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How European Credit Transfer System Works

The main tools used to make ECTS work and facilitate academic recognition are: The information package. Institutions that want to use ECTS produce an information package, updated annually, in which they describe the courses available at the institution.

It provides general information about the institution, its location, student accommodation, administrative procedures necessary to register and academic calendar.

Good course information is essential to prepare serious study abroad and descriptions covering the content, pre-requisites, mode of assessment, time unit, type of course, teaching and learning methods employed and ECTS credit value are all included in the information package, along with a description of the department offering the course. Details of examination and assessment procedures, the institution's grading scale and the structure of the curriculum of the degree are also included. The information package is produced in both the national language and in a second European Community language. They are circulated to partner institutions for students and professors to consult and use in planning study abroad programmes.

The learning agreement describes the programme of study abroad and is drawn up by the individual student and institutions involved before the student goes abroad.

The transcript of records, shows the learning achievements of the student prior to and after the period of study abroad. The transcript of records show for every course taken by the student not only the ECTS credits but also the grade awarded according to the local grading scale and the ECTS grading scale. The combination of the local grades and the ECTS credits and grades represents qualitatively and quantitatively the performance of the student on the courses at the host institution.

These tools are used by the institutional and departmental coordinators, appointed by each institution to deal with the administrative and academic aspects of ECTS. It is their role to advise and counsel students who wish to participate in ECTS. By using ECTS, transparency of curricula and students' learning achievements is created, which in turn facilitates academic recognition.