1 Pan Metron Ariston Dr. S. Kaplanis, D. Nanousi, MPhil. TEI PATRA, GREECE, Abstract: This paper analyses the potential mobility schemes in Education and/or Training streamlined along with CATS. The need to develop a universally accepted Metron Ariston, highly utilizable in these schemes, is outlined together with the prerequisites, requirements and recommendations for each case. Those issues are cross-correlated to the corresponding stages and directives issued for the free circulation of products, goods. A recommendation for a set of steps, following Directives and Normalized Standards is attempted, to facilitate and secure the Academic and Professional Recognition. I. General Concept This Greek saying attributed to Sophokles, is recalled in order to facilitate the purpose of this article. When talking about Quality in Educational all establishments, we are, in fact, including the concept of excellence, in this meaning, too. (1). High Quality process performance and excellence, however, are based on quantification derived through measurements, comparison in general and benchmarking (2-3) Metron as a generic term has a broad conceptual implication, ranging from measurement of time, weight, length, prices, values, even symmetry and harmony. Metron indicates rules, laws and regulations, while it implies trust, confidence and compliance, while it has to be (pre) defined objectively to cover any case. In addition to that, Metron is used, in poetry, art, education, but also, for persons behavioral changes, qualifications and capacity of achievements. Metron facilitates transparency, based on its property to provide for quantitative and qualitative data, for the case, measured or assessed. Thus it provides the ariston utilisability by rejecting any extreme. In this sense metron, is linked to Quality (4,5), defined as the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs/requirements
2 II. Metron ECTS/CATS In Bologna declaration signed by European Ministers and other official representatives (19-6-1999) (6), it is stated that in order to promote European citizens; employability and international competitiveness of the European Higher Education system there is a need for the adoption of an easily readable and comparable degrees system. In the same Declaration there is concern; For the establishment of a credit system, such as ECTS, as a system promoting mobility. Credits, however, could, also be acquired in non-higher education contexts, including life long learning (Education/Training at any level), provided they are recognized by receiving Universities concerned. for the promotion of movement of students, teachers and researchers with out obstacles For the promotion of quality assurance with a view to develop comparable criteria and methodologies while the European dimension in Higher Education is considered as core component in curriculum development, inter-institutional cooperation etc. All the above describe the new potential environment of the European Higher Education, Area as well as emphasize on the roles Higher Education is called to play in order to facilitate: The European citizens personal development plans, with European dimension. The call of all society s constituents to have at their disposal, at any time all kind of learning means for initial, complementary, continuing education and training throughout their lives, (7), and acquire accredited knowledge, experience, shills. The transparency and accountability of the competencies/skills/attitudes etc acquired (8). That all the schemes available offer the stakeholders, a commonly accepted system of validation and certification with the European Label (8) while producing a positive impact on employment, development, and social coherence. Although all the above constitute the new requirements to which the HEIs, mainly, are called to respond, there is no system introduced, which could transform one s achievements, that he/she gained through out his/her life, to measurable, transparent
3 and unambiguous documents which count in one s academic and professional qualifications-development. Credit, the core element of ECTS concept, representing the work - load of studies, seems to need re-thinking, for it is to be used as a measuring tool for a wide spectrum of activities, such as work experience, training, prior learning etc. The credit concept therefore, seems that is not limited to mobility (physical at national or transnational level or virtual) any more. It has to cover a wider area and it is supposed to be the metron to assess knowledge, skills, experience etc. within a general, set scheme: CATS. However, by definition, credit cannot be used as a tool, securing quality of curricula training courses etc., although it contributes to quality (9). Inevitably, there is need for a metron or a metrics system, which gives transparent information, in a standardized form, for the quantity of courses curricula i.e. content, workload, level as well as the quality of courses curricula, teaching and learning environment etc. Such a metrics system would constitute the platform to forge the academic and professional competencies and assure recognition. The question is raised spontaneously: What is the frame of the metron or metrics systems that would allow for academic and professional recognition? What the properties and the features of such a metrics system would be, provided that there exist a wide diversity in the Education and Training systems and that this diversification, linked to L.L.L. generates a plethora of possible mobility routes with a strong European component? Is CATS * an answer on its own to the above? *(Credit Accumulation and Transfer Systems or credit systems which are not restricted to either the credit accumulation or the credit transfer component that combine the advantages of credit accumulation and credit transfer) (10)
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5 In table one, which follows, an attempt is made in order to show, possible mobility flows, the sources that provide qualifications (academic, professional) and the schemes where the CATS policy could be applied in principle, at least for Greece. However, this issue, is open to discussion between colleagues from the various countries, who: If they agree to the approach as analyzed in the table I, may follow a similar mapping for their country. If they don t agree, they may propose another format to approach the same issue, in order to reach comparable results.
6 Comments on table I Taking into consideration: The real facts as it concerns mobility at all levels (post-secondary education onwards and at all types-cet, L.L.L.) and The fact that the numbers of mobility of any type of education and training is dramatically increased by the time, as they are tightly linked, also, to employability. The fact that both the aforementioned issues have been discussed in the White. Paper on Education and Training: Teaching & Learning, towards the Learning society and the Bolonga Joint declaration. The fact that the achievements an individual would claim credits for, where pursuing Professional or academic recognition are related to: Education (attendance of courses, modular, conventional, ODL, in Post-secondary institutions, HEIs). Work placement: integrated to studies, taking place in work environment. Training (taking training courses) in HEIs Training centers, Consortia, Networks, Professional bodies etc. Work experience, in places where a profession is exercised. Prior learning, taking place in formal education settings, in house-training occurred in industrial, commercial settings. The need the activities a person undertakes throughout his/her life, to correspond to educational/training objectives and, of course, to credits/ metron, which bear academic and/or professional value. The need that the basis for building an academic or advance professional profile by accumulation of credits and transfers, should be, at least, post-secondary education, according to G D, 89/49,92/51, as knowledge and education, although can be supplemented and improved through training, work experience etc., they might not be substituted by them (15). The need that relationship between academism and professionalism in one hand and recognition on the other, has to be extensively elaborated, so that there is no
7 dispute against as sometimes, confusion is raised, since requirements for one s professional pursuit are affected by decisions or regulations of bodies from the other side, the academic*. This refers to countries where professional** activities come after academic recognition is acquired. The need for a straight communication and a common understanding to be developed among the parties involved in education, training and professional processes. The need, in other words, for a common language/code to be developed. The analysis attempted before has to be followed in all types of education and training providers (post-secondary institutions, training institutions-centers etc.). In such an analysis the prerequisites and requirements have to be identified and methodologies to accredit skills and competencies, approved by all stakeholders have to be established. The European mobility schemes need to be further discussed and be integrated into a quality assurance model, where a metrics system of high utilizability and flexibility. Providing high academic and professional credibility will be built in. The partnerships established in this domain under the European programmes (Force, Comett, Eurotechnet etc.) provide a dynamic asset to develop this holistic approach to credit allocation award academic and/or professional recognition and employability. A question springs up now: Is there, any metrics system available or used in any other EU policy relevant to free movement of persons: students / graduates / professionals? * Academic recognition is related to higher education entrance, intermediate and final qualifications, as well as to individual parts of the course programme, whether or not this comprises the use of academic credit systems. ** Professional qualifications are awarded by the state or by professional organizations, chambers, (when the professions are regulated): Professional qualifications recognition are related to national education/higher education systems as well as to national professional settings. (13)
8 III. Metrics system for mobility schemes, based on the policy of products free circulation. 1. The EU as an economic, cultural and monetary union, protects the health and safety of its citizens, fostering the free movements of capital, goods, services and persons. The sectors of economy, agriculture and others are rigorously framed legally and administratively due to the one policy or common policy exercised in EU, article 3 of Maastricht Treaty. This fact has driven the development of a series of Directives, Regulations and Decisions in one hand and the establishment of bodies and committees, on the other, which are competent, or responsible for the implementation and the compliance of the harmonized standards in the design, production, construction and circulation of goods. 2. The stages, steps and procedures to be followed for a product in order to obtain the European Label for free circulation, constitute a well-established series as one can realize in the relevant flowchart (Table II). One distinguishes: Step 1: where the equipment is designed according to technical and sales requirements, meeting, also, health and safety requirements set by the Technical Directives, if the product falls into such category. The manufactured product forms an intellectual property, too. However, it is possible that several parts of the product to be imported from other countries, thus building a composite product which, again, has to get its European Label. This case is very similar with the students when under mobility, acquire part of their skill, knowledge, experience in another country or University.
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10 Step 2: If product does not pose a risk to health, safety and the environment is not a regulated product. These products are regulated by the individual member states. Such a case can be drawn in parallel to non regulated profession in one member state, but not necessarily in another. Several times, courses correspond to professions which are regulated in one country but not in another. However, in all these cases if a quality system is in place of any product manufacturer or service provider or University, hen the mobility of the item, the intellectual property etc is readily facilitated, as it secures health, safety, environment requirements etc. Step 3: Manufacturer follows Directive 83/189 referring to the Certification and Technical standards and specifically has to select the one in which the product category falls. Counseling with the notified body in the Member State is a must. Step 4: Manufacturer selects the right module of conformity to the normalized standards. For this a risk assessment has to be carried out Step 5: Manufacturer has to test product according to B and C standards. Step 6: Finally, the T.C.F (Technical Construction File) is prepared and after the auditing by the notified body is done, a process mostly facilitated, if the company is quality certified, e.g. by ISO 9000 or any other quality management system, a declaration of conformity is issued. And Step 7: The CE Mark is affixed, resulting to free marketing in EU. 3. In Education, however, things differ. There is no common or one policy for Educational and Training EU Educational policy in EU is not under the responsibility of any EU body. The EU supplements actions of the member states to promote high quality education, as well as the European dimension in Education.
11 On the other hand, a graduate, a professional or a student might be considered as the product of the Educational/Training system. Therefore, if one would like to exercise the freedom of movement to offer his / her services or be an employee in another country, has to comply with the requirements set in host country, but without discrimination against the non-nationals. Here we can realize the non-existence of normalized standard. The similarity of mobility between persons and goods is better highlighted, when one considers equipment whose part(s) come from another country, but comply with the specific technical Directives concerning the safety requirements. This equipment obtain after the (pre) defined steps have been successfully followed the CE label and they are freely marketed. The case for a graduate, student, professional is when part(s) of his/her studies have been taken in another country. This implies that the set of studies, curricula, objectives, skills, are related to each other and there has to be a metron to weight their added value and guarantee for the quality of the product. Quality means that the sum of added values satisfy the requirements of the profession. Profession to be objectively defined across the curricula objectives. All these, imply also the product satisfies the requirements of the market i.e. safety, environmental protection, health & quality. In the table which follows we present the corresponding phases, principles, actions and steps that lead the product i.e. the professional/? to get the Label of mobility, for Academic and Professional purposes and marketing, too. The pan metron ariston i.e. to use metron in every part or process of a University, HEI, provides a direct visualization for TQM and especially the process performance, control and measurement.
12 The metron as shown in the diagram constitutes a Metrics system or a joint system of: a. Credit Transfer & Accumulation b. Quality Assurance and Evaluation c. Benchmarking These provide a measure of the quantity and the quality and in addition to that, if consistently exercised, they contribute to the development of a culture of continuous improvement. They increase the flexibility, that is the ability to meet client s requirements. Finally, they contribute to the ethos of excellence, as benchmarking has to be in-built for reasons of sustainability and competitiveness.
13 References 1. S. N. Kaplanis a Quality Assessment project in the TEI of Patra based on the European Pilot Project EFQM Conference, Amsterdam, 25-26 January, 1996 2. J. S. Oakland, Total Quality management, Butteivor Heinemann 1993 3. J. M Juran, Juran on leadership for Quality The free press, 1989. 4. B.S 4778, 1987 (ISO8402-1986) Quality Vocabulary Part 1, international Terms. 5. Quality: by Feigen Bam The total composite product and service characteristics of marketing (this denotes direct mobility) engineering, manufacture and maintenance through the product and service in use will meet the expectative by the customer. 6. The joint Bologna Declaration, of the European Ministers of Education, Bologna, 19 th June 1999. 7. S. Kaplanis, the New HEIs Contribution to the Making of the Knowledge Society. Continuing Education paper presented in Bonn, 7 & 8/5/1999 in ACA seminar. 8. White Paper on Teaching and Learning : Towards a learning society 9. Luxembourg: Office for the official publication of the European Communities 1996. 10. ECTS, European Community Course Credit Transfer System European Commission 1994/95. 11. F. Dalichow, CATS, ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION ON A WORLD-WIDE SCALE? Paper presented in CATS conference in Derby 15-19/6/1998. 12. General Directive 89/48 EEC 1988 13. General Directive 95/51 EEC 1992 14. Council of Europe/UNESCO Convention on the Recognition of Qualification covering Higher Education in the European Region, Lisbon Recognition convention of 1997.
14 15. Sectoral Directives : Council Directives 78/1026/EEC/1978, recognition of diplomas, certificate, other formed qualification for veterinary medicine Council Directive 85/384/EEC/1985 on mutual recognition of diplomas certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications in architecture. Council Directive 85/433/EEC/1985 on mutual recognition of diplomas certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications in primacy. Council Directive 89/594/EEC of 30 October 1989 amending Directives 75/362/Eec, 77/452/EEC, 78/10226/EEC relating to the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications as doctors, nurses responsible for general care, dental practitioners, veterinary surgeons and midwives, together with Directives 75/363/EEC, 78/1027/EEC concerning the coordinator of provisions laid down by Low, Regulation or Administrative Action relating to the activities of doctors, veterinary surgeons and midwives etc. 16. Ralf. G Lewis, Douglas Smith Total Quality in Higher Education St., Press 1994 17. Maastricht Treaty, 1992