International Services/Erasmus +
European Credit Transfer System
The ECTS is the European system for the recognition of university credits.
University students can choose to carry out part of their studies at universities selected by the European Union. The credits allocated for the exams taken at these selected universities will be recognised by the students’ home university.
The key aim of the ECTS is to promote the mobility of European students, thus favouring cultural exchange and the evolution of university and professional careers within the countries of the Union.
Characteristics of the ECTS
The ECTS is based on the attribution of a numerical score to the single disciplines in each degree course, based on the overall work load each student has to face in order to pass the final examination.
These student effort hours include hours of teaching, seminars, practical work and laboratory work as well as the hours devoted to study and to the writing of dissertations.
Due to the application of common evaluation methods, credits and grades, the ECTS offers full transparency regarding periods spent studying abroad. It also offers a general key for the interpretation of the various national systems of university teaching.
The ECTS is based essentially on the following:
full information given about the study and evaluation programmes;
the mutual agreements between partner institutions and the students;
the use of ECTS credits to evaluate the work required of the students.
ECTS credit value
Each course is assigned an ECTS credit value, between 1 and 60, to evaluate the work load the student has to face in order to prepare for the final examination. Credits represent the study load in each course in relation to the study load in a complete academic year.
Credits fixing
All university courses, whether compulsory or elective, are given a credit value. The impact of a course is not reflected by its credit value as very often the same course may be included in the study plans of different faculties. The course’s credit value varies depending on its programme.