Instruments

for academic mobility (studies related)

The Diploma Supplement (DS)
The Diploma Supplement is a document attached to a higher education qualification aiming at improving transparency and at facilitating recognition. It is designed to provide a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were successfully completed by the individual named on the original qualification to which this supplement is appended. This flexible tool was initiated by UNESCO and revised jointly by UNESCO, the European Commission and the Council of Europe.

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)
A credit system is a systematic way of describing an education programme by attaching credits to its components. ECTS was introduced in 1989 within the framework of the Erasmus programme of the European Union as a system for credit transfer based on the student workload required to achieve the objectives of a programme, objectives preferably specified in terms of the learning outcomes and competences to be acquired. It facilitated the recognition of periods of study abroad and thus enhanced the quality and volume of student mobility in Europe. Recently ECTS is developing into an accumulation system to be implemented at institutional, regional, national and European level. This is, as it happens, one of the key objectives of the Bologna Process.

EUROPASS: Opening doors to learning and working in Europe.
Europass is a new way of helping people move anywhere in Europe (European Union, EFTA/EEA and candidate countries) and make their skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood. Europass consists of five documents:
- two you can fill in yourself
  - Europass Curriculum Vitae
  - Europass Language Passport)
- and three that are filled in and issued by competent organisations
  - European Certificate Supplement
  - Europass Diploma Supplement
  - Europass Mobility
National Europass Centres (NEC)
In every country (European Union and European Economic Area), a National Europass Centre coordinates all activities related to the Europass documents. It is the first point of contact for any person or organisation interested in using or learning more about Europass.

National Reference Points (NRP)
In every country (European Union, European Economic Area and very soon in candidate countries), a National Reference Point gives access to information on vocational qualifications. All National Reference Points are part of a network.