The Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area (QF-EHEA) is a qualifications framework describing the higher education qualifications of countries participating in the Bologna Process. National qualifications frameworks (NQFs) provide a mapping between higher education qualifications and an overarching framework, allowing the cross-comparison of qualifications from different countries.
The overarching framework was adopted in May 2005 at a meeting of education ministers of the 48 participating countries. It consists of three cycles, approximately equivalent to bachelor's, master's and research doctorates (PhD-equivalent) degrees in the Anglophone world (note that US first professional degrees such as MD and JD are not PhD-equivalent, even though they are titled "doctorates"). A "short cycle" is also recognised within the first cycle, equivalent to British foundation degrees. These four levels are aligned with levels five to eight of the European Qualifications Framework.
QF-EHEA in Spain The NQF in Spain is the Marco Español de Cualificaciones para la Educación Superior (MECES) (Spanish Framework for Higher Education Qualification).Normativa oficial del estado español sobre el MECES This replaced the earlier system of diplomado, licenciado and doctor from 2005, with a transitional period lasting until 2013. The mapping to the EHEA framework is:
MECES levelQualifications Equivalent EHEA cycle4 Título de DoctorThird Cycle3 Título de Grado universitario con 300 ECTS o más Título de Máster universitario Título de Máster en Enseñanzas ArtísticasSecond Cycle2 Título de Graduado Título de Graduado de las enseñanzas artísticas superiores First Cycle1 Técnico Superior de Formación Profesional Técnico Superior de Artes Plásticas y Diseño Técnico Deportivo Superior Short Cycle
QF-EHEA in the United Kingdom The NQFs linked to the QF-EHEA are the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions in Scotland (FQHEIS). The FQHEIS was certified as being aligned with the QF-EHEA in 2006 and the FHEQ in 2008.
The levels on the two national frameworks, and their mapping to the QF-EHEA, are as follows:
FHEQ levelFQHEIS levelQualifications Equivalent EHEA cycle812 PhD/DPhil Professional doctorates Third Cycle711 Master's degree Integrated master's degree Primary qualifications (first degrees) in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science Second CyclePGCE PGDip PGCert N/A610 Bachelor's degree with honours First Cycle9 Bachelor's degree (ordinary or pass degree) Graduate Certificate Graduate Diploma Professional Graduate Certificate in Education N/A5 N/A Foundation degreeShort Cycle 8 DipHE N/A HND (awarded by a degree-awarding body)4 N/A Higher National Certificate (awarded by a degree-awarding body) N/A 7 Certificate of Higher Education
QF-EHEA in the Republic of Ireland The NFQ for Ireland is the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), which spans the full range of educational qualifications available. It was verified as compatible with the EHEA Framework in 2006. The NQF has the following mapping to the EHEA Framework:
NFQ levelQualifications Equivalent EHEA cycle10 Higher doctorate Doctoral degree Third Cycle9 Master's degree Second Cycle Postgraduate diploma Second Cycle (Intermediate qualification)8 Honours bachelor's degree Higher diploma First Cycle7 Ordinary bachelor's degree 6 Higher Certificate Short Cycle
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