In the event of any inconsistency between the Danish and English language versions of the document, the Danish version prevails

 

Ministerial Order on Off-site Instruction and Erasmus Mundus Master’s Degree Programmes at the Universities

Under section 3(11)(i) and section 3(12) and section 34(1) of the Act on Universities (the University Act) (Universitetsloven), cf. Consolidation Act No. 754 of 17 June 2010, it is stipulated that:

Part 1

Scope

1.-(1) The Ministerial Order shall apply to agreements entered into by Danish universities with foreign universities or other institutions of higher education offering degree programmes at university level on:

i) Placing some components of an approved Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme with an educational institution abroad (off-site instruction), cf. Part 2.

ii) Completing some components of an approved Master’s degree programme offered as part of EU Erasmus Mundus study programmes at a Danish university and at one or more universities abroad (Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programmes), cf. Part 3.

Part 2

Off-site instruction

2.-(1) The Danish university may decide, under an agreement with a foreign university or another foreign institution of higher education offering degree programmes at university level, to elect to place some components of the teaching constitutive of a Danish degree programme with an educational institution abroad. Up to 60 ECTS points of the programme elements of a Bachelor’s degree programme and up to 30 ECTS points of the programme elements of a Master’s degree programme may be placed abroad.

3.-(1)A Danish university may only enter into an agreement on off-site instruction under section 2 if

i) according to the assessment of the Danish university, the degree programme as a whole will achieve a higher level of quality than that of a degree programme under which all teaching is offered in Denmark, including in cases in which it is difficult to recruit sufficiently qualified lecturers within a subject area or where the educational institution abroad is able to deliver particularly qualified teaching,

ii) the Danish university, in its assessment of whether elements of a degree programme should be placed with an educational institution abroad, takes into consideration both any excess costs which might be incurred by the students and the civil rights of the students,

ii) prospective applicants to the degree programme involving off-site instruction are clearly informed that some components of the programme must be completed abroad,

iii) the Danish university ensures that the structure etc. of the degree programme complies with Danish educational rules and regulations, and

iv) the Danish university ensures that the instruction which takes place abroad is designed specifically for students admitted to the degree programme, including that the Danish university determines the requirements for the academic content of the teaching and for conducting examinations etc.

4.-(1) The following shall be specified in the academic regulations for the individual degree programme:

i) The placement of the degree programme elements expressed in ECTS points to be completed at the educational institution abroad.

ii) Special rules on teaching and conducting examinations etc. for the degree programme components placed with an educational institution abroad.

(2) The university shall grant an exemption from the requirement that the student must complete degree programme components at an educational institution abroad under exceptional circumstances.

5.-(1) The Danish university shall inform applicants and students about:

i) The provisions which apply to the degree programme as a whole.

ii) The teaching and examination rules, including university rules which apply to the degree programme components placed with an educational institution abroad.

Part 3

Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programmes

6.-(1) In cooperation with foreign universities, the Danish university may offer Master’s degree programmes under the University Act as part of EU study programmes on Erasmus Mundus. The individual components of the Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme may be completed at the Danish university and at one or more universities abroad as agreed between the relevant universities. An Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme is either an ‘Erasmus Mundus Masters Course (EMMC)’ with an administration grant from the European Commission or an ‘Erasmus Mundus Brand Name (EMBN)’ awarded by the European Commission.

(2) The Erasmus Mundus degree programmes offered by the Danish university under subsection (1) shall be quality assured according to the common European standards and guidelines on quality assurance, including accreditation, and approved by the Danish Accreditation Council or by the Danish University and Property Agency, cf. section 3(1) of the University Act.

7.-(1) A Danish university may only enter into agreements with foreign universities on the completion of an Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme at a Danish university and at one or more foreign universities if

i) the students completing some of the components of the degree programme at the Danish university are only charged for attending courses and participating in tests and other forms of assessment included in examinations (tuition fees) where this follows from the University Act or rules set out under this Act,

ii) the Danish university ensures that any tuition fees charged in connection with the completion of degree programme components at the foreign university/universities, in the case of Danish citizens and others who must be put on an equal footing with Danish citizens and who have been admitted to the Danish university, does not exceed the amount of the Danish foreign scholarship, cf. the rules set out in the Act on the State Education Grant and Loan Scheme in Denmark (SU-loven),

iii) the Danish university ensures that the individual student is admitted to the degree programme at only one of the participating universities,

iv) the Danish university ensures that students admitted to the degree programme at the Danish university are given the opportunity to complete the entire programme, including programme components at the Danish university and at the foreign university/universities, and

v) the Danish university issues a diploma to the students admitted to the degree programme at the Danish university and ensures that the students are issued a diploma which is recognised in the countries in which the degree programme components were completed.

8.-(1) The following shall be specified in the agreement entered into between the Danish university and the foreign universities:

i) The entire study programme for the Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme, including for the quality and relevance of the programme to the global labour market.

ii) The admissions requirements which applicants must meet in order to be admitted to the degree programme, including requirements for qualifying studies at Bachelor’s level.

iii) The framework for the distribution of the number of students admitted between the universities at which the components of the degree programme can be completed, including the criteria applied as selection criteria if it proves impossible to admit all the applicants to the programme.

iv) The number of ECTS points of the entire degree programme which can be completed at the Danish university, and the number of ECTS points of the entire degree programme which must be completed at the Danish university in order for the university to be able to admit the student to the programme.

9.-(1) For the part of the degree programme completed at the Danish university, the student is governed by the rules of the University Act and rules set out under this Act, including any rules on tuition fees. For the part of the degree programme completed at a foreign university, the student is governed by the rules applying at the relevant university, including any rules on tuition fees.

10.-(1) The Danish university shall provide applicants and students admitted to the degree programme at the Danish university with information on:

i) The provisions applying to the degree programme as a whole, including admissions requirements, insurance matters etc.

ii) Teaching and examination rules as well as any rules on tuition fees which are applicable to the degree programme components which are to be completed at the foreign universities.

iii) The rules on foreign scholarships, cf. the rules set out in the Act on the State Education Grant and Loan Scheme in Denmark.

Examination etc.

11.-(1) The Ministerial Order on University Examinations (the Examination Order) (Eksamensbekendtgørelsen), the Ministerial Order on External Examination in Certain Advanced Degree Programmes under the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (the External Examination Order) (Censorbekendtgørelsen) and the Ministerial Order on the Grading Scale and Other Forms of Assessment of University Education (the Grading Scale Order) (Karakterbekendtgørelsen), cf., however, subsections (2)-(5), shall apply to examinations for degree programme components completed at the Danish university and to the issuing of diplomas by Danish universities.

(2) The Danish university shall issue a special diploma upon the completion of an Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme for students admitted to the programme at the Danish university. The Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme entitles the graduate to either the title Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MSc) followed by an established English designation for the degree programme subject area according to the university’s provision on this in the academic regulations for the programme, cf. section 14(ii). The diploma shall be in English.

(3) The Danish university shall be responsible for issuing a diploma in accordance with subsection (2). The university may equip the diploma with a certification, signature or equivalent emblem from the foreign university/universities such that it appears as a common document to which legal validity may be attributed under foreign law, cf. section 7(1)(iv).

(4) The specific degree programme components which have been completed at the Danish university and the foreign university/universities must be listed on the diploma.

(5) The degree programme elements completed at the foreign university/universities shall appear from the diploma as Pass/Approved, cf., however, section 13(1)(ii). In addition, the grade earned according to the grading scale applied at the foreign university/universities shall appear on the diploma, and an overview of the applied grading scale shall be attached.

12.-(1) As part of an agreement with foreign universities on Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programmes, the Danish university may decide that the Danish university may issue a Danish Erasmus Mundus diploma to students who have completed components of the programme at the Danish university without having been admitted to the programme at the university.

(2) The Danish university may only enter into an agreement under subsection (1), however, if students who have been admitted to the degree programme at the Danish university and have completed degree programme components at a foreign university are afforded the same possibility of obtaining a diploma from the foreign university (reciprocity).

Rules from which the university may deviate

13.-(1) The university may deviate from rules set out in the Examination Order and the Grading Scale Order when entering into agreement with the foreign university/universities such that:

i) Fewer than one-third of the total number of ECTS points for the degree programme can be documented through external examinations.

ii) A national grading scale other than the 7-point grading scale or the ECTS grading scale is used.

iii) The assessment form Pass/Fail or Approved/Not approved is used in connection with more than one-third of the ECTS points for the degree programme.

(2) The university may deviate from rules set out in the University Act on panels of employer representatives, heads of department, boards of studies and directors of studies as a consequence of the impossibility of completing the degree programme at the Danish university.

Academic regulations

14.-(1) Within the framework established by the provisions of this Ministerial Order, the university shall be responsible for laying down the specific rules governing each Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme in the academic regulations for the programme, cf. section 4(1)(ii) of the University Act.

(2) The academic regulations shall contain:

i) Admissions requirements, cf. section 8(ii).

ii) The name of the degree programme, cf. section 11(2).

iii) Academic profile describing the aims of the degree programme and the learning outcomes to be achieved.

iv) The placement of educational components expressed in ECTS points which can be completed at the Danish university and at the foreign universities.

v) Any rules regarding the Master’s thesis and its length.

vi) Any rules set out in the Examination Order and the Grading Scale Order etc., cf. section 13, from which the university deviates.

7) Any rules on credit transfer.

(3) In addition to the rules laid down in accordance with this Ministerial Order, the academic regulations shall contain rules laid down in accordance with the Examination Order and the Grading Scale Order.

Part 4

Appeals

15.-(1) If the appeal relates to legal aspects, the party which the decision concerns (the complainant), cf., however, section 3, may appeal the university’s decisions under this Ministerial Order to the Danish University and Property Agency. The complainant shall submit the appeal within two weeks of being informed of the decision.

(2) The appeal shall be submitted to the university, after which the university shall make a statement. The complainant shall be given at least one week to comment on the university’s statement. The university shall forward the appeal to the University and Property Agency along with the statement and the complainant’s comments, where applicable.

(3) Students cannot appeal decisions made at a foreign university regarding degree programme elements completed at the foreign university as part of EU study programmes on Erasmus Mundus. Students admitted to the degree programme at the Danish university may, however, submit an appeal to the Danish university, cf. subsection (1), regarding a foreign university’s decision made in contravention of the basis for admissions.

Part 5

Entry into force and interim provisions

16.-(1) The Ministerial Order shall come into force on 1 July 2010, cf., however, subsections (2)-(5).

(2) The university may offer degree programmes with off-site instruction for students starting on a Master’s degree programme on 1 February 2011 or later and, for students starting on a Bachelor’s degree programme, on 1 August 2011 or later.

(3) The Ministerial Order shall also apply to students admitted to an Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme for which an application for approval has been submitted to the European Commission before 1 July 2010 and which is approved or continues to be offered as part of EU study programmes on Erasmus Mundus.

(4) Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programmes offered by Danish universities shall be governed by the rules set out in this Ministerial Order as from 1 July 2010. The university shall be responsible for approving the academic regulations for the individual Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme as soon as possible; however, not later than 1 November 2010.

(5) Master’s degree programmes offered at Danish universities under the University Act which are offered according to agreement with foreign universities on participation in EU study programmes in Erasmus Mundus shall continue to be covered by the rules set out in Ministerial Order No. 931 of 5 October 2005 on Parallel Degree Programmes and Joint Degree Programmes.

Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, 29 June 2010

Charlotte Sahl-Madsen