Fall-back qualifications: Undergrad and postgrad courses to be introduced
View(s):The University Grants Commission (UGC) will introduce early exit or fall-back qualifications for existing undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of study.
UGC Chairman Sampath Amaratunge told the Education Times this facility was recommended by the UGC’s Standing Committee on Quality Assurance to be on par with international higher education guidelines.
“At present when one is enrolled to follow a course of study in a university there is no way of exiting either due to financial difficulties faced by a student or to follow another programme that suits the student’s future career. Fall-back qualifications are meant to avoid the unfortunate situation where a student is compelled to leave a programme without any qualification despite several years of study and some significant level of achievement,” the Chairman said.
Prof. Amaratunge said this policy was designed for students who have completed the minimum period of study required for the full qualification, but are unable to fulfill all the requirements for the full qualification to be awarded.
For example a level 10 MSc programme may have provision for exit with a level 9 Masters or a level 8 Postgraduate Diploma.
He said university vice chancellors, campus rectors and institute directors have been instructed to introduce early exit qualifications into the design of new postgraduate programmes and to include provisions for early exit and fall-back qualifications in the university by-laws for existing programmes.
“The UGC has clearly mentioned that in designing such exit pathways, the expected programme, the expected outcomes or graduate competencies, the course structure , and the assessment strategy, including requirements for award of each qualification must be clearly specified,” the Chairman said.
However, if a student is expelled from the university on disciplinary grounds then such a student may not be eligible for award of an early exit or fall-back qualification.
“Early exit pathways are not recommended for undergraduate degree programmes to which students are admitted through the UGC. However, universities are able to introduce fall back qualifications at Sri Lanka Qualifications Framework (SLQF) Levels 3,4,5 for students registered for programmes leading to Bachelor’s Honours degrees, but who do not fulfill all the requirements to award the degree,” Prof. Amaratunge said.
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