Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences

European Credits (ECs) provide an instrument to create transparency, to build bridges between institutions and to widen the choices available to students. The system makes it easier for institutions to recognise the learning achievements of students through the use of commonly understood measurements - credits and grades - and it also provides a means to interpret national systems of higher education. The European Credit system is based on three core elements: information (on study programmes and student achievement), mutual agreement (between the partner institutions and the student) and the use of European Credits (to indicate student workload). European Credits are a numerical value (between 1 and 60) allocated to course units to describe the student workload required to complete them. They reflect the quantity of work each course unit requires in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of academic study at the institution, i.e. lectures, practical work, seminars, tutorials, fieldwork, private study - in the library or at home - and examinations or other assessment activities. European Credit is thus based on a full student workload and not limited to contact hours only.

Example: In order to complete successfully the ‘Principles of Marketing’ subject and gain the 5 European Credits assigned to it, the student has to spend 140 hours in workload for this subject. These 140 hours are comprised of 24 contact hours/lectures and 116 hours in practical work, seminars, tutorials, fieldwork, examinations, and preparation time, etc.

Dutch bachelor's degree programmes at universities of applied sciences are generally 4-year study load programmes, weighted at 240 European Credits (ECs) of 60 credits per year.• Wittenborg offers its bachelor's degree programmes in 3 phases, allowing motivated students to complete modules in a minimum of 3 years with a higher study load of 80 ECs per year, or in 4 years at the standard pace of 60 ECs per year.• The curriculum remains timetabled in a manner that allows dedicated students to follow the programme either in 3 years or 4.

In cases where credits are transferred between countries (mainly in student exchanges) European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System (ECTS) grades can be used. It is good practice to add an ECTS grade, particularly in the case of credit transfer. The ECTS grading scale ranks the students on a statistical basis.

Therefore, statistical data on student performance is a prerequisite for applying the ECTS grading system. Grades are assigned to students with a pass grade as follows:

A distinction is made between the grades FX and F that are used for unsuccessful students. FX indicates: "Fail - some more work required to pass", and F indicates: "Fail - considerable further work required". The inclusion of failure rates in the Transcript of Records is optional.

Progression through the WUAS bachelor's programmes by gaining European Credits:

Credit Transfer at Wittenborg is based on the Lisbon Recognition Convention, officially the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region, an international convention of the Council of Europe together with UNESCO. This is the main legal agreement on credential evaluation in Europe.