European Qualifications Framework and the comparison of academically-oriented and professionally-oriented master's degrees

Abstract

With the moderating power of the European Qualification Framework (EQF), European higher education has, for some time, been moving in a competenceoriented direction in some educational systems. The EQF is a competence framework that defines standards to all levels of qualification. The framework is set up to facilitate comparison of qualifications and qualifications' levels between and within different national educational systems. In this article, we are using the EQF to set the standards for the comparison between different higher education qualifications. The purpose is to reflect upon the differences of graduates with academically-oriented and professionally-oriented Master's degrees. We approach this problem by asking employers (survey, n 0134) and graduates (interviews, n030) for their opinion of how well the competence of academic and professional Master's degrees fit the objectives of the EQF level 7. Moreover, we are interested to explore how well the EQF lends itself to this kind of a comparison. The particular context for this study is the Finnish dual system of higher education.

Developing policy instruments for education in the EU: the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning

“…The challenging nature of the EQF has been pointed out, in particular with respect to the way in which learning outcomes and competence have been approached (Méhaut & Winch, 2012). On national level, these studies examined some of the early national developments (Elken, 2012) and possible implications of the EQF on specific levels/sectors (Isopahkala-Bouret, Rantanen, Raij, & Järveläinen, 2011).…”

Professional Master’s Degree Students’ Perceptions on the Changes Digitalisation Imposes on Counselling in the Social and Health Care Sector

“…The Finnish higher education system is comprised of traditional academic universities and universities of applied sciences. The master’s degree has a working life-orientated, pragmatic profile and it has been classified as an adult education degree [ 25 ]. In order to qualify for the master’s degree, applicants must have three years of work experience in the field of study, i.e., in social and/or health care sector.…”

“…In order to qualify for the master’s degree, applicants must have three years of work experience in the field of study, i.e., in social and/or health care sector. Studies can be carried out while working full-time [ 25 ]. Working life experience forms the context where the studies can be reflected upon, utilised and applied [ 25 ].…”

“…Studies can be carried out while working full-time [ 25 ]. Working life experience forms the context where the studies can be reflected upon, utilised and applied [ 25 ].…”

Supporting, evaluating and validating informal learning. A social approach

“…This organization develops standards for vocabularies and schemes for human resources. For a competence framework to have meaning, the notion of competence must be global, non-historic and non-contextual in nature [75]. Otherwise the translation of competences from one national qualifications framework to another will be impossible [76].…”