The Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in

ECTS
(European Credit
Transfer System)
4
THE EUROPEAN CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM
It was developed by the European Commission and is functioning within the Socrates/
Erasmus community educational programme. It allows for the recognition
of studies abroad and facilitates the cooperation with the educational institutions of
the European Union countries. A student may go to a partner institution abroad for
a period ranging from one to three months. A student may be granted the scholarship
of the Socrates/Erasmus programme only once, and first-year students are
not eligible for the scholarship. During their stay at a partner institution, students
retain all the scholarships granted to them by a home institution.
The following documents are the basis for the proper functioning of the ECTS
system in the inter-institutional exchange:
DOCUMENTS
The information package It is addressed to the students and teachers of the partner institutions. It covers
the organization and the structure of studies, facilities, health care, insurance and
the administrative procedures. The most important part is the detailed description
and characterization of the subjects which are offered by a given department
(specialization) together with the ECTS grading scale. Subject graded are those
which are the integral part of studies (excluding Physical Education, language
courses and partially the Pedagogical Unit). Subjects not included in the grading
scale have the grades re-written.
Learning Agreement The agreement is prepared prior to a student’s start of his/her studies abroad
and covers the intended study programme to be taken by a student and the
ECTS credits awarded for their satisfactory completion. The agreement is valid
for all the parties who are obliged to sign it: the home institution, the partner institution
and the student (often the ‘transcript of records’ must be attached – it describes
the student’s learning achievements at his home institution).
Transcript of records It describes all the classes (series of classes) which the student completed at the
partner institution abroad and the ECTS credits awarded. The transcript of records
is supplied by the receiving institution. The home institution recognizes the
credits awarded to the student at other institutions in such a way that the credits
awarded for the classes (series of classes) replace the credits which the student
would get at the home institution during the comparable period of studies.
ECTS credits They are the numerical value allocated to the course units. They describe the student
workload required to complete the programme (lectures, classes, individual
work, exams, etc.). The ECTS credits express a relative value. 60 ECTS credits
represent the full workload of an academic year, and 30 ECTS credits a semester.
The adequate number of the ECTS credits obtained by the student is the basis
for completing the semester (year) of studies. The ECTS system does not eliminate
the Academy grades which are used to evaluate the student’s knowledge.
Indicative scale of ECTS credits *
AM grades ECTS grades Definition
25 A EXCELLENT Excellent performance with only minor mistakes.
21-24 B VERY GOOD Above the average standard but with some mistakes.
16-20 C GOOD Generally good work but with many noticeable mistakes.
14-15 D SATISFACTORY Satisfactory, but with significant defects.
11-13 E SUFFICIENT Performance meets the minimal requirements.
10 F, FX FAIL Credits will be awarded when a student revises everything thoroughly.
* Grading is considered individually.