The European Commission, Council of Europe and UNESCO/CEPES have developed a Diploma Supplement template aiming at improvingthe international transparency and at facilitating the academic and professional recognition of qualifications.
The Diploma Supplement (DS), recommended by the Bologna Declaration, becomes one of the main tools to facilitate the mobility and employability of graduates. The aim of the DS is to provide enough data free from any value-judgements to promote the international transparency and a fair academic and professional recognition of qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates, etc). The DS was designed to be a flexible non-prescriptive tool providing a thorough description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were successfully completed by the individual named on the original diploma or certificate to which the Supplement is appended.
The University of Minho, recognizing the importance and added value of this tool in increasing the global competitiveness of its graduates, was the first Portuguese Higher Education Institution to issue the Diploma Supplement (at experimental level in 2001/2002 and in a wide scale since 2002/2003) and to be awarded with the Diploma Supplement Label by the European Commission (2004).
Therefore all University of Minho’s 1st and 2nd cycle graduates receive automatically and free of charge the Diploma Supplement, in Portuguese and in English, together with the corresponding diplomas.
The University of Minho also guaranteed that point 6.1 of the DS – Additional Information integrated a diversified set of academically validated parallel activities, widening the formal/institutional recognition of the graduate’s academic path. Up to 5 activities can be included in this item.
What is it?
» A supplement attached to the original certificate/diploma issued by the institution;
» A template developed by the European Commission, Council of Europe and UNESCO/CEPES;
» A tool to aid mobility that provides additional information on any qualification and should be delivered both in the original language and in another EU language. In Portugal/University of Minho’s case, it is issued in Portuguese and in English.
» An accurate and easily readable source of information of individual qualifications.
What is it not?
» It is not a curriculum vitae;
» It is not a substitute for the original qualification or a transcript;
» It is not an automatic system that guarantees recognition;
What does the Diploma Supplement offer?
» It promotes transparency in higher education;
» It provides more equitable and fairer recognitions;
» It facilitates the academic and/or professional recognition;
» It frames the qualification within the educational context of the country where the diploma is issued;
» It provides information on the institution where the qualification was gained;
» It uses an easily understood terminology in order to break any language barriers;
» It promotes the integration into the labour market, thus increasing the employability of graduates;
» It contributes to the creation of the European Higher Education Area.
Samples: 1st Cycle (PT; EN)
2nd Cycle (PT; EN)
MAP OF ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT
Rector’s Dispatch RT-32/2007
| Activity |
Who certifies |
English version |
|
Member of Universidade do Minho Students' Union Board
|
AAUM
|
Member of Universidade do Minho Students' Union Board, in 0000.
|
|
Students' Delegate (Course level)
|
Course Council
|
Students' delegate of the <name of the course>, in the academic year(s) 0000/0000.
|
|
Students' Deputy Delegate (Course level)
|
Course Council
|
Students' deputy delegate of the < name of the course >, in the academic year(s) 0000/0000.
|
|
Member of the Students' Association Board
(Course level)
|
Course Director
|
Member of the Students' Association Board of the < name of the course >, in the academic year(s) 0000/0000.
|
|
Member of the Academic Traditional Musical Group
|
AAUM
|
Member of the academic traditional musical group <n name of the group>, from ______ to _______.
|
|
University Radio Station
|
AAUM
|
Collaborated with Universidade do Minho Radio Station, from ______ to _______.
|
|
Member of the Academic Council
|
Academic Council
|
Member of the Academic Council of Universidade do Minho, as a students' representative, in the academic year(s) 0000/0000.
|
|
Member of the University Senate
|
Senate
|
Member of the Senate of Universidade do Minho, as a students' representative, from ______ to _______.
|
|
Member of the University General Assembly
|
Academic Division
|
Member of the General Assembly of Universidade do Minho, as a students' representative, from ______ to _______.
|
|
Member of the School/Institute General Assembly
|
School/Institute President
|
Member of the General Assembly of the <name of the School/Institute > of Universidade do Minho, from ______ to _______.
|
|
Academic Mobility in the scope of European Programmes and/or Bilateral Cooperation Agreements
|
GRI
|
In the academic year 0000/0000, the student performed the <Period/Year> at <University>, <Country>, under the <Programme/Bilateral Agreement>.
|
|
Placements abroad
|
GRI
|
From Date to Date, the student carried out his/her compulsory training period under the Leonardo da Vinci Programme at the enterprise <"Name">, located in <Country>.
|
|
Participation in ERASMUS Intensive Programmes
|
GRI
|
In the academic year 0000/0000, the student participated in the SOCRATES/ERASMUS Intensive Programme entitled <"Name">, which took place at <University>, <Country>, from Date to Date.
|
|
PADRINHO/MADRINHA ERASMUS
|
GRI
|
In the academic year 0000/0000, the student participated in the Project "PADRINHO/MADRINHA ERASMUS", helping a foreign student (s) from <Country>with <his/her/their> academic, social and cultural integration.
|
|
Theatre
|
Theatre Group
|
Participated in the Theatre Group of Universidade do Minho, from ______ to _______.
|
|
Academic Choir
|
CAUM’s Director
|
Participated in the Academic Choir of Universidade do Minho, from ______ to _______.
|
|
Member of the University’s Recreational and Cultural Association
|
ARCUM
|
Member of the Recreational and Cultural Association of Universidade do Minho from_______to_______.
|
|
Athlete
|
Social Services
|
Athlete of Universidade do Minho, <"sports modality"> , in the academic year(s) 0000/0000.
|
|
University Residence
Co-ordinator
|
Social Services
|
Coordinator of the Halls of Residence, in the Social Services of Universidade do Minho, in the academic year(s) 0000/0000.
|
|
Organization of Students’ Events
|
Course Director
|
Supported the organization of < "Name of the event">, which took place at Universidade do Minho, from ______ to _______.
|
|
Students´Career Management Mentor
|
Coordinator of Psychological Consultation
Vocational
|
Students´Career Management Mentor of
the <designação do curso> of
Universidade do Minho in the academic
year(s) 0000/0000.
|
|
Peer Tutoring
|
Course Director
|
Engaged in peer tutoring in Universidade
do Minho from ____ to ____.
|
|
Tutorial student
|
GAED
|
In the academic year 0000/0000, the
student participated in the Project
“Estudante Tutor”, helping a disabled
student (s) with <his/her/their> academic
integration.
|
|
Curricular period of training
|
Course Director
|
From Date to Date, the student carried
out his/her compulsory training period at
the institution/enterprise <“Name”>,
located in <Place>, <Country>.
|
|