1. Proceedings, current status and objectives | 2. Program for growth in academic efficiency | 3. Program to increase places and degrees | 4. Post-graduate programs | 5. Other norms and measures | 6. Program cycles for masters degrees | 7. Schematic summary. Degree forecats for 1998-99 to 2003-04

2. PROGRAM FOR THE INCEASE OF ACADEMIC EFFICIENCY

2.1 Definition of academic efficiency

The relation between the number of students who enter into study and those who finally obtain the corresponding titles, constitutes an academic success indicator. This relationship could have different interpretations. Therefore, one could group the title holders in determined areas, in other words, indicate how many of those students who began in the same year actually received a title, either by the year that corresponds to the theoretic duration of the course, or within this year, or in the years following. One can also express the relationship between the total number of students who receive their titles in a determined year and the total number of students who entered in any anterior year (which would correspond with the theoretical duration of the studies), without taking in to account whether all of those students graduated in the same year forming a part of the same entrance group.

In the framework of this Plan, we have opted for the second option, keeping in mind as it has been indicated, the main objective of the Plan being the increase of the number of title holders, and therefore, in this manner, most important is that the students do not abandon their studies, but rather that they finish them, independent of the fact of whether they began their studies in one year or another.

In other words, with the main importance being that the effective duration of the course is not excessively longer than its theoretical duration; moreover, especially in the case of students who combine work with study, that they finish even though it may demand a number of years superior to the theoretical amount.

In this manner, the method through which the estimated titles have been calculated in Box #9 is based upon the development, during the following courses, of a percentage that would be the result of the ratio between the number of titled students in a field within a determined year, and the offer of places from that course n+1 from previous years, where n is the duration of the theoretical course. Which is to say:

According to the formula, m is the year in which the percentage is expressed and n is the theoretical duration of the course, which grows by single years, given that the obtention of the supposed title, frequently, the work of a project that, in practice, requires in many cases prolongation of studies for one more year.

It remains clear that there are many students, who, follow a slower path and earn their title in a superior number of years than n+1, but these students are also accounted for, given that the number of title holders in the year m reflects upon all those who have a title in that year independent of the year they began their studies. Basically the analysis which follows is not dependent upon whether or not the duration is n+1 or even larger.

On the other hand, and the offer of places has been adopted as a reference base, given that in these titles there are practically no empty places, therefore from a broad perspective it would be considered that the offer of places corresponds with the new entering students.

2.2 Academic success is excessively low

One of the aspects that notably limits the number of titles in computer studies, telecommunications and related subjects is the unsatisfactory level of academic success, especially in Bachelors. A comparison between Boxes #2 and #3 shows us an academic success rate for Bachelors of 50%.

One has to take note that in the past years, a major effort has been made to increase the academic success level. Henceforth the universities, along with the Quality Control Agency for the Catalan University System(l'Agència per a la Qualitat del Sistema Universitari a Catalunya), have made an evaluation of the studies, in order to identify the strong and weak points of the titles and to formulate propositions to improve the system. Throughout the last three years, they have evaluated a total of 201 courses. Of these, in computer, telecommunications, and related subjects they have evaluated the following:

- Telecommunications Engineer. UPC
- Electronics Engineer. UB-UAB
- Automation and Industrial Electronics Engineer. UPC
- Industrial Technical Engineer, Industrial Engineer Specialist. UdG-URV
- Audio-visual Communications. UAB-UPF

Also evaluated with a transversal character, in order to have disponible common reference points, were the following courses:

- Computer Engineer. UAB-UPC
- Technical Engineer of Computer Systems. UAB-UPC-UdG-UdL-URV
- Technical Engineer in Computer Acquisitions. UAB-UPC (Matar-, Barcelona, Vilanova i la GeltrÏ)-UdG-UdL-URV

With respect to the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, where the largest offering in this area exists, and the title data in the last few years is:

In the period from 1995-96 to 1999-00, the number of titles from the UPC, in the TIC arena has increased from 1.028 to 1.521, representing a growth of 47,9%. 15,7% in superior engineers and masters -including-the courses from the second cycle- and a 82,0% in the bachelors. These with 910 titles from 1998-99, represent 59,8% of the total for 40,2% superior engineers and masters. All of this indicates an important effort, overall keeping in mind that basically, the offering of places in the different studies in the TIC arena of the UPC, n+1 anterior years, in other words, during the period from 1991-92 to 1996-97 it has remained practically stable.

Overall it is necessary to preserve together the forms demonstrating continued improvement in academic success. These will have to be kept in mind along with three aspects which, with varying values in different titles, will make it very difficult to establish a better academic success level:

(i) The lack of balance between the preparation of the new students prior to entrance and what is expected from them.
(ii) The first years of the courses are too specific and narrowly defined.
(iii) Course abondonment by those students who, reacting to the heavy market demand for skilled workers in this sector, once a student has adquired sufficient knowledge allowing them to enter the job market, showing that they leave their studies before graduating.

Improving academic success supposes, henceforth, the beginning of a series of specific actions in order to confront the various causes that condition a task corresponding to those same centers and universities Therefore, the Administrative support would be provided through contractual agreements, adjusted to the specific characteristics of each university and degree, in agreement between the administration and the universities.

2.3 Objective for academic success

The increase in academic success cannot be the result of a radical change, but rather should be through gradual change. Therefore, using a as base the programs from previous years, the improvement of academic success has been estimated at 5% annual since the academic year 98-99, the last year from whence exists sufficient data from all the universities.

Logically, the academic progression cannot be indefinite and hence, a long term goal of 75% has been set, from which level the improvement will be considered stabilized.

In some titles, it would be possible to consider, in the year 2003-2004 of the Plan, a stability level of 75% and in other areas, using these numbers as a standard and considering the annual percent increase, a lower level is predicted.

In agreement with these criteria and using as a calculation base the data collectd from different courses, the development of the number of title holders in the first years fo the Plan would be, as can be seen in Box #9, the following:

This estimation, would consider together titles from the course year 2003-04, that derive from the amplification, of new places or from new titles from the second cycle, as well as titles from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.

3. PROGRAM FOR THE INCREASE OF PLACES AND TITLES

The increase in the demand for tiltle holders, fruit of the of the new technological economy, as seen in the imbalance between the public offering for places and the priority demand as shown in Box #4, requires specific action towards the creation of new places and titles.

This iniative must be prudent, due to the demographics and the progressive increase of offers within cycles of superior level. It also must take into account that the effect of new titles will be felt first in bachelors degrees before superior titles. The imbalance of the public offering of places, first choice demand, is greater in the area of masters and engineers than in the area of bachelors. It seems then, reasonable to conclude that, inicially, the expansion of the first cycle studies and the access to titles in the first cycle as well as the second cycle are necessary.

Consequently, in this program, four lines of action will be necessary to begin:

(i) To increase the number of places for titles that already exist.
(ii) Create new titles for first, first and second, and second cycle.
(iii) Consider the possibility of dual titles between a TIC title and a proper school title (i.e. Mathematics and Computers).
(iv) Facilitate access to the second cycle for those titled in the first cycle.

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