The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a student-oriented system to accumulate and transfer different study credits.
The ECTS is one of the main characteristics of the Bologna Process and is used within the European tertiary system to allow universities and other institutes of higher education to recognize and accredit students’ previous post-secondary coursework. Moreover, this allows students to accumulate credits from different institutions as well ensure that their tertiary degrees are recognized internationally. Thus, the ECTS-system regulates not only student mobility within Europe but also the admission to institutes for further studies.
The system is based upon the transparency of defined learning outcomes and learning processes. The acquisition of experience and knowledge is made transparent through the defined learning outcomes in the course description, the corresponding curriculum module and the degree program’s entire curriculum; this significantly contributes to quality assurance.
ETCS credits are calculated based upon a student’s workload, which in normal cases is necessary to pass a course successfully.
The learning outcomes describe what students should know, understand and be able to do after the successful completion of a learning process. The work load defines the amount of time typically necessary for all learning activities (e.g., lectures, seminars, projects, lab exercises, self-study, exams) in order to achieve the expected learning outcomes.
Within the European tertiary system, a semester is assessed to have 30 ECTS credits and an academic year 60 ECTS credits. The workload for an academic year ranges between 1.500 and 1.800 hours. In Austria, one ECTS credit is equivalent to a workload of 25 real hours.
The Learning Agreement (an agreement to accredit courses completed in a semester abroad) encompasses a listing of all the courses/modules/learning units that a student is to attend and complete at the partner university during the semester abroad. The courses’ ID-numbers and the ECTS credits to be transferred are listed in this document as well. When a ECTS credit transfer is to take place, then the learning agreement must be signed and approved by all three parties involved before the semester abroad: the student, the host institution and the sending institution. It is possible to make amendments to the learning agreement four weeks after the begin of the semester abroad.
The document Confirmation of Stay (Aufenthaltsbestätigung) confirms the actual stay of students at the host institution and is normally issued by the International Relations Office. The document may be issued by the host institute’s International Relations Office at the earliest two weeks before students abroad depart back to their home countries. This document is mandatory for Erasmus+ students.
The Transcript of Records (Datenabschrift) provides an overview of all study courses (completed courses/modules, grades/marks and the number of achieved ETCS credits). The ToR provides a proof of courses successfully completed and thus is very useful for student mobility (before the semester abroad, the ToR can be provided to the host institution and after the semester abroad, it provides the foundation for the recognition/accreditation of courses completed abroad at the sending institution).
The Diploma Supplement (Diplomzusatz) contains a standardized description of a completed degree program. The diploma supplement aims to improve the overall international transparency of degrees as well as to serve as a document for the recognition of academic and professional qualifications.
