European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
Full academic recognition means that the study period abroad (including examinations or other forms of assessment) replaces a comparable period of study at the home institution (including examinations or other forms of assessment), though the content of the agreed study programme may differ.
ECTS provides an instrument to create transparency, to widen the choices available to students. The system makes it easier for institutions to recognize the learning achievements of students through the use of commonly understood measurements - credits and grades - and it also provides a means to interpret national systems of higher education. ECTS is based on three core elements: information (on study programmes and student achievement), mutual agreement (between the partner institutions and the student) and the use of ECTS credits (to indicate student workload).
Before starting studies at VGTU foreign students must have a signed Learning Agreement, which covers the programme of study to be taken and the ECTS credits to be awarded for their satisfactory completion.
After completing studies at VGTU foreign students are provided with the Transcript of Records, which shows students learning achievements in a way, which is comprehensive, commonly understood and easily transferable.
ECTS credits are a numerical value (between 1 and 60) allocated to course units to describe the student workload required to complete them. They reflect the quantity of work each course unit requires in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of academic study at the institution. ECTS credits should be allocated on a "top-down" basis. The starting point should be the full programme structure and the normal pattern of courses a student would have to take in an academic year to complete the qualification in the official length of study. The Lithuanian degree system is modular and credit based with 40 credits for an academic year.
ECTS credits are allocated to course units but are only awarded to students who successfully complete the course by satisfying the assessment requirements.
VGTU Credit System in Comparison with ECTS:
1 full academic year = 40 VGTU credits i.e. 60 ECTS credits
1 semester = 20 VGTU credits i.e. 30 ECTS credits
1 VGTU credit = 40 hours of efficient work = 1 week; 1 VGTU credit = 1.5 ECTS credit
Description of the institutional grading system in Comparison with ECTS:
Vilnius Gediminas Technical University uses the following grading system:
| Grade | ECTS Grade | Evaluation |
| 10 | A | EXCELLENT |
| 9 | B | VERY GOOD |
| 8 | C | GOOD |
| 7 | C | FAIR |
| 6 | D | SATISFACTORY |
| 5 | E | PASS |
| 4 and below | FX/F | FAIL |
ECTS grading scale:
| ECTS Grade | % of successful students normally achieving the grade | Definition |
| A | 10 | EXCELLENT - outstanding performance with only minor errors |
| B | 25 | VERY GOOD - above the average standard but with some errors |
| C | 30 | GOOD - generally sound work with a number of notable errors |
| D | 25 | SATISFACTORY - fair but with significant shortcomings |
| E | 10 | SUFFICIENT - performance meets the minimum criteria |
| FX | - | FAIL - some more work required before the credit can be awarded |
| F | - | FAIL - considerable further work is required |
After completing studies at VGTU, the corresponding faculty of VGTU will prepare Transcript of Records and send it to the home institution of the student. The home institution recognizes the amount of credits received by the student so that the credits for the course unit passed replace the credits, which would otherwise have been obtained from the home institution. The Learning Agreement gives the student a guarantee in advance that the credits for the approved programme of study will be transferred.
ECTS Co-ordinator at VGTU
Birutė Tamulaitienė
Tel: +370 5 274 5007
Faks: +370 5 270 0112
E-mail: birut@adm.vgtu.lt
More information about ECTS...
Last update: 10/18/2007
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