Tuning Sectoral Framework for Social Sciences

The EQF is a common European reference framework which links countries' qualifications systems together, acting as a translation device to make qualifications more readable and understandable across different countries and systems in Europe. In this context, Tuning could bridge the European Qualification Framework (EQF) for Life Long Learning (LLL) and the Qualification Framework (QF) for the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) as well as bridging the subject area level and the general descriptors of both qualification frameworks. What is really required now are frameworks which offer descriptors and reference points at mediate level, more general than at subject area level and more precise than at the level of the EQF for LLL and the QF for the EHEA (the Dublin descriptors).
The project seeks to develop a credit based sectoral qualification framework for the sector/domain of the Social Sciences. The framework is intended to cover the levels 3 to 8 of the European Qualification Framework (EQF) for Life Long Learning (LLL). The achievement of such a framework as an intermediate level between the subject area level and the general level of the EQF will facilitate the recognition of prior (formal, informal and non formal) learning by developing clear reference points. It will also contribute to the relationship of higher and general education and vocational education and training. A sector or domain is understood here as a combination of related fields of study which is based on more or less comparable learning profiles.
Description
The project will cover and will be based on the following two groups of subject areas. A first group for which learning outcomes/competences based descriptors and reference points have been developed in the framework of the Tuning and Thematic network projects: Business, European Studies, Education Sciences, Occupational Therapy and Social Work. A second group for which it is thought absolutely necessary to develop descriptors and reference points as being key fields in the Social Sciences domain: Law, Psychology and International Relations. The 40 institutions involved in the second group will be selected on the basis of an Open Call. Particular attention will be given to the relation between secondary general education on the one hand and vocational education and training and higher education on the other hand by identifying and comparing recognition procedures as well as standard pathways for admission to higher education programmes. The project builds on the results of the Erasmus, Tempus and Alfa TUNING projects, which have played a major role in promoting the learning outcomes/competence approach in higher education. The credit part of the framework will be based on ECTS taking into account the work that has been accomplished as part of the ECVET initiative.
Objectives
The main objective of the project is to develop a European credit based sectoral qualification framework covering the levels 3 to 8 of the European Qualification Framework (EQF) for Life Long Learning (LLL) on the basis of the outputs of the TUNING project, that is cycle level descriptors and reference points for a range of subject areas. The development of such a framework, covering secondary level and higher education at sectoral level will be a major step forward and will prove to be extremely useful for the recognition of prior learning (formal, non formal and informal). The intention is to develop also more clarity about credit ranges regarding the levels 3 to 5.
The most important objectives are the following:
    identification of (main) subject areas not covered by the Tuning project so far. Establishment of subject area based working groups for these fields. Initiating preparation of key features and cycle (level) descriptors for these subject areas;
    mapping of secondary general education and vocational education and training level from the perspective of the sector as well as for each subject area involved. Identification of communalities and differences at national level;
    identification of communalities and differences at sectoral as well as at subject area level at European level;
    preparation of cycle descriptors for the levels 3, 4 and possibly 5 at subject area as well as at sectoral level;
    identification of entrance and exit points as well as entrance levels at levels 3 and 4 and possibly 5 on the basis of different learning routes taken;
    identification of (ECTS) credit ranges for the levels 3 to 5 as well as exploration of the link to the European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) initiative;
    identification of communalities and differences between the already prepared cycle (level) descriptors for the first, second, third level, i.e. the levels 6 to 8 of the EQF for LLL;
    preparation of sectoral cycle / level descriptors. These descriptors should be written in such a way that both the Dublin descriptors and the descriptors of the EQF for LLL are covered;
    identification of communalities between the different Tuning sectoral frameworks: sector by sector as well as all sectors concerned;
    identification of suggestions for fine tuning and bridging of the Bologna (Dublin) descriptors and the descriptors of the EQF for LLL.