do not rule out further development towards a single ‘joint degree’ in the future,
after consultation with the relevant professional bodies and the regulatory authorities
in each country. However, it is important to note that the current programme
structures and our approach in offering two national degrees is consistent with
Nokut policy which builds on the UNESCO Recommendation on the Recognition
of Joint Degrees
(https://wcd.coe.int/com.instranet.InstraServlet?command=com.instranet.CmdB)
from which the following extract is reproduced here for convenience:
“A joint degree should ... be understood as referring to a higher education
qualification issued jointly by at least two or more higher education institutions or
jointly by one or more higher education institutions and other awarding bodies,
on the basis of a study programme developed and/or provided by the higher
education institutions, possibly in cooperation with other institutions. A joint
degree may issued as:
A joint diploma in addition to one or more national diplomas
A joint diploma issued by the institutions offering the study programme in
question without being accompanied by any national diploma
One or more national diplomas issued officially as the only attestation of the joint
qualification in question.”
Our approach is consistent with the 3
rd
bullet point above.
2.
The management of the joint programmes is described in Chapter II of
the Consortium
agreement.
2.
Norwegian National Curriculum Regulations. The expert committee have
expressed concerns
over compliance with the Norwegian National Curriculum
Regulations.
1.
Each of the three engineering programs provides 20 ECTS of
Mathematics. Details are
documented in appendix1.
2.
Although final year degree projects in UK carry a lower number of credits (15 ECTS)
than the
Norwegian Regulations require, they are complemented with competencies
students build in the
Group Project module taught in the final year in which students’
develop their research and
independent learning skills and problem solving skills.
Together these two modules contribute more
than 20 ECTS. The final year Group
Project module in each program has the following titles: Control
Systems Design and
Implementation (Group Project Instrumentation and Control),
Interdisciplinary
Group Project (10) (Mechanical Engineering), Group Project – Detailed Design
Stage (10) (Civil Engineering)
3.
All three programs integrate the ethical and life cycle visibly, both related to
environmental,
health related, social and financial consequences of products
and solutions.
4.
The joint programmes aim to recruit students from Norway and from other
countries and will
be taught entirely in English. English language is included in the
entry requirements; we realize
that Norwegian language is absent from the
curriculum. There is a conflict between
Opptaksforkriften $2.2 and Norwegian
Regulation for Engineering. We assume
Opptaksforskriften takes precedence. NUC
will, however, offer Norwegian as extracurriculumn
Norwegian classes to all
foreign students to the program the same way as many Norwegian
businesses
does when they recruit international staff.
3.
The expert committee has requested clarification on (a) if the qualifications
award to students
completing the joint programmes will be accreditation, (b) the
ability of students on the joint
programmes to study for an Integrated Masters
programme, (c) which cohort the students on
joint programmes will belong to.