Degree Nomenclature And Confidence In Higher Education Qualifications

EDM number 979 in 1999-00, proposed by Jackie Lawrence on 17/07/2000.

That this House welcomes the position paper published by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education on the National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and its stated objective of promoting public understanding of, and confidence in academic standards; congratulates the Agency on its work to highlight the principles of the Bologna Declaration of 19th June 1999 to which the UK Government is a signatory and to further those aims; draws particular attention to the strong emphasis given in the paper to the view that it is necessary to demonstrate in all circumstances that a masters degree represents a minimum level of achievement that equates to the level associated with the second cycle qualifications envisaged in the Bologna Declaration; confirms that use of the Masters title for lower level achievement runs the risk of devaluing the standing of the Masters degree generally; and furthermore welcomes the Agency's invitation for written comments to be submitted to that body by 30th September on the nomenclature issues raised in their above-mentioned paper.

This motion has been signed by a total of 43 MPs.