EDUCATION AND EXAMINATION REGULATIONS Academic Year

Transcription

1 EDUCATION AND EXAMINATION REGULATIONS Academic Year The are subject to the provisions as laid out in the decrees for higher education as well as by their implementing rules. The Dean's Office acts as the contact point for all questions from students with respect to programs, course units, and exemption forms and credit load reductions. For international students and students who do not have a degree from the Flemish Community or a Dutch VWO certificate, the first contact point for all questions is the International Office. All references to persons or functions refer to both female and male persons. Only the university college's management has the authority to make exceptions based on a well-founded petition from the academic council or the deans. The university college's management determines the validity of any exception. The apply to all programs in both departments of GROUP T International University College Leuven. Unless otherwise stipulated in these regulations, the normal round-off principles apply for all calculation rules: rounding down from 0.5 and rounding up from and including 0.5. As approved by the university college s management on December 24, Academic Year i

2 Content TITLE I DEFINITIONS... 1 TITLE II EDUCATION REGULATIONS... 8 Section 1 Enrollment via contracts of entry Diploma contract, credit contract and examination contract... 8 Article 1 (options)... 8 Article 2 (diploma contract)... 8 Article 3 (credit contract)... 9 Article 4 (examination contract)... 9 Article 5 (possibilities for combining contracts) Model track (standard track and flexible track) and personalized study track Article 6 (model tracks and program stages) Article 7 (standard track or flexible track) Article 8 (personalized study track) Article 9 (changes on the request of the student) Article 10 (changes in the program offering by the university college) Section 2Enrollment rules and tuition fees Enrollment rules Article 11 (enrolling creates an agreement) Article 12 (duration of the agreement) Article 13 (moment of enrollment) Article 14 (approval for registration) Article 15 (special conditions for credit contracts and examination contracts) Tuition fees Article 16 (general) Article 17 (the tuition fee in diploma and credit contracts) Article 18 (the tuition fee in examination contracts) Article 19 (the tuition fee in combinations of examination contracts with a diploma and/or credit contract) Article 20 (tuition fees for postgraduate programs and other tracks of continuing education) 19 Article 21 (charging for extra study costs) Article 22 (defaulting on payment, disenrolling and changing programs) Section 3 Admission requirements Provisions that apply to all programs and course units Article 23 (general) Article 24 (specific approval) Article 25 (language requirements ) Admission requirements for a bachelor program Article 26 (general diploma requirements for admission to a bachelor program) Article 27 (specific admission requirements) Admission requirements for an initial master program or an advanced master program.. 23 Article 28 (general admission requirements) Article 29 (additional admission requirements based on a transition or preparatory program) Specific requirements for admission to other programs Article 30 (bachelor and master programs with reduced credit load) Article 31 (postgraduate programs and other tracks of continuing education) Article 32 (transition and preparatory programs) Section 4 Program curricula Programs: selection and structure Academic Year ii

3 Article 33 (GROUP T choices) Article 34 (program and program stage) Article 35 (bachelor and master programs) Article 36 (program with reduced credit load) Article 37 (transition programs) Article 38 (preparatory programs) Article 39 (postgraduate programs and other tracks of continuing education) Article 40 (possibility of appeal) Listings related to a training program in the program Article 41 (listings per program) Article 42 (listings per course unit) Education model; semester examination system; study time and credits Article 43 (education model) Article 44 (structure of the academic year) Article 45 (study time and credits) Code of conduct relating to the language regulations Article 46 (general provision for language of instruction and communication) Article 47 (course units that are unequivocally organized in another language) Article 48 (other course units that are organized in a different language) Article 49 (programs taught entirely in a language other than Dutch) Article 50 (quality control) Section 5 Elements for the establishment of the individual student's curriculum Composition for the establishment of the individual student s curriculum Article 51 (general information) Article 52 (possibility to appeal) Article 53 (the year program of students with exemptions) Exemptions with or without transfer of examination results, credit and competence certificates Article 54 (exemptions with or without transfer of examination results) Article 55 (grounds for an exemption) Article 56 (obtaining and establishing a credit certificate) Article 57 (scope of a credit certificate) Article 58 (procedure for filing for an exemption based on a credit certificate or another proof of studies) Article 59 (procedure for filing an exemption based on previously acquired competences (PAC) via a certificate of competence) Article 60 (assessment of equivalence of a credit certificate, proof of studies or a certificate of competence) Article 61 (scope and communication of an exemption) Article 62 (filing exemption decisions) Article 63 (possibility of appeal) Article 64 (validity of credit certificates, other proofs of studies and certificates of competence) Article 65 (update programs) Taking course units and sitting exams within one program Article 66 (general principle) Article 67 (regulations for students who enroll for a particular bachelor program for the first time) Article 68 (regulations for all other students) Article 69 (rules for students in associated programs) Academic Year 3

4 Article 70 (exceptions) Taking course units and examinations from another program or at other institutions Article 71 (programs as starting point) Article 72 (electives at another Flemish higher education institution) Article 73 (enrolling for (course units of) an contiguous program at another Flemish higher education institution) Article 74 (other general regulations concerning mobility) Article 75 (special procedure on individual request) Measures for study progress Article 76 (number of enrollment opportunities) Article 77 (student counseling for all students) Article 78 (binding study advice and denial based on that) Article 79 (denial of further enrollment in a program based on binding study advice) Article 80 (denial of further enrollment based on a failing grade after sufficient examination opportunities for a certain course unit) Article 81 (denial based on insufficient credit on learning account) Article 82 (exceptions to the denial) Article 83 (appeal possibility) Section 6 Rights and duties, legal protection and disciplinary regulations Rights and duties of the student Article 84 (equal treatment) Article 85 (administrative openness) Article 86 (impartiality) Article 87 (right of defense) Article 88 (obligation of justification) Article 89 (specific rights and obligations) Article 90 (protection of personal information) Legal protection and treatment of complaints Article 91 (ombuds services relating to quality of education) Article 92 (ombuds services relating to examinations) Article 93 (treatment of formal complaints relating to quality of education) Article 94 (exceptional permissions or complaints procedures for individual students) Disciplinary regulations Article 95 (discipline) Article 96 (discipline enforcement) Article 97 (sanctions) Article 98 (student rights) Article 99 (composition of the disciplinary committee) Article 100 (verdict) Article 101 (possibility of appeal) Retention period of documents Article 102 (retention period of documents) TITLE III EXAMINATION REGULATIONS Section 1General examination regulations Article 103 (objectives) General Provisions Article 104 (field of application) Article 105 (supplementary provisions, exceptions and amendments) Organization of the examinations Article 106 (examination periods) Academic Year 4

5 Article 107 (partial examination) Article 108 (special examination dates for full course units) Article 109 (contact examinations and continuous assessment)) Article 110 (mock examinations) Article 111 (time and place) Article 112 (attending an oral examination) Article 113 (examination schedule) Participation in the examinations Article 114 (conditions for participating in the examinations) Article 115 (restrictions as regards participation) Article 116 (verification) Article 117 (retaking examinations of the first examination period) Article 118 (postponement of examinations to the second examination period) Article 119 (force majeure) Article 120 (stopping the examinations) Exceptions to examination regulations Article 121 (special rules in individual circumstances) Examinations for common course units in enrollment combinations Article 122 (consequences as regards common course units) Examinations for course units from contiguous programs Article 123 (evaluation of examinations) Examinations taken in a different program or at a different institution Article 124 (time and place of examinations) Article 125 (deliberation) Article 126 (replacement by an equivalent course unit) Examination ombudsperson and studen dean Article 127 (assignment, appointment, and availability) Article 128 (competences and disputes) Article 129 (irreconcilability) Article 130 (report) Progress of the examinations Article 131 (examiner) Article 132 (information before the examinations and deadline for projects) Article 133 (format and duration of examinations) Article 134 (assessment) Article 135 (absence of the examiner) Article 136 (administrative processing) Examination boards and their authority Article 137 (composition) Article 138 (competences of the qualified examination board) Article 139 (competences of the examination board) Deliberations Article 140 (number of deliberations) Article 141 (attendance) Article 142 (confidentiality) Article 143 (voting members) Article 144 (consultation of non-members by the (qualified) examination board) Article 145 (The examination board as a board and the rules on decisions and voting) Article 146 (criteria for successful completion of a course unit) Article 147 (weighting) Academic Year 5

6 Article 148 (rules on rounding off) Article 149 (criteria for successful completion of a program) Article 150 (criteria for obtaining a diploma or certificate and a degree of distinction) Article 151 (deliberation report) Irregularities Article 152 (definitions) Article 153 (procedures) Article 154 (sanctions) Notification and discussion of the examination results Article 155 (notification of the decisions of the examination board during the program) Article 156 (notification of the results for the whole of the program) Article 157 (discussion of the results and the right to inspection) Article 158 (retaining examination copies) Retaking examinations for course units and retaining tolerable failing grades Article 159 (retaking examinations for educational activities/course units) Article 160 (retaining tolerable failing grades) Article 161 (additional conditions for retaining tolerable failing grades by students who must still complete 120 credits to obtain the diploma) Article 162 (credit certificates) Dispute settlement Article 163 (conflicts before or during an examination) Article 164 (material errors established before a deliberation) Article 165 (material errors established after a deliberation) Article 166 (internal appeal against an unfavorable examination decision) Section 2 Special examination regulations Special provisions concerning the master s thesis Article 167 (faculty regulations, supervisor) Special provisions concerning advanced master s programs and inter-university programs75 Article 168 (advanced master programs) Article 169 (inter-university programs) Special provisions concerning programs of continuing education, other than postgraduate programs Article 170 (programs of continuing education, other than postgraduate programs) TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS Article 171 (transition for students who started a program before the academic year to the system in execution of the provisions of these education and examination regulations) 76 Article 172 (transition of enrollment in separate course units to the system in execution of the flexibility decree) Article 173 (transition from old programs to the bachelor-master system) Article 174 (transition to the credit accumulation system taking effect as of ) Academic Year 6

7 TITLE I DEFINITIONS Pursuant to the of GROUP T International University College Leuven, unless explicitly specified otherwise elsewhere in the regulations, the terms below are defined as follows: 1 contiguous programs: programs that, according to the admissions requirements in the program guides, can follow each other directly without special permission; 1 bis academic year: a one-year period that starts at the earliest on September 1 and at the latest on October 1 and finishes on the day before the start of the following academic year. This period is divided into two semesters; 2 academic calendar: the academic calendar is set each year by the university college's management before June 1. The academic calendar also includes the examination periods, the deliberation periods, and the vacation breaks; 3 update program: a program that can be imposed on students who have a credit or other study certificate or a proof of competence they obtained more than five calendar years prior and that the student wishes to develop in the context of a program that is to be completed or otherwise; 4 graduation track: a specialization in a program that differs by at least 30 credits from another specialization in the program and which, contrary to other specializations, is mentioned on the diploma; 5 assessment committees: the central committees within GROUP T with the objective of: - assessing whether a student who has not obtained a secondary education degree can still be admitted to a bachelor program or; - assessing an acknowledgement request of previously acquired competences in accordance with the guidelines provided by the validating authority of the KU Leuven Association; - assessing whether a student who obtained a foreign degree but cannot prove its existence can be admitted to the university college in accordance with the special provision concerning international students as provided under Article 23 of these regulations; 6 KU Leuven Association: collaboration between the KU Leuven and selected university colleges in the Flemish Community. The composition of the group and the description of the bodies and areas of operation can be consulted on 7 attendance certificate of continuing education: proof of attendance which establishes that a person participated in a continuing education activity without an examination; 8 competence validation: the assessment of a person's competences with a view to awarding a proof of competence (see 11 and 23); 9 deliberation: the gathering of an examination board that establishes the results of the examinations for the course units, assesses whether the student receives a pass mark for the entirety of a program, and quantifies the end result for this A deliberation can also be held ad hoc in case of disagreements regarding results of an examination or settling an irregularity; Academic Year 1

8 10 scholarship rate student: a scholarship rate student is a student who a) is granted a Flemish Community scholarship, pursuant to the provisions set out in the decree of June 8, 2007 concerning Flemish Community scholarships; or b) meets the conditions as stipulated under Article 12 of the decree of April 30, 2004 regarding scholarships and student facilities in higher education of the Flemish Community and fulfills the financial criteria for being granted a Flemish Community scholarship; or c) is a subject of a member state to the European Economic Area and fulfills the financial criteria for being granted a Flemish Community scholarship. A near-scholarship rate student is a student who is not granted a Flemish Community scholarship but who has a limited income which is at maximum a certain amount above the income limitation for a scholarship; 11 certificate of competence: the proof that a student, based on previous experience or course work that did not include an evaluation, has acquired the competences typical of the level of bachelor in higher professional or academic education, or of the master level, or of a well-defined program, course unit, or cluster of course units. This proof is granted by a validating body and comprises a paper document or a database registration; 12 competence: the ability to apply integrally all knowledge, skills, and attitudes to activities in a social setting. In higher education, competences are referred to as domain-specific learning results; 13 course unit coordinator: the person who bears the final responsibility for a course unit if there is more than one instructor for that course unit; this person is responsible for the content of the ECTS sheet, for entering the marks of the course unit and also acts as the contact point for that course unit; 14 contract type: the form of contract by which students choose to complete their program in part or in full. These include: - a diploma contract; - a credit contract; - an examination contract (with a view to obtaining a diploma or credit). In continuing education, the choice of contract type only applies to postgraduates; 15 credit certificate: the acknowledgement of the fact that a student at GROUP T or another institution of higher education, has acquired the competences associated with a course unit based on a examination. This acknowledgement is recorded on a paper document or in a database. The credits earned, in connection with the course unit concerned, will be reported as credits ; 16 credit contract: an admission contract between GROUP T and the student who registers with the aim of obtaining a credit certificate for one or more course units; 17 dean: department head of a program; 18 program differentiation: distinction between programs in the form of: a) separate graduation tracks, mentioned on the diploma; b) options, major/minor combinations, or other clear forms of distinction that can be mentioned on the diploma supplement; Academic Year 2

9 19 diploma: the document that is awarded at the end of a bachelor or master program to students who have successfully completed the program in its entirety and in which the most important identification data of the student and the program are included; 20 diploma supplement: the document drawn up according to European standards and which mentions the particular characteristics of the program and of the study results that are not mentioned on the diploma; in particular, this document contains the credit certificates for the successful students; 21 diploma contract: an admission contract between GROUP T and the student who registers with the aim of obtaining a diploma or a program certificate; 22 European Economic Area (EEA): region of cooperation within the European Union (for a list of all the member states see: europa.eu.int/abc/index_en.htm), and Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland; 23 PAC: a previously acquired competence, refers to the entirety of knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes acquired through learning processes that are not supported by a study certificate; 24 PAQ: a previously acquired qualification, refers to any Belgian or foreign study certificate which indicates that a formal learning track, whether or not within common education, was completed successfully, with exception of credit certificates that are developed within the same program; 25 examination: the means of assessment by which it is verified whether the student, based on his studies, has acquired the competences that are associated with a course unit. An examination can take place at one particular moment but can also take place in the form of a series of activities spread over time like an apprenticeship or forms of permanent evaluation; 26 examination contract: an admission contract between GROUP T and the student who registers only to participate in an examination with the aim of obtaining: a) a diploma or certificate from a program or b) a credit certificate for one or several course units; 27 examination period: a period at the end of a semester or in August-September specifically reserved for the organization of examinations; 28 examiner: the task of the examiner consists of assessing whether a student has achieved the learning results and, consequently, has acquired the competences required in the context of a certain course unit; 29 flexible track: a model track the student follows either by combining course units of several program stages in one academic year, or by deviating from the previously determined package of course units (consisting of a full program stage or part thereof); 30 functional disability: a permanent or long-term functional deficiency of one or more bodily functions. A distinction is made between the following subgroups: functional disability of motor skills, visual functional disability, chronic disease, psychiatric functional disability, multiple functional disability, learning disability, others; 31 personalized track: a study program that deviates as regards the number of credits that a student must or can take on in one academic year and which may be granted to a student upon his or her well-founded request; Academic Year 3

10 32 certificate: document that is awarded to a successful student at the end of a program (postgraduate, transition, or preparatory program) and on which the most important identification data of the student and the program are mentioned; 33 completion certificate of continuing education: document that establishes that somebody has passed an examination for an activity of continuing education; 34 degree: designation of bachelor or master awarded at the end of a program; 35 grade of distinction: special mention awarded at the end of a bachelor, master or postgraduate program; 36 primary enrollment: when a student is enrolled in more than one program, this is the program that the student indicated to be his or her primary enrollment, except in the case of subsequent programs. In case of the latter, the program that precedes the subsequent program is always the primary enrollment; 37 individual year program (IYP): the whole of course units that an individual student takes up within a program and within an academic year, including the course units (if any) for which he or she seeks exemption in that year; 38 individual study program (ISP): the total of the year programs that an individual student takes with the aim of obtaining a diploma or certificate or with the aim of obtaining one or more credit certificates; 39 international student: 1 An EEA student who has a nationality other than Belgian and who is temporarily resident in Belgium for the duration of his or her studies; 2 A non-eea student who is temporarily resident in Belgium in the framework of his or her studies; 3 A non-eea student with a revocable Belgian residence permit, e.g. any person seeking asylum; 4 A student of non-belgian nationality with an unlimited Belgian residence permit. Unless otherwise provided in these regulations, the student will, for all intents and purposes, be considered the same as an EEA student; 5 A student of non-belgian nationality with an unlimited EEA residence permit. Unless otherwise provided in these regulations, the student will, for all intents and purposes, be considered the same as an EEA student for all ; 6 A student without a degree from the Flemish Community (or a Dutch VWO certificate). 40 degree qualification: the part of a program designation which indicates the specific orientation of a program; 41 learning account: credit awarded to a student by the Flemish Community, expressed in credits which can be used to take one or several programs or course units; 42 learning result: the provision of what the student is expected to know, learn, and be able to apply after completion of an instruction-related learning process. Learning results are defined as competences in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes typical of a program, course unit or cluster of course units; 43 master s thesis: document that marks the completion of a master program; 44 material error: any composition of an individual study or year program in which the legal or regulatory requirements are not met, as well as any material act as a result of which an Academic Year 4

11 incorrect examination result has been awarded to a student; a rectification of a material error to a student's disadvantage can only take place within ten calendar days after the announcement of the decision unless it is in breach of legal conditions; the term goes into effect the day after the announcement; 45 model track: a track that is made up of a program schedule drawn up for a specific program that includes the compulsory and elective coursework and explains how a student can obtain the diploma or certificate connected to the program within a given time frame. A model track can be completed as either a standard track or a flexible track. A model track includes every track variation for which a student is not required to request permission (as long as he or she adheres to the rules described in the Education and Examination Regulations); 46 educational activity (EA): further division of a course unit in terms of a specific coherent whole of educational and learning activities with a certain number of associated credits; every course unit includes at least one educational activity. The terms educational activity and subcourse are synonyms; 47 program: the structuring unit of the educational selection. Upon successful completion, a diploma or certificate is awarded the student; 48 program committee: a committee that is established with a view to developing and monitoring one or more programs and which comprises members of the teaching staff and student representatives, possibly supplemented with alumni; 49 program stage: coherent part of a program with the aim of structuring the study track and supervising study progress; 50 course features: elements that define the profile of a program, namely: a) the qualification and any possible specification of the degree; b) the graduation track, option, or other form of differentiation; c) the credit load; d) the institution where the program is offered; 51 course unit (CU): a clearly defined package of educational, learning, and examination activities aimed at the acquisition of well-defined competences in terms of knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes. A course unit encompasses at least three credits and leads to one separate assessment grade. The terms course unit and course are synonyms; 52 permanent evaluation: a regular evaluation of a student's study performance during the academic year; 53 continuing education: curricula of (usually) limited scope for the purpose of specialization, refreshing (scientific) knowledge, or extending or deepening of competences; 54 postgraduate certificate: document that proves a student has successfully completed a postgraduate program; 55 postgraduate program: program of continuing education that offers a consistent package of at least 20 credits; 56 program guide: a full overview of the specific program information in addition to the. This information may be consulted on my.groupt.be; Academic Year 5

12 57 program year: all the requirements in terms of course units a student must complete in keeping with a model track or personalized study track for every package of 54 to 66 credits in the period prior to ; 58 grades master: see 13, course unit coordinator; 59 Council of Europe: collaboration between countries from inside and outside of Europe. The full list of participating countries may be consulted at 60 transition program: a program set for a student who wishes to register for a master program based on a bachelor s degree awarded in professional higher education. The program aims to impart general scientific competences and scientific-disciplinary rudiments as referred to under Article 58, 2, 2, of the decree of 4 April 2003 regarding the reorganization of higher education in Flanders; 61 written notification: unequivocal communication of a request, petition, intent or decision in a manner other than oral (by letter, , fax, etc.); 62 degree specification: the part of a program denomination that consists of the suffixes of arts or of science or similar suffixes set by decree; 63 standard track: a track in which the students follow the model track, either by taking on all course units of a program stage in one academic year, or by commencing a predetermined package of course units within one academic year (comprising only a part of a program stage); 64 proof of studies: diploma or certificate which indicates that a student has achieved certain results in a program or course unit(s) for which an examination was taken; 65 study efficiency: the ratio of the number of credits earned within one academic year and within the same program and the total number of credits acquired within GROUP T expressed as a percentage. For the calculation of study efficiency, exemptions are not taken into consideration. Study efficiency is only calculated based on results achieved as of the academic year ; 66 tuition fee: the amount the student must pay to participate in educational activities and/or examinations; 67 credit load: the number of credits granted a program, a course unit or educational activities thereof; 68 credit: an international unit recognized within the Flemish Community that corresponds to at least 25 and at most 30 hours of required educational, learning and examination activities and is used to express the study load of every program or course unit. Only whole credits are awarded; - assumed/pursued credits are credits for which one is registered including those for which an exemption was granted; - effectively assumed/pursued credits are credits for which one is registered excluding those for which an exemption was granted; - acquired credits are credits for which a credit certificate was obtained; 69 study time: the total time investment that may be expected from a student with a view to a separate course unit or with a view to a program as a whole. The calculation is based on the so-called 'model student'. The model student is the student who demonstrates the foreknowledge, talent, motivation and study behavior of the audience targeted by the Academic Year 6

13 program. The study time comprises two components: - The first component comprises the number of hours of attendance that is in principle expected from every student (the 'contact hours') and the number of evaluation hours. - The second component is the 'processing time'. This is the time the model student must invest in preparing for a lecture or a practical session, completing assignments, undertaking an apprenticeship, preparing for the examination, etc. This expected (or estimated) study time is only an approximation of the study time effectively spent which, after all, depends on the characteristics of the individual student; 70 study track: with the aim of obtaining a diploma or a certificate for a diploma contract or an examination contract, a study track establishes the essential elements for taking a program including course units, credit load, examination and deliberation rules and study progress monitoring. The study track takes the form of a model track or an personalized track; 71 study progress file: the (digital) document that provides an overview of the stage reached in the study progress of the individual student at any given time during the studies; 72 ECTS sheet: succinct description of the most important elements of a course unit according to the international standard; 73 instructor-in-charge of a course unit: the staff member who is officially appointed by GROUP T as the representative for a (part of a) course unit; 74 contract of entry: the agreement between GROUP T and the student that establishes the rights and duties of both parties. The agreement is concluded through the student's enrollment for one of the following contract types: diploma contract, credit contract, or examination contract; GROUP T's are included in full in the contract of entry; 75 tolerance unit: the choice made by the student to effectively maintain a permissible result; 76 tolerance file: part of the study progress file that contains all information relating to possible tolerance units and the right to tolerance units; within set terms the student must make his or her own choices in this file; 77 validating organ: an association with the aim of awarding certificates of competence; 77 bis continuation program: the program(s) that the department considers to be the most logical contiguous program(s); 78 continuity requirement: the order in which a student may enroll in course units as a function of having taken and/or having passed one or more other course units. A distinction is made between three possible forms of the continuity requirement: - strict continuity requirement: the student must have obtained a credit certificate or at least a tolerable failing grade to be allowed to take a course unit following on this; - flexible continuity requirement: the student must have taken the course unit in the past without necessarily having obtained the credit certificate; - concurrence requirement: the student must have taken the course unit in the past or take it at the same time with another; 79 preparatory program: a program that can be imposed on a student who has an academic bachelor or master s degree that does not allow direct admission to the master s degree in which he wishes to enroll; Academic Year 7

14 80 progress requirement: the requirement that a student can only take a certain course unit when he or she has yet to obtain the maximum number of credits to earn the diploma; 81 exemption: the relief of the obligation to take examinations for a course unit or a part thereof based on a credit certificate, another certificate, or a certificate of competence. No mark will be recorded for this course unit or part thereof in the evaluation of a program or for awarding a degree of distinction, unless in such circumstances as provided under Article 54, par 2 of the education regulations Academic Year 8

15 TITLE II Section 1 EDUCATION REGULATIONS Enrollment via contracts of entry 1.1 Diploma contract, credit contract and examination contract Article 1 (options) At enrollment, a student registers for one or more of the following contracts: 1 a diploma contract with the aim of obtaining a diploma or certificate; 2 a credit contract with the aim of obtaining a credit certificate for one or more course units; 3 an examination contract with the aim of obtaining a diploma or credit certificate for one or more course units. These regulations only apply to these students and exchange students. For the purpose of the practical organization of the university college, other people can be registered as well. Their rights are defined on an ad hoc basis. By enrolling, the selection of a contract type becomes final. It can only be changed at the times and under the conditions as provided under Article 9 Article 9. The further interpretation of the contract of entry is determined by these education regulations. Article 2 (diploma contract) With a diploma contract, a student registers based on the following elements of the Education and Examination Regulations: 1) the diploma or certificate the student wishes to obtain and the objectives of the program as set out in Article 33Article 33 and Article 34Article 34; 2) the credit load of the program as set out in Article 35 Article 35up to and including Article 39Article 39; 3) the admission requirements for the registration as set out in Article 26Article 26 up to and including Article 32Article 32; 4) the mandatory or optional course units that must be included in the program as well as the credit load and the continuity requirement and/or progress requirement of these course units; 5) the time period to which enrollment relates (academic year, calendar year, semester, etc.) in accordance with Article 12Article 12; 6) the requirements for obtaining a credit certificate per course unit as set out in Article 56Article 56; 7) where applicable, the credit load reduction for the program in its entirety for separate course units or parts thereof resulting from exemptions; 8) the number of examination opportunities per course unit as set out in the Examination Regulations; 9) the examination and deliberation rules as set out in the Examination Regulations; 10) the possible measures for study progress monitoring as set out in Article 76Article 76 up to and including Article 83Article 83; 11) the binding conditions with respect to study progress monitoring as set out in Article 79Article Academic Year 9

16 A student also enrolls for a diploma contract if he believes he can be exempted for all course units of a program. To obtain exemptions, the student submits an application with the dean and is granted the corresponding diploma or certificate, if approved. If the student's application is rejected, it is determined which course units the student must still take to be able to obtain the diploma or certificate concerned in accordance with this Article 2. Article 3 (credit contract) With a credit contract, a student enrolls pursuant to the following elements of the Education and Examination Regulations: 1) the course unit or course units for which the student wishes to obtain a credit certificate; 2) the study load of the course unit or course units; 3) the admission requirements for the registration for the course unit or course units as set out in Article 26Article 26 up to and including Article 32Article 32; 4) the time period to which enrollment relates (academic year, calendar year, semester, etc.) according to Article 12Article 12; 5) the conditions for obtaining a credit certificate per course unit as set out in Article 56Article 56; 6) where applicable, a credit load reduction of parts of course units resulting from exemptions; 7) the number of examination opportunities per course unit as set out in the examination regulations; 8) the examination rules as set out in the examination regulations; 9) the possible measures for study progress monitoring as set out in Article 76Article 76 up to and including Article 83Article 83; 10) the binding conditions as regards study progress monitoring as set out in Article 78Article 78. Credit contracts can only be concluded for course units for which the student has met the continuity progress requirements as specified by the dean, in consultation with the program committees concerned. Upon justified, individual request from the dean, an exception may be made, pursuant to the procedure as set out in Article 24Article 24 d). Article 3Special provision concerning international students In conformity with the legislation on immigration, non-eea students who reside temporarily in Belgium as students may not enroll with a credit contract. Consequently, they may not change from a diploma contract to a credit contract. Article 4 (examination contract) If a student enrolls with an examination contract with the aim of obtaining a diploma or certificate the rules as provided under Article 2Article 2 apply. The rules as provided under Article 3 apply when a student enrolls for an examination contract with the aim of obtaining a credit certificate for one or more course units Under this formula, the student is only entitled to take examinations and cannot benefit from any of the University College's support services Academic Year 10

17 The dean, in consultation with the program committees concerned, determines which programs or course units are not eligible for an examination contract because their specific nature requires such close monitoring (see also Article 15 Article 15). 0Article 4 Special provision concerning international students In conformity with the legislation on immigration, non-eea students who reside temporarily in Belgium as students may not enroll with an examination contract. Consequently, they may not change from a diploma contract to an examination contract. Article 5 (possibilities for combining contracts) Within the same academic year, a student may enroll for: - several separate diploma contracts or examination contracts or credit contracts of different programs or course units; - a combination of a diploma contract, examination contract or credit contract of different programs or course units. A combination of contracts for the same program or for a program and the course units of that program is consequently inadmissible unless a) a student cannot take a course unit with an examination contract, then he can register for it in the form of a credit contract; b) a student is registered for a program and can obtain the diploma in that same academic year, then he can take course units from that same program in the form of a credit contract in addition to his diploma contract. Enrollments for related programs are permitted under the conditions as provided under Article 69 of these regulations. In accordance with Article 162Article 162 par 3 of the examination regulations, after having successfully completed a program without obtaining a particular credit certificate, there remains the possibility to enroll with a credit contract or an examination contract with the aim of obtaining that credit certificate. In the transition from one contract type to another, the rules that apply are those of the contract type to which the transfer is made. Upon the student's request, the dean may allow deviations from the combination possibilities above Academic Year 11

18 1.2 Model track (standard track and flexible track) and personalized track Article 6 (model tracks and program stages) Any program for which enrollment is possible with a diploma contract or an examination contract with the aim of obtaining a diploma has a model track. A model track is divided into program stages. A program stage for a bachelor or initial master program comprises 54 to 66 credits. For advanced master programs, transition programs, preparatory programs, programs with a reduction in credit load, and postgraduate programs, the load of a program stage is determined by the department. A student can follow a model track in the form of a standard track or a flexible track. Article 7 (standard track or flexible track) 1 If a student follows a model track in the form of a standard track, he may do so full-time or according to an alternatively composed track. If the student follows a full-time track, he does so by taking on a full program stage of 54 to 66 credits. The student takes an alternatively composed track by either taking a full program stage of less than 54 or more than 66 credits or by taking a set package of course units (consisting of a part of a program stage) as determined previously by the department. Any student who follows a model track that deviates from the standard track takes a flexible track. To students who go through a model track in the form of a flexible track, the distinction between full-time and alternatively composed does not apply. 2 A standard track of a bachelor or initial master can always be taken as a full-time track or an alternatively composed track. A student who takes a full-time standard track takes all the course units of a program stage (54 to 66 credits) in one academic year. The department also provides at least one possibility to take the standard track in the form of an alternatively composed standard track, which is to say taking a package of 25 to 35 credits, set by the department, in one academic year. In addition, every program may offer additional alternatively composed tracks. For advanced master programs, transition programs, preparatory programs, programs with a reduction in credit load and postgraduate programs, the department determines how a student may continue through the model track via a standard track. In such a context, the department offers at least one opportunity to do so, either in the form of a full-time track (in which the student takes all course units of one program stage (54 to 66 credits) in one academic year), or in the form of an alternatively composed track. Every program may offer several alternatively composed tracks. 3 Any student who takes a program following a standard track is guaranteed an attainable timetable and balanced examination schedule. This is true for all programs in the selection. If such is not attainable for advanced master programs, transition programs, preparatory programs, programs with a reduction in credit load, and postgraduate programs, it will be expressly mentioned in the program guide Academic Year 12

19 Article 8 (personalized track) A personalized track offers students the possibility of deviating from the model track as regards the number of credits a student must or may take in one academic year (Article 67Article 67 and Article 68Article 68). A personalized track can be granted to students who can show exceptional individual circumstances, subject to approval from the dean. Such circumstances include: students who have a serious functional disability, a serious medical or social reason, are recognized professional athletes or artists; students who work at least 80 hours per month or are employed for at least half of what is considered full-time employment within their sector; highly gifted 1 generation students who are enrolling in a certain bachelor program for the first time and want to deviate from Article 67Article 67 of these regulations. The personalized track is to be distinguished from the possibilities of spreading examinations as described in Article 121Article 121 of the examination regulations. Article 8Article 8 Procedure A student who wishes to follow a personalized track applies to the dean with a well-founded request to this end. If a personalized track is approved, the dean, in consultation with the student, establishes the more personalized conditions concerning the composition of the curriculum, the duration of the studies, and the study progress monitoring. The application must be submitted at the latest on: the third Wednesday of the academic year the third Wednesday of the second semester with the understanding that, in this case, changes can only be made to the course units that are exclusively taught in the second semester. (personalized track) Special provision for international students Students with a non-eea nationality and with a temporary residence permit as a student in Belgium must at least take 54 credits. Exceptions to this rule may be granted by the dean. It is possible to appeal a rejection of a personalized track pursuant to Article 94Article 94 specifying the appeal possibilities Change of study contract Article 9 (changes on the request of the student) 1 See association regulations: which provides the definition (in Dutch) of uitzonderlijke begaafdheid ( highly gifted ) Academic Year 13

20 1 Changes of contract type After the end of the first semester, a student is entitled to change the contract type as defined underarticle 2 Article 2Article 3, Article 3 or Article 4.0. Article 9Article 9 1 Procedure To this end, the student submits an application to the dean. An approval by the dean is only required when changing to a credit contract. When a study contract is amended, the registration and all associated records as provided under Article 2Article 2, Article 3Article 3 or Article 40 are adjusted. Tuition fees that have already been paid are taken into account with the conversion. Article 9 Article 9 1 Special provision concerning international students Non-EEA students must submit any application for a change of contract type to the International Office. 2 Changes in contract specifications Notwithstanding the provisions on the composition of the year program as specified under Article 51Article 51 of these regulations, a student must make his request to change the contract specifications within strict time limits. Article 9Article 9 2 Procedure The student submits a request to change his year program: before November 15 for course units that start in the first semester; before March 1 for course units that start in the second semester. To that end, the student applies to the dean with a well-founded request. The change can relate to: a transition between a model track and a personalized track; a transition between a full-time and an alternatively composed track; a change in the composition of the course units package within a model track, a personalized track or a credit contract. (To this end see Article 51Article 51.) By way of derogation from the above, students who must still earn more than 120 credits to obtain their bachelor s degrees or students enrolling in the program for the first time may, in the second semester, only convert their individual year programs into a part-time track of 12 to 18 credits in the second semester. A change is only possible on approval from the dean. With the aim of establishing the study credits awarded pursuant to the learning account, a decision is made before December 1 for course units starting in the first semester and before Academic Year 14