Rules of Lifelong Learning and Education in Internationally Recognised Courses

held at the University of Economics Prague (dated on 15th December 2017)

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports registered, pursuant to Section 36 (2) of Act No.  111/1998 Coll., on higher education institutions and on amendments and supplements to some other acts (the Act on Higher Education Institutions) on 15thDecember 2017 under reference number MSMT-33969/2017, the Rules of Lifelong Learning and Education in Internationally Recognised Courses Held at the University of Economics Prague.
……………………………………
Mgr. Karolína Gondková, m.p.
Director of the Higher Education Institutions Department

Part One
Basic Provisions

Article 1
Introductory Provisions

These Rules of Lifelong Learning and Education in Internationally Recognised Courses held at the University of Economics Prague (hereinafter referred to as the/these “Rules”) are in accordance with Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on higher education institutions and on amendments and supplements to some other acts (the Act on Higher Education Institutions) as amended (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”)  and the Statute of the University of Economics Prague, an internal regulation of the University of Economics Prague (hereinafter referred to as the “VSE”),  and regulate the detailed conditions for lifelong learning  (hereinafter referred to as “LLL”) and education in internationally recognised courses held at the VSE (hereinafter referred to as “IRC”).

Article 2
General Provisions

  1. Under Section 60 of the Act, LLL shall be understood to be education which supplements, deepens, renews, or broadens the knowledge, skills and qualifications of its participants. LLL may be provided within the framework or outside the framework of accredited degree programmes as provided for in Part Two.
  2. Education as part of an IRC shall be understood pursuant to Section 60a of the Act to be education oriented towards enhancing the expertise of students or graduates of a higher education institution within MBA programmes held by the VSE as stipulated in Part Three.
  3. Participants in LLL or IRC programmes shall not be considered, in accordance with the Rules, to be students under the Act.
  4. Participation in LLL or IRC programmes shall be, as a rule, subject to payment – its amount or its calculation shall be regulated at the Rector´s instruction. If participants terminate their participation in an LLL or IRC programme, they may not claim any refund.
  5. In accordance with the Rules, participants in an LLL or IRC programme:
    1. may, within the framework of the programme, use VSE facilities, information technology, and the computer networks;
    2. shall be obliged to obey internal regulations of the VSE and individual faculties, university-wide binding directives, instructions and measures, as well as the VSE Ethical Code for the period of their participation in a programme;
    3. shall be obliged to pay a fee for their participation, set pursuant to paragraph 4;
    4. should it be specified by a Rector´s instruction, a participant shall be obliged to purchase a chip identification card for a given fee;
    5. shall be provided in advance with information on the conditions of the programme concerned, specified in the Rules.

Part Two
Lifelong Learning

Article 3
Lifelong Learning Programme

  1. An LLL programme may be either profession-oriented or interest-oriented. A programme may be held either in Czech or foreign languages and may be provided as full-time study, distance learning, or a combined type of study.
  2. In particular, the following LLL programmes are held at the VSE:
    1. education within the framework of an accredited degree programme;
    2. summer schools and similar forms of study;
    3. further education with the purpose of specialisation, broadening or supplementing knowledge and requalifying’;
    4. thematic education (either profession-oriented or interest-oriented) organised, as a rule, in the form of seminars, lectures or a cycle of lectures;
    5. education within the University of the Third Age (hereinafter referred to as the “U3A”);
    6. education and training of VSE employees.
  3. LLL programmes may by organised by:
    1. the Rector´s office,
    2. any faculty,
    3. other entities of the VSE,
    4. departments and/or other entities of a faculty, if so stipulated by an internal regulation of the faculty concerned, or if the Dean in question so decides.
  4. The guarantor of the given LLL programme shall be responsible for its organisation. A guarantor shall be appointed and removed by the head of the entity where the given LLL programme is held.
  5. The guarantor of an LLL programme shall be obliged to register the programme in the VSE Information System. The following information shall be recorded:
    1. the LLL programme name;
    2. the entity/department where the programme is to be held;
    3. the LLL programme guarantor’s name,
    4. the period for which the programme shall be held;
    5. the fee per participant;
    6. accreditation to be awarded by the VSE accreditation body, should such LLL programme be subject to accreditation.;
    7. the number of participants in the given LLL programme1).
  6. The entity organising the LLL programme concerned shall maintain the register of issued certificates of attendance in the VSE Information System.
  7. The LLL programme guarantor shall decide on participant enrolment as well as termination of participation in the LLL programmewith the exception of Article 4 (4). The reason for termination of participation in any LLL programme may be the violation of duties stipulated in Article 2 (5) or stemming from Article 4 (6). A participant may terminate their participation in an LLL programme by delivering a notice of termination for the given LLL programme.
  8. The Rector may decide that an LLL Programme shall not be held should such programme conflict with the interests of the VSE, valid legal provisions or VSE regulations. The Dean of the relevant faculty may decide that the LLL programme shall not be organised should such programme contradict interests of the faculty, valid legal provisions, or VSE and/or faculty regulations.
  9. If running of an LLL programme is conditioned by being awarded accreditation by an accreditation body outside the VSE, the following authorities may lodge an application for such accreditation:
    1. the Rector, if the LLL programme concerned is held by the Rector´s office or any other VSE entity, or if such accreditation is awarded by an educational institution;
    2. athe Dean, if the LLL programme concerned is held by the faculty, a faculty department, or any other entity of the faculty concerned.

Article 4
Education within the Framework of an Accredited Degree Programme

  1. Education within the framework of an accredited degree programme (hereinafter referred to as “non-degree programmes”) is an LLL programme consisting of selected accredited degree subjects or part of an accredited degree programme. Non-degree programmes are not meant to provide higher education.
  2. Non-degree programmes may only be provided by the faculty which provides the relevant accredited degree programme or degree subject and only under the condition that the quality, range and availability of accredited degree programmes which provide higher education shall not be compromised.
  3. If non-degree programmes are organised as part of an accredited degree programme, the publication of such non-degree programme shall include:
    1. data laid down in Article 3 (5) (a) through (e);
    2. the study form;
    3. the corresponding accredited degree programme;
    4. the conditions under which subjects successfully completed within a non-degree programme shall be acknowledged if a participant becomes a regular student of an accredited degree programme;
    5. the syllabus of the non-degree programme.
  4. The relevant Dean shall decide on admission to a non-degree programme.
  5. Information on each participant and their non-degree programme course of study is recorded in the VSE Information System.
  6. Articles 5, 6, 10 and 11 of the VSE Study and Examination Rules shall apply mutatis mutandis.
  7. Study subjects of a non-degree programme shall have valid accreditation pursuant to Article 8 of the VSE Study and Examination Rules.
  8. A non-degree programme shall not be completed by a final state examination.
  9. After completing a non-degree programme, the relevant faculty shall issue to the successful participant a certificate of attendance of study subjects including grades  achieved.
  10. The VSE may, in compliance with conditions stipulated in the VSE Study and Examination Rules, recognise credits up to 60 percent of all credits necessary for completion of an accredited degree programme, obtained through the successful completion of study subjects within a non-degree programme.

Article 5
Education within the Framework of U3A

  1. A participant in U3A education is a person who is entitled to receive a retirement or disability pension and, as a rule, has accomplished secondary education by passing a secondary school leaving examination.
  2. Any U3A education shall last for a maximum of three years. An extension of the period is permitted if there is spare capacity.
  3. U3A education shall be held in individual subjects.
  4. Information on a U3A participant shall be recorded in the VSE Information System.
  5. In agreement with subject guarantors, the Academic Director of U3A shall decide on U3A subjects. Subject guarantors, appointed by the Head of a Department or the Academic Director, shall be responsible for the professional aspects of the given subject. The provisions of Article 13 of the Rules for the System of Quality Assurance of Educational, Creative and Related Activities and of Internal Evaluation of the Quality of Educational, Creative and Related Activities of the University of Economics Prague shall apply to a guarantor mutatis mutandis.
  6. A successful participant in a U3A subject shall be issued the certificate of Attendance.
  7. The U3A Academic Director shall:
    1. develop the schedule of an academic year;
    2. discuss with teachers the inclusion of subjects into the timetable;
    3. ensure the recruitment and selection of applicants and the registration of subjects by participants;
    4. ensure that U3A participation fees are collected;
    5. represent the VSE in the Association of Universities of the Third Age of the Czech Republic;
    6. submit an annual written report on the activities of the U3A in the past academic year to the Rector.

Article 6
VSE Employee Education

  1. VSE employee education is intended to broaden and deepen their qualifications.
  2. VSE employee education shall be carried out through one-off or recurring training courses.
  3. The VSE may be involved in paying costs relating to employee training courses.

Part Three
Education in Internationally Recognised Courses

Article 7
Programme of Education in Internationally Recognised Courses

  1. Education in the framework of IRC shall be oriented towards enhancing the expertise of students or higher education institution graduates. Programmes may be held either in Czech or foreign languages and may be provided as full-time study, distance learning, or a combined type of study.
  2. As regards the VSE, the IRC shall be held through MBA programmes.
  3. IRC programmes may be organised by a faculty or another entity of the VSE within the meaning of Article 16 of the Statute of the University of Economics. A programme may be conducted in cooperation with another legal entity.

Article 8
Accreditation of an MBA Programme

  1. The application for accreditation of an MBA programme shall be submitted by a Dean or a Director of a VSE entity to the Board for VSE Internal Evaluation.
  2. The application shall include:
    1. the MBA programme name and the faculty or other VSE entity where the programme shall be held;
    2. if the MBA programme concerned is carried out with another legal entity, a description of such legal entity;
    3. the name of the guarantor of the MBA programme;
    4. the language in which the MBA programme is held;
    5. the description of the MBA programme and the graduate profile;
    6. the required prerequisites for applicants and the conditions for MBA programme enrolment;
    7. the schedule and syllabus of the MBA programme;
    8. the forms and methods of instruction, and the rules for assessment of educational results;
    9. the method for completion of education.
  3. The Board for VSE Internal Evaluation shall decide on the accreditation of an MBA programme. The awarding of an accreditation shall be an indispensable condition for holding the given MBA programme within the VSE.

Article 9
Binding Conditions for Holding an MBA Programme

  1. The minimum number of MBA programme teaching hours (falling into different forms of instruction) shall be 300.
  2. If the programme is held by a faculty, it shall be the Dean who decides on enrolment; if the programme is held by another VSE entity, the director of such entity shall decide on enrolment.
  3. Education within an MBA programme shall be accomplished by the specified method, permitting a comprehensive cross-check of knowledge gained, which, as a rule, shall be the defence of the final thesis. The result of the originality check of the final thesis shall be submitted as part of the defence.
  4. Articles 5 to 12 of the Study and Examination Rules of the University of Economics shall apply mutatis mutandisthrough the education in the MBA programme and during the fulfilment of duties in the framework of an MBA programme.
  5. Should an MBA programme be held in cooperation with a foreign legal entity, accreditation of such MBA programme may specify conditions different from those  stipulated in this Article in order to correspond with the conditions and customs in the country where the legal entity seats..

Article 10
Completion of an MBA Programme

  1. Successful completion of any MBA programme shall be conditioned upon meeting all duties specified within the accreditation of the given MBA programme.
  2. Successful graduates of MBA programmes shall be issued a certificate on completion the MBA programme and shall be awarded a title “MBA” stated behind their name. The title shall not be an academic title pursuant to the Act and the education achieved shall not be considered as higher education pursuant to the Act.
  3. The certificate on successful completion of the MBA programme shall be issued in a uniform format specified by the Rector. The certificate shall be signed by the Rector and the relevant Dean or Director of an entity organising the MBA programme. The entity conducting the MBA programme shall record all issued certificates in the VSE Information System.
  4. Education in an MBA programme shall not be successfully completed:
    1. should a participant deliver a notice on terminating attendance of the MBA programme; and
    2. should the Dean or the Director of the entity organising the given MBA programme adopt a decision on terminating participation in the programme as a consequence of violating duties stipulated in Article 2 (5) or Article 9 (4).

Part Four
Provisional and Final Provisions

Article 11
Provisional Provisions

LLL and IRC programmes which are held as of the date of the effectiveness of these Rules shall comply with the Rules by 1 September 2018 at the latest.

Article 12
Final Provisions

  1. The following regulations are repealed:
    1. the Rules of Lifelong Learning of the University of Economics Pragueregistered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on 13thSeptember 1999 under reference number 28 422/99-30;
    2. Rector´s Order No. PR 08/2001 Ensuring the Development Project for Enhancing Expertise and Pedagogical Level of Academics in the Framework of the Programme Supporting Lifelong Learning of 19 September 2001;
    3. Rector´s Order No. PR 09/2001 Lifelong Learning Programme carried out in the framework of accredited degree programmes of 21 September 2001.
  2. The Academic Senate of the University of Economics approved the Rules in compliance with Section 9 (1) (b), point 3 of the Act on 20 November 2017.
  3. The Rules shall come into force and effect on the date of registration by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

prof. Ing. Petr Berka, CSc., m. p.
Chairman of the Academic Senate of the VSE Prague

prof. Ing. Hana Machková, CSc., m. p.
Rector of the vSE Prague

1) Should the number of participants not be known prior to the commencement of an LLL programme, the program guarantor shall include this figure after the definitive number of participants is known.