VŠE awarded with ECTS and DS Labels

President, Prof. Richard Hindls, dr.h.c. received a decision from the European Commission confirming the re-granting of two prestigious awards, the ECTS Label and DS Label for another four-year period. The decision was made on 17 December, 2013 with the certificates validity from 1 January, 2014.

The ECTS Label is awarded for the correct implementation of the European Credit System in all bachelors and masters study programs, simplifying study results recognition and their transferability. The DS Label certificate is awarded for free and correct provision of diploma supplements to all university graduates in a widely spoken European language.

A university can be awarded with the ECTS/DS Label certificate only as a single institution; it is not possible to grant it to only a faculty. The certificates are granted separately for a four-year period. To be awarded with the certificates, the university has to meet exacting requirements.

For the ECTS Label certificate, there must be structured information elaborated about the university and all of its offered courses (Information Package/Course Catalogue) in English; it must also be available on its web pages. Correct ECTS application in student mobility is to make recognition of the courses studied abroad simple. Therefore, a Learning Agreement is drawn up; in it, a student chooses courses. The choice is approved by the faculty officials, confirming its accordance with a study plan. A transcript of records confirms the study results abroad. To be awarded with the DS Label certificate, the university must provide to its graduates of bachelors and masters programs a free diploma supplement in a widely spoken European language; in the case of VŠE, English applies. Moreover, the diploma supplement must be standardized and its general form available together with a completed example online.

Adequate meeting of the requirements is evaluated by independent experts of the Executive Agency of the European Commission in Brussels. Based on their statement, the European Commission makes a decision on whether to grant the ECTS/DS Labels.

In the case of VŠE, the processing of the source materials for the application of the certificates was managed by Associate Professor Hana Mikovcova, Ph.D. in cooperation with all VŠE faculties, the International Studies Center and the Computer Center.