What is ECTS?
Initially developed as a “credit transfer system” to solve the problems related to the recognition of education received by students at various higher education institutions by other institutions across Europe, the system is now also implemented as a “credit accumulation system” within higher education institutions of the same country.
ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) is a credit system based on the student workload, which is the time required to successfully complete the learning activities planned to achieve the intended learning outcomes of a course.
Student Workload refers to the total amount of time a student needs to devote to successfully complete a course. It includes all learning activities such as attending lectures, participating in practical sessions, seminars, preparing projects, examinations, individual studies, and internships. This workload is calculated by academic staff, taking into account the average effort of a typical student. Incorporating student feedback into this calculation increases the quality assurance and acceptance of the system.
Institutions that adopt the ECTS system essentially use a common academic language, making the workloads of students across different programs comparable. When learning outcomes expressed in terms of knowledge, skills, and competencies are clearly defined and linked to these workloads, the comparability of students from different countries is further enhanced.
Opportunities Provided by ECTS for Institutions
- Offers detailed information about course contents and curricula.
- Assists academic staff in matters related to academic recognition.
- Facilitates the review of course structures, student workloads, and intended learning outcomes.
Determining ECTS Credits for Courses
The ECTS credit value indicates the proportion of a course within the total workload required to complete one full academic year.