? : The Introduction of “Asian Academic Credits” [AACs1])

Taiji Hotta, Ph.D

Vice-Executive of International Planning, Professor, International Center Hiroshima University, Japan hotta@hiroshima-u.ac.jp

This presentation is based upon the study supported by the KAKENHI (Japanese government’s “Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research”) [#24402045]

2016 MQA INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON QUALITY ASSURANCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

17-18 October 2016, Kuala Lumpur

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• I. Needs of a Permeable Framework for an

Inter-regional Credit Transfer System in Asia

• II. A Comparative Study of Higher Education

in 24 Asian Nations

• III. Three aspects of general tendencies in 24

Asian higher education systems

• IV. The Concept of “Asian Academic Credits”

(AACs) V. How Can We Count Credits for Flexible Education OUTLINE OF THIS PRESENTATION

Positive outcomes from the development of an Inter-regional credit transfer system:

1.“Student Centered” higher education in Asia 2.“One Asian Higher Education Area” 3.Truly internationalized workers 4.Sustainable regional peace with cross- cultural understanding and mutual trust 5.More globally competitive regional economy I-(1). Needs of Inter-regional Credit Transfer Systems in Asia

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Flexible Education in the Asian region must have;

• 1. 100% harmonized & systematic way of

transparency

• 2. A measurment tool to judge the value of an

individual’s educational experience and convert it into the educational system of one institution

• r nation.
• 3. Thus, a permeable framework of higher

education is needed for Asian universities to promote a trusted and attractive student’s “free mobility” in the Asian Higher Education.

I-(2). Need of a Permeable Framework for Flexible Education

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A permeable framework is a set of various tools that measures the amount and magnitude

• f educational values a student has acquired.

These standardized measures illustrate specific differences among institutions regarding their educational contents, thereby enabling institutions to improve their level of mutual understanding and trust. As a result, use of the framework helps promote mutually trusted student mobility among participating institutions.

I-(3). Definition of “Permeable Framework”

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• 1. ECTS2 is one type of permeable framework in
• Europe. It allows students to transfer credits

from very different types of educational systems and types of education

• 2. 1 (one) ECTS=25-30 hours of student workload

[25-30 hours/ECTS = 1500~1800 h / 60 points] (an average workload of a typical European worker) .

• 3. ECTS is a very systematic and permeable credit

transfer system: 60 ECTS/ year (consists of the largest numbers of common measures, i.e.,1,2,3,4,5,6,10,12, 15, 20, 30, 60 ) for the world

I-(4). ECTS as One Type of Permeable Framework

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A research project (KAKENHI-#24402045) between 2012-2014 has studied the general framework of higher education in 24 Asian nations and regions, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei-Darussalam, Cambodia, China, East-Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, South-Korea, Sri-Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, The Philippines, Vietnam .

Although there are many indicators, three key

indicators related to the establishment of an aligned academic credit system is introduced in this presentation.

II-(1). A Comparative Study on Educational Framework

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• 1. Objectives: To investigate an overall

framework of higher education and identify crucial differences and also similarities among 24 nations and regions in Asia

• 2. Research Methods: (1) Review of secondary

sources, especially governmental and university documents regarding their educational systems and regulations. (2) Interviews with government officials and university representatives. (3) [Japan] A survey of all universities in Japan

II-(2). Objectives and Methods

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 Akira NINOMIYA, Hijiyama University  Futao HUANG, Hiroshima University  Hiroko AKIBA, Hitotsubashi University  Hiroshi OTA, Hitotsubashi University  Jianxiu PAN, Osaka University  K. L. MAHARAJAN, Hiroshima University  Masataka MURASAWA, Hiroshima University  Miki SUGIMURA, Sophia University  Sounghee KIM, National Institute for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation  Taiji HOTTA, Hiroshima University  Takao KAMIBEPPU, Tokyo Jogakkan University  Yuki WATABE, Hitotsubashi University

II-(3). A List of Researchers Taking Part in This Project

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Three key Indicators to develop an aligned academic credit system are regulations or tendencies related to;

1 Student workload per academic credit 2 Contact hours in class per academic credit 3 The total number of credits per year III-(1). General Tendencies of 24 Nations and Regions

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So Some e nati tions

• ns te

tend d to to follow low CA CATS3 in UK, K, nam amel ely 1 c 1 cred edit t = 10 10 h hour urs of st student ent workload load

1

Man any y nati tions

• ns te

tend to to follow

• w a s

a syst stem em somewh what t similar ar to to th the e Amer erican ican syste tem, nam amel ely 45 45-48 48 hour urs of stu tudent ent workloa load

2

Two nati tions

• ns te

tend to to use th e the e co conc ncept pt of workloa load d for th thei eir r worker ers, , nam amely ely 40 40 hour urs s of st student ent workload

• ad

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III-(2). General Tendency (1) in Student Workload

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Mo Most t na nations ions ha have e defini initi tions

• ns of
• f
• n
• ne credit

edit by cou

• unt

nting ing 14-16 16 ho hour urs s of

• f teac

aching hing 1 Another small group may have similarities to the British university calendar, namely 12-13 weeks of teaching (but their credits are based upon student workload) 2 III-(3). General Tendency (2) in Contact Hours in Class

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Mo Most t of

• f na

nation ions s ha have e an n aver erage e amo mount unt of

• f credits

edits per er yea ear r betw tween een 30-40 40 credits edits 1 Another very small group of nations have 120 credits per year, similar to the British system 2 III-(4). Tendency (3) in the Number of Credits Earned Annually

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Credit transfer systems developed in Asia tend to model ECTS.

1

ECTS is a very systematic and permeable credit transfer system. However, student workload for ECTS does not reflect an Asian workload (1500-1800 hrs./year in Europe vs. 1800-2100+(?) hrs./year in Asia)

2

Asia already has a similar tendency (One credit ≒ 40-50 hours in their regional credit systems)

3

III-(5). Issues of Current Credit Transfer Systems in Asia

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A proposed framework of credit system is;

One AACs ≒ 38-48 hours of Student workload,

(including 13-16 hours of teaching (academic) hours)

*Student workload is the total amount of hours students spend for study, including not only lectures, but also homework, lab, writing term papers, etc.

This proposal is based upon the results of two of HOTTA’s comparative studies; one for ASEAN4+3 nations in 2010 and the other for 24 nations in Asia between 2012-14

2 IV-(1). The Concept of Asian Academic Credits (AACs) 1

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AACs will allow many Asian institutions to transfer most of their credits on a one–to-one basis among themselves. 1 The proposal progresses to an even more developed (possible) conversion table below with Asian and other regions 2 IV-(2). Usefulness of AACs

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The proposal continues to an even more developed (possible) conversion table below with Asian and other regions

*This chart requires more detailed explanations regarding each indicator

IV-(3). The Conversion of AACs with Other Systems

Natio ions & Systems ems

ASIA IA USA ECTS CLAR5

(Latin in Americ rica)

UK UK

(CATS) TS)

Credit t Conversio sion

1 1 AACs Cs

≒1credit dit ≒1.5 5 ECTS ≒1.5 5 CLAR ≒3 credits its

Studen dent t workload

• ad

38 38-48 48 hour urs ≒45 45 hour urs s 37.5-45 45 hour urs 37.5-45 45 hour urs Conver erte ted d from

• m ECTS

(30 (30 hours* s*) Teaching g hours*

13 13-16 16 hour urs ≒15~1 ~16 6 hour urs

• 17

PRACTICALITY Simple conversion of credits with not only

• ther Asian & Pacific universities, but also

universities throughout the world

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LIMITS & FURTHER CHALLENGES No function exists to measure the level of difficulty or the equivalency of course contents by itself. Thus, we need transparency, compatibility, and quality assurance of teaching curriculums, especially using AACs and “Learning Outcomes” effectively.

2 IV-(4). Practicality and Limit of AACs

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The SEAMEO-RIHED8 is now reviewing a possible use of the concept of AACs as a part of their new credit transfer scheme, temporarily called, “ACTFA9” for student mobility among ASEAN nations UMAP6 has adopted the concept of AACs as a new concept of UCTS7 from 2013

2 1

IV-(5). New Developments in AACs

The ASEAN+3 Ministers of Education meeting’s working group is about to discuss the general framework for student mobility, partially including the concept of AACs.

3

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Change the culture of counting academic credits from a teaching hour based system to a student’s

workload based system

1

Use the concept of “Asian Academic Credits” (AACs) in Asian higher education

2

Use learning outcomes to measure and prove the quality of education

3

• V. How Can We Count Credits for Flexible Education in Asia?

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THANK YOU

Tai aiji Hott tta, a, Ph Ph.D

Vice ce-Exec Execut utive ive of Inte tern rnationa ational l Plann nning, ing, Prof

• fess

essor,

• r, Hiro

iroshi shima ma University, ersity, Japa pan n hotta tta@h @hir irosh

• shima

ma-u.ac u.ac.jp .jp

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Gloss lossary ary

• 1. AACs:

Asian Academic Credits

• 2. ECTS:

European Credit Transfer System

• 3. CATS:

Credit for Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (in UK):

• 4. ASEAN:

Association of South-East Asian Nations

• 5. CLAR :

Latin American Reference Credit

• 6. UMAP:

University Mobility in Asia and Pacific

• 7. UCTS: UMAP Credit Transfer System
• 8. SEAMEO-RIHED: Southeast Asian Ministers of Education

Organization-Regional Center for Higher Education

• 9. ACTFA:

Academic Credit Transfer for ASEAN

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Some R e Ref efer eren ences es on C Cred edit Tr Transfer er Sys ystem ems

• 1. European Commission (2015) ECTS User’s Guide, Directore-

General for Education and Culture, European Commission

[retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/repository/ education/library/publications/2015/ects-users-guide_en.pdf on September 29, 2016]

• 2. Quality Assurance Agency (2008), Higher Education Credit

Framework for England: Guidance on Academic Credit Arrangements in Higher Education in England, The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, 23 pp. [retrieved from

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Higher-education-credit- framework-for-England-guidance-on-academic-credit-arrangements-in-higher- education-in-England-Augu.pdf on September 29, 2016]

• 3. Tuning Latin America (2013), CLAR - Latin American Reference

Credit (English version) [retrieved from http://www.tuningal.org/es/

publicaciones /doc_details/107-clar-latin-american-reference-credit-english- version, on September 29, 2016]

• 4. UMAP (2016) UCTS user’s Guide, UMAP International Secretariat

[retrieved from http://www.tuningal.org/es/publicaciones/doc. details/107-clar- latin-american-reference-credit-english-version, on September 29, 2016]

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Some R e Ref efer eren ences es

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1) Hotta, T. ed. (2010) Study on the ACTS (ASEAN Credit Transfer System) and Credit Transfer Systems in Asian Nations (Report of the Governmental Mission Research [Ministry of Education]). Hiroshima: Hiroshima University. 404 pp. [selected articles in English: http://ir.lib.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/ 00030722] [All articles (404pp.) in Japanese: http://ir.lib.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/00030347] 2) Japan International Cooperation Agency (2012), 「東南アジアにおける 国境を越える高等教育の現状と課題に係る文部科学省・JICA合同調査」 （Joint Study of JICA and MEXT regarding the Current Conditions and Issues of Cross-boarder Higher Education in Southeast Asia), ASIA- SEED, 178 pp. [in Japanese]