Definitions 

Definitions

For the purposes of this handbook and as agreed in Unite! European University Alliance, it is considered as a Joint Programme, a jointly designed 120 ECTS Master programme leading to a double, multiple or joint degree and a joint Unite! Diploma Supplement involving at least 2 Unite! partners. The teaching language is English and for students, a physical mobility in Unite! countries of minimum 1 curricular semester (25% of curriculum-30 ECTS) is required. In addition, Unite! mandatory criteria for joint programmes was created during the first project of the University Alliance during (20192022) but the criteriawill be now revised after the European Commission launch (March 2024) of "Blueprint for European Degree". Read more about European Degree   

The above definition of a Joint Programme (JP) is more restrictive in terms of course level (Master’s programmes only) than the one given by the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes that consider as a Joint Programme (JP) a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD programme offered jointly by two or more higher education institutions (HEIs) from EHEA countries https://www.eqar.eu/kb/joint-programmes/definitions

Moreover, even though the definition by the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes represents the most official one on Joint Programmes, clearly a Joint Programme can be offered by institutions from different countries, whether or not (some of) these institutions are located within or outside of the EHEA.

As for the “Jointness” of a programme, this refers to the extent to which the programme has been developed jointly by all involved partners, and the level of programme integration between the partner institutions, including curriculum, quality assurance, marketing, selection and admissions of students, management, exam regulations, funding and sustainability.

Therefore, one of the mandatory features for a Joint Programme to be considered as such, is the integrated curriculum coordinated, managed, developed and offered jointly by the higher education institutions (HEI) of the Consortium, leading to double/multiple or joint degrees, attested by one or more diplomas. Depending on the Joint Programme features and objectives, the implementation of a JP may follow a double path:

1. creating a Joint Programme ex novo, as a completely new degree programme (Master degree) to be added to the course catalogue of each partner institution;
2. creating a Joint Programme as a dedicated curriculum of an existing degree programme (Master degree), without modifying the course catalogue of each partner institution in terms of total number of degree programmes offered by each HEI.

The first option is obviously more challenging and demanding in terms of time, resources, institutional support and legislative constraints, but on the other hand this represents a concrete added value and it is essential to define which option to choose at the very first phase, when considering developing a Joint Programme.

As for the type of awarded degree, EQAR gives the following definitions

●       joint degree: a single document awarded by higher education institutions offering the Joint Programme and nationally acknowledged as the recognised award of the Joint Programme;

●       double/multiple degrees: separate degrees awarded by HEIs offering the Joint Programme attesting the successful completion of this programme (if two degrees are awarded by two institutions, this is a ‘double degree’).

A dual degree is not awarded for the successful completion of a Joint Programme based on an integrated curriculum, but the definition is included in this handbook because the terminology may be misleading and not immediately understandable for a non-expert.

According to ECA, The European Consortium for Accreditation in higher education, a ‘dual degree’ refers to ‘two degrees awarded individually, attesting the successful completion of two separate curricula, with potential overlap and efficiencies in course-taking, and, if more than one institution is involved, each institution is primarily responsible for its own degree’. Students complete the requirements for two degrees from one or two institutions, with efficiencies in course taking. A dual degree is thus awarded for two programmes separately, and these two programmes have some coordination and coordinated elements, but there are two separate curricula that are not integrated[5].

Therefore, the two main differences between a dual degree and a double degree are the following:

• a dual degree is not awarded for the successful completion of a Joint Programme based on an integrated curriculum, and

• in many cases, issuing a dual degree does not require a joint international admission procedure developed by the partner institutions; instead, students are chosen from the students that have already been admitted to the home institutions.

* For example, the dual degree arrangements developed within the T.I.M.E. Association, where students study up to 1 extra year, and upon successful completion are awarded with an engineering degree from both partners.

The award of double/multiple degrees is sometimes preferred by Joint Programmes consortia because of legal and practical reasons and joint degrees are regarded as the toughest type of degree awarding. However, within Unite! our final aim is developing joint Programmes leading to      joint degrees as a demonstration of responsibility within the consortium and a means      to reinforce the JP’s credibility towards its internal and external stakeholders.

Joint Programmes play a very significant role in the European Universities Initiative in terms of strengthening strategic partnerships between Universities across the European Union as well as encouraging students to obtain a degree by combining studies in several EU countries, therefore as Uniters! we consider Joint Programmes  a key element to encourage internationalization of Higher Education Institutions as part of the Bologna process.

Source: definition on EQAR website: https://www.eqar.eu/kb/joint-programmes/definitions/

Source: definition on the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) website: https://www.eqar.eu/kb/joint-programmes/definitions/ .

Source: Joint Programmes from A to Z A reference guide for practitioners: https://impea.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Joint-Programmes-from-A-to-Z-Report-2020.pdf .

Source: ECA, The European Consortium for Accreditation in higher education: https://ecahe.eu/

  https://timeassociation.org/