A quarterly publication of AQU Catalunya
The benchmarks are primarily aimed at guiding university institutions to facilitate the design process of educational programs in a specific field.
Benchmarks represent the Agency's commitment to provide the Catalan Higher Education System (hereinafter SUC) universities with tools that help them to approach the process of designing degree programmes and their subsequent validation in a more autonomous manner. However, the benchmarks establish a common language for all SUC stakeholders that allows recognition of what is expected of degrees in a specific field.
The main difference between the two benchmarks presented (degree studies in Biosciences and Philology and Language Studies) with respect to the previously published benchmarks (Law, Industrial Engineering and Nursing) is that they are not linked to access to regulated professions. Both the degree studies in Biosciences and those in Philology and Language Studies are not subject to legal regulation regarding their learning outcomes, structure, etc. Therefore, they enjoy greater flexibility for innovation and the diversity of degrees. Accordingly, the benchmark is intended to be an important element for consensus, as it is established within the SUC when a degree programme is included in one of these sets of educational programmes.
Furthermore, the approval of Royal Decree 822/2021 has marked a turning point regarding the design of educational programmes. In this new scenario, learning outcomes become the central element of the educational program and, therefore, a clear and precise formulation is key so that the different stakeholders who are directly involved in its implementation and development (teachers and students) share the same objectives and expectations about what must be achieved in overcoming each of the stages and at the end of the programme. On the other hand, stakeholders, such as institutions related to higher education and research, and the job market can understand what skills, knowledge and competences are expected of them and therefore the added value they can bring to graduates.
The benchmark in Philology and Language Studies has been drawn up taking into account existing degree programmes both at the national and international level in order to establish trends and aspects common to this type of degree. Broadly speaking, the trend in these types of studies is to set up an educational profile that deepens the study of languages and culture. This profile is multidisciplinary that adapts to the demands of the job market and the social, diverse and globalised environment. This multi-disciplinarity entails the acquisition of multilingual skills and competences, as well as the ability to work and communicate in multicultural environments.
Finally, the working group took special care to ensure that the learning outcomes were sensitive to minority languages. Translation and Interpreting studies are not included in this reference because it was considered that they should be dealt with separately, given their special characteristics.
The resulting document and the working group that defined it can be consulted at the following link:
Benchmark for Philology and Language Studies
The Benchmark for Biosciences has been carried out in the field of Science, taking into account existing benchmarks in Anglo-Saxon university systems such as the British and the United States. Biosciences are a particularly topical area, not least because of their link to the global challenges set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as health, environmental sustainability, technological progress, economic growth and quality education. This wide range of challenges, given the extent and depth of knowledge they require, makes it impossible (and also inadvisable) to include them in a single degree.
The degree programmes included in this benchmark should aim for graduates to achieve a broad understanding of the scientific bases of the study of living systems and the design and execution of controlled experiments. In addition, multidisciplinary knowledge and skills should be provided in aspects related to biomedicine, chemistry, geography, earth sciences, environmental studies, marine sciences, as well as data analysis or information technologies.
As a novelty with respect to the previous benchmarks published by AQU Catalunya, micro-credentials have been incorporated that can cover specific societal needs. Moreover, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is being introduced by both teachers and students. The aim is to encourage people to adapt to new technologies and to promote teacher training in the use of AI, as well as to ensure that students use it in an ethical and critical way, with the aim of fostering creative thinking and transversal skills. In addition, AI can be integrated as a tool in assessment processes.
The resulting document and the working group that defined it can be consulted at the following link:
Lastly, we must remember that in no case are the benchmarks intended as prescriptive documents. Instead, their main objective is to guide university institutions in order to facilitate the process of designing training programmes.