DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT
What
is Diploma Supplement?
The Diploma Supplement
(DS) is a document
attached to a higher education diploma aiming at improving international
‘transparency’ and at facilitating the academic and professional recognition of
qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates etc.). It is designed to
provide a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the
studies that were successfully completed by the individual named on the
original qualification to which this supplement is appended
The DS is produced by national institutions according to a template that
has been developed by a Joint European Commission - Council of Europe - UNESCO
working party that tested and refined it.
- It is not a Curriculum Vitae.
- It is not a substitute for the
original qualification or a transcript.
- It is not an automatic system
that guarantees recognition.
What
does the Diploma Supplement offer to Students?
- A diploma that is more readable
and easily comparable abroad.
- A precise description of their
academic career and the competencies acquired during the study period.
- Objective description of their
achievements and competencies
- An easier access to
opportunities of work or further studies abroad
Why
is the Diploma Supplement Needed?
New qualifications proliferate worldwide and countries are constantly
changing their qualification systems and educational structures under the
impact of rapid economic, political and technological change. An increasing
number of mobile citizens are seeking the fair recognition of their
qualifications. The non-recognition and poor evaluation of qualifications is
now a global problem. Since original credentials alone do not provide
sufficient information, it is very difficult to gauge the level and function of
a qualification without detailed appropriate explanation.
The Diploma Supplement is a response to these challenges since it aids mobility, access and lifelong learning and promotes fair and informed judgments about qualifications.
ECTS
The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a
student-centered system based on the student workload required to achieve the
objectives of a program, objectives preferably specified in terms of the learning
outcomes and competences to be acquired.
Why Introduce ECTS?
ECTS makes study programs easy to read and compare for all students,
local and foreign. ECTS facilitates mobility and academic recognition. ECTS
helps universities to organize and revise their study programs. ECTS can be
used across a variety of programs and modes of delivery. ECTS makes European
higher education more attractive for students from abroad.
What are the Key Features of ECTS?
·
ECTS is based on the principle that 60 credits measure the workload of a
full-time student during one academic year. The student workload of a full-time
study program in
·
Credits in ECTS can only be obtained after successful completion of the
work required and appropriate assessment of the learning outcomes achieved.
Learning outcomes are sets of competences, expressing what the student will
know, understand or be able to do after completion of a process of learning,
long or short.
·
Student workload in ECTS consists of the time required to complete all
planned learning activities such as attending lectures, seminars, independent
and private study, preparation of projects and examinations.
·
Credits are allocated to all educational components of a study program
(such as modules, courses, placements, dissertation work, etc.) and reflect the
quantity of work each component requires to achieve its specific objectives or
learning outcomes in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to
complete a full year of study successfully.
Implementation at
Useful links:
§
METU
Registrar Office : http://www.oidb.metu.edu.tr/english/
§
METU
Erasmus Office :
www.erasmus.metu.edu.tr
§
METU
Academic Catalog : http://catalog.metu.edu.tr
§ EU Education and Training Programs : http://ec.europa.eu/education/index_en.htm