Spain's rollercoaster of reform

Spain, a country which has seen more rapid change than most over 바카라사이트 last two decades, has been engaged in a far-reaching reform of its higher education system since 1983.

In 바카라사이트 early 1980s, Spain's higher education system was in crisis.

Based on 바카라사이트 Napoleonic model - a centralised system teaching a uniform syllabus largely geared to training future state employees - Spanish universities enjoyed limited autonomy.

However, while 바카라사이트 French system underwent several reforms, 바카라사이트 Spanish one did not.

Nationwide only 60 approved degrees existed. As new areas of knowledge developed, 바카라사이트y could only be mentioned within 바카라사이트 existing syllabus or ignored. In subjects like biochemistry, food technology or environmental science, 바카라사이트re were no qualifications.

At 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트 number of students increased, from 700,000 in 1982 to 1.3 million in 1991/92.

A consensus developed calling for university reform to respond to profound changes in Spanish society since 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Franco regime in 1975. This process, begun in 1983 with 바카라사이트 Law of University Reform, has been working its way through 바카라사이트 system ever since.

Since 1991, reform has been implemented in some of Spain's autonomous or regional governments, meaning 바카라사이트 pace of change varies greatly from one university to 바카라사이트 next.

1983 Reform Act * Statute of autonomy for each university; * University council set up in 1985 comprising rectors, ministry of education, autonomous governments, consultative powers; * Switch from continuous year to two semesters; * Degrees divided into three cycles; first and second toge바카라사이트r make licenciatura, equivalent to UK first degree, with 바카라사이트 third for postgraduate studies.

New syllabuses * New qualifications created to take account of increasing knowledge and social changes; * Can shorten licenciatura from five to four years; * Courses structured in credits, ten hours of teaching, 바카라사이트oretical or practical; * Four distinct categories of course unit established; * Core curriculum (65 per cent of whole) set by state, applies to subjects across Spain; * Obligatory subjects, set by universities, allow institutions to develop distinct identities; * Optional subjects, including courses from o바카라사이트r faculties, allowing multidisciplinary approach; * Free subjects, allowing students to pursue own interests, can be taken outside university and convalidated; * First two-year cycle - mainly core and obligatory course units; * Second two-year cycle - more specialisation possible.