Recognition of prior learning (RPL) refers to procedures by which a student's previous competence can be assessed and accepted as a part of their studies. The recognition allows students to have their credits counted towards their degree if they can demonstrate that they have gained the knowledge and skills defined by the university in the intended learning outcomes. The competence may be based on previous studies, or it may have been acquired in some other manner.
The national RPL recommendations were approved at the UNIFI meeting of Vice Rectors of Education. The recommendations and their justifications are recorded in the final report of the RPL Working Group (31 March 2020, pdf). This decision discusses the recommendations and the University of Eastern Finland's specifications to them.
These guidelines replace the academic rector's previous decisions on RPL policies at the University of Eastern Finland (Dnros 861/12.00.00.00/2010 and 1052/12.12 01.02.04/2012 and Dnro 906/12.01.02.04/2016 22.6.2016). The decision enters into force on 1 August 2021. The provisions will be applied to curricula from 1 August 2022 onwards at the latest.
Separate guidelines will be given on how the recognition of prior learning will be processed and on how it relates to Peppi’s practices. For additional information, please contact Satu Kouki, Head of Student Services, satu.kouki@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 3230 870.
The identification and recognition of prior learning refers to various procedures by which a student's previous competence can be assessed and accepted as a part of their studies. Identification refers to the assessment of competence in its various forms while recognition refers to procedures that result in a registration of a study attainment or a credit transfer on the basis of previously acquired competence.
In addition to formal learning in formal education, competence may be acquired through non-formal learning (continuing professional education, liberal adult education etc.) or informal learning (e.g. work experience, positions of trust, hobbies). The identification and recognition of a student's learning is based on the intended learning outcomes of the degree and its parts (study modules, courses).
Accreditation refers to accepting a student's completed studies, practical training, work experience or some other competence as part of a degree, study module or course. This requires that the studies the student has completed elsewhere or the prior skills they possess correspond to the intended learning outcomes set for the degree or its components. The forms of credit transfer are inclusion and substitution.
Inclusion refers to the inclusion of a course or a study module that has been completed elsewhere in the degree as is. Substitution refers to substituting a curricular course or its part on the basis of the student's studies or other competences.
A competence demonstration allows a student verify their competence in a way that it can be assessed. Competence demonstration is an alternative method of completing a course, described in the curriculum. A competence demonstration is used when the direct recognition of prior learning is not possible by means of a substitution or when the recognition of prior learning otherwise requires a separate assessment of the student's competence. A competence demonstration can be a written account of skills acquired (a portfolio with work and training certificates), an interview, a test or some other form of competence assessment. A competence demonstration will be assessed using grades which are in accordance with Section 31 of the Study Regulations. After passing a competence demonstration, the student will receive credits for the relevant course or its part, the completion date of the course being the date of the competence demonstration. The unit responsible for teaching the course is responsible for assessing the competence demonstration.
Accreditation of learning demonstrated in some other manner means that the competence that a student acquires outside the university through means other than studying is documented, identified and recognised as part of the degree pursued. It is possible to discuss how competence-producing activities (e.g. work or hobbies) could contribute to the achievement of learning objectives even before such activities are carried out. Differing from the recognition of prior learning, the accreditation of learning demonstrated in some other manner is agreed prior to acquiring a competence (e.g. starting work). (Glossary of Education (OKSA) 2nd edition, Publications of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland 2021:10.)
In cross-institutional studies, a student completes studies at another university on the basis of their right to study at their home university. The network agreement on the teaching cooperation of higher education institutions determines the groups of students that have the right to cross-institutional studies. These groups may include degree students, open university students, exchange students and other groups of students defined in the agreement. Studies completed under the network agreement are usually accepted as a part of a degree or studies without a separate credit transfer procedure. The network agreement defines the reimbursement price of a credit received from another university between higher education institutions. (Glossary of Education (OKSA) 2nd edition, Publications of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland 2021:10.)
The recognition of prior learning is based on the equivalence of the student's competence and the intended learning outcomes set for a degree or its part. An entire degree cannot be awarded by means of credit transfers, however. The identification and recognition of prior learning shall be conducted in such a way that the professional qualifications produced by the degree are not compromised. When it comes to recognising the level and scope of studies, it is recommended that the units responsible for teaching follow national and international practices as well as recommendations and principles specific to the discipline and field of study.
The student has the right to receive guidance which will help them identify and recognise their competence. The recognition process must be linked to the student's guidance (e.g. personal study plans), so that the effects of the decision on studies can be taken into account.
The student has the obligation to demonstrate their proficiency with, for example, study certificates, a competence demonstration, an interview or a proficiency portfolio. An additional study attainment may be required of the student in the event that essential the intended learning outcomes of the course are not otherwise achieved.
It is possible to apply for the accreditation of a single course or study module only once on the same grounds in one degree. If the student later acquires more proficiency corresponding to their learning outcomes, they may apply for credit transfer again. The competence demonstrations of the Language Centre are laid down in the curriculum.
The RPL procedure applies to all students who have the right to study (degree education, separate study rights, Open University students, specialisation studies, medical specialist training and specialist dentist training). Credit transfers cannot be conducted for students who have registered as absent or who are not registered. The principles governing the studies of international joint degree programmes are laid down in their respective agreements and curricula.
The student is responsible for initiating the credit transfer process. A degree student should not apply for a credit transfer if they do not intend to include the transferred studies in their degree. The student has the right to receive guidance on how to submit a credit transfer application.
When it comes to the Open University and continuing education, the identification and recognition of prior learning can be applied for by a student who has a valid right to study for the studies to which the application relates.
Further specifications by the UEF
The credit transfer of proficiency can be applied for by all students enrolled as attending at the University of Eastern Finland or registered as students at its open university. The Language Centre only approves the credit transfers of degree students. The extent of the credit transfer may not exceed the scope of the study right. In academic subjects not awarding a free minor subject study right, studies can only be substituted for a student who has received a study right for the subject. If there is no study right, previous studies can be included in the degree as other studies, and there will be no credit transfer for proficiency acquired outside of formal education.
As a rule, inclusion of studies is not possible in studies taken under the continued right to study. Substitution may be possible in exceptional cases; this depends on the content of the studies.
When it comes to the credit transfer, it does not matter whether the competence is already included in a degree. An exception to this is, for example, a situation where a degree that has granted eligibility cannot be used for accreditation. In addition, credit transfers can take the level of studies to be credited into account, and the credits of compulsory studies should in principle be allowed to be accredited.
Further specification by the UEF
Studies connected to prior university degrees can be used to substitute courses belonging to the degree requirements. In addition, studies included in a previous university degree may be included in the degree to the extent permitted by the structure of the degree. Inclusion of entire study modules is, nevertheless, possible even if it means exceeding the number of credits required for the degree.
The number of credits is not limited in the accreditations. Competence-based learning is at the heart of credit transfer assessments. When assessing a credit transfer, the decision should be based on the defined learning outcomes of a course, not on the number of credits. When assessing a credit transfer, the focus should be on the study attainment to be substituted. The competence the student has acquired elsewhere or previously is related to the intended learning outcomes of the degree, study module or course. If the competence corresponds to the intended learning outcomes, the competence can be accredited.
Curriculum work must ensure that, if the competence that has already been achieved is considered equivalent to the study attainment to be substituted, the student is not required to acquire the same competence again. For this reason, it is more recommendable to evaluate the competence acquired by the student in terms of content rather than quantity.
UEF: no further specification
A total of 50% of the studies included in a university degree must have been completed at the student’s own university. In other words, a maximum of 50% of studies can consist of credit transfers. Exceptions to this include transfer students, double degree programmes or studies in the open university route, whose number of credits is not limited here. Previous studies which provide the basis for the transfer of the transfer student will be utilised to the fullest extent made possible by the degree structure and the intended learning outcomes of the degree. The competence to be accredited must be in accordance with the intended learning outcomes of the curriculum, study module or course of the degree.
Further specification by the UEF
You cannot complete an entire degree through credit transfers. Faculties can specify this more precisely in their curricula.
When making credit transfer assessments, the decision is made on the basis of the intended learning outcomes included in the curriculum, and the number of credits serves only as one starting point. A negative difference of up to one credit between the credits intended to be substituted and the credits completed elsewhere or earlier is acceptable if the defined learning outcomes of the study attainments match.
The credit substitution is recorded in the study register is equal to the number of credits awarded for the course or study module substituted. For example, if a student has completed a four-credit course and wants to substitute a five-credit course, the study attainment registered will be five credits. Correspondingly, the number of credits awarded for a substitution cannot be larger than the number of credits defined for the study attainment in the curriculum. For example, if a student has completed a course of six credits and is applying for the substitution of a five-credit course, the substitution registered will be five credits. Transfer students form an exception to this rule, as all their credits are recommended to be transferred in full.
Study attainments that have been completed previously or elsewhere and that will be included in the student’s degree are registered in the student's study register in accordance with the original scope of the course.
Further specification by the UEF
Partial substitution may also be granted, in which case the student is requested to complete additional studies. More detailed instructions can be given in the curriculum. If the procedure for the recognition of prior learning states that the study attainment must be supplemented, the supplementation must be completed during the ongoing academic year or within the time limit given separately by the teacher in charge of the course. If necessary, the number of ECTS credits in the inclusion is evaluated on the basis of the amount of work required by the studies (e.g. studies completed abroad).
No double points are registered within a degree; instead, the situation must be resolved through curriculum work. If the same course belongs to several study modules, the curriculum needs to state how the student who has already completed the course should assemble the study module in order to achieve its intended learning outcomes and minimum scope. If the curriculum does not describe the options, the student’s personal study plan will outline how the course will be completed.
Further specification by the UEF
If the same course is compulsory in several study modules, the student can use it in all study modules whose curriculum does not provide instructions on a substituting study attainment.
The credits of studies that have been completed in accordance with the curriculum at both universities and universities of applied sciences can be transferred through both substitution and inclusion. The university assesses the credit transfer of completed studies on the basis of intended learning outcomes and the level of the studies.
Further specifications by the UEF
Studies completed in some other Finnish university
If a study module completed in some other Finnish university corresponds to a study module at the University of Eastern Finland, it is recorded as substituted if there is a free minor subject in the academic subject or if the student has received a study right for the subject.
If corresponding studies are not arranged at the University of Eastern Finland, a study module completed in some other Finnish university is included in the degree. A study module can also be included in the event that the student does not have a study right for the subject.
A credit is provided for a study module accepted in some other Finnish university in the scope and with the grade on which the credit was provided at the university having accepted the study module.
If the grade of the prior course corresponds to UEF's grading scale, it is recommended that the grade be registered as is. Grade conversions are not recommended, and the studies to be substituted are recommended to be graded as a pass. Potential other procedures are described in the curriculum. Written and oral proficiency in the second domestic language (Swedish) is registered using the grades “TT” or “HT”.
Studies completed in a university of applied sciences
Of a degree completed in a university of applied sciences, credit can be transferred for language and communication studies, for whose credit transfer the university’s Language Centre is responsible, as well as studies in the same or similar field. More detailed provisions can be given in the curricula.
According to the degree framework, specialisation studies are at the same level as the undergraduate degree on the basis of which you can apply for specialisation training.
Studies completed outside a Finnish university or university of applied science
In addition to the achievement of the learning outcomes, substituting studies with studies completed elsewhere requires that the latter comply with the requirements of the curriculum approved by the faculty in terms of their content and level. Content-based correspondence means similarity between the learning outcomes of the course or study module; if learning outcomes have not been defined in previously completed studies, similarity between their goals, content or required literature is evaluated. The level of studies required by the degree structure means the requirement level of university studies.
- Secondary studies (upper secondary school, university of applied sciences): As a rule, secondary studies cannot be used to substitute for studies belonging to the degree completed at UEF. Potential exceptions are indicated in the faculty curriculum. Secondary education cannot be included in a degree completed at UEF, unless otherwise laid down in the curriculum.
- Continuing education: Studies completed in continuing education can only be used to substitute for studies belonging to the degree. Their inclusion in the degree is not possible.
- MOOC: Credit transfers for studies completed in open learning environments (e.g. Massive Open Online Courses – MOOC): If the competence acquired by the student in open learning environments meets the intended learning outcomes set for the degree and its parts, the studies can be recognised through a credit transfer. The completion of MOOC studies must be reliably documented. If necessary, the student may be required to provide a competence demonstration. The competence assessor and the decision maker must have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the realisation, content and level of the studies to be recognised before making a decision. In addition, it is recommended that students ensure the suitability of the studies for their degree in advance.
- Studies completed during student exchange: Studies and internships completed abroad in accordance with a study plan will be recognised by the University of Eastern Finland and included in the student’s degree. Every student is required to make a Learning Agreement for the student exchange in advance.
- Proficiency acquired outside of formal education (only substitutions): The student can demonstrate proficiency acquired outside of formal education with certificates of employment, work samples, a demonstration, an exam, a proficiency portfolio or an interview. More detailed instructions are given in the curriculum.
Recommendation 8 a
Credits will not be transferred if the student has already completed the course which they want to substitute or which they want to have recognised on the basis of competence they have acquired through some other means.
Further specification by the UEF
As a rule, the credit transfer decision cannot be rescinded and study attainments registered in the study register cannot be deleted. The main rule is that courses whose credits have been transferred can no longer be completed. However, you can try to achieve a better grade for a course whose credits have been transferred. The better grade will remain valid.
Recommendation 8 b
Only the credits of successfully completed courses can be transferred.
Recommendation 8 c
The credits of theses and maturity tests cannot be transferred. However, Finnish or Swedish language proficiency demonstrated in a previous degree completed by the student can be counted towards their degree.
Universities’ own guidelines on credit transfers may be more flexible. From the point of view of competence-based learning, it makes sense that the student does not have to demonstrate the same competence twice.
Studies for which no credit transfer is not available
Faculties can exclude some of their studies from the credit transfer procedure. Such limitations are indicated in the curricula. The field of study specific national and international practices to which the Faculty adheres are recorded in the curriculum.
Further specification by the UEF
Faculties lay down the principles of credit transfers of maturity tests and theses in their curricula. The expiration of credited studies is laid down in the curricula.
Recommendation 8 d
Credits that have been previously transferred at another higher education institution are not accepted as such, but the fulfilment of intended learning outcomes is examined on the basis of the original course.
However, a student can present the material of a previous positive credit transfer decision as justification for their application.
The Universities Act (558/2009, Section 44) and the Government Decree on University Degrees (794/2004, Section 25) state the following on the recognition of study attainments: “When studying for a degree or when completing a professional specialisation programme, the student may, as determined by the university, have studies that he or she has completed in another Finnish or foreign higher education institution or other educational establishment counted towards the degree; the student may also substitute previous studies for studies in the degree requirements if the prior studies are of an equivalent level. The student may, as determined by the university, have their knowledge and skills attested in some other manner and counted towards the degree and substitute studies in the degree requirements with the knowledge and skills attested.”
Under Section 1 of the University of Eastern Finland Study Regulations, the Rector decides on the general policies for lower university, higher university and postgraduate degrees after consulting the faculties. Under Section 39 of the Study Regulations, studies completed elsewhere or prior learning demonstrated in some other manner may be counted towards a university degree. This shall require that the studies completed elsewhere or prior learning correspond to the learning objectives set for the degree and its components. Under Section 9 of Study Regulations, the Faculty Council is responsible for deciding on the curricula (including the principles for inclusion of studies completed at another university or educational institution) and degree requirements. Information on the criteria for credit transfers shall be included in the curriculum of a degree programme (Section 20 of the Study Regulations).
The unit responsible for teaching the course or study module decides on the substitution of studies. If no decision has otherwise been made, the decision on the substitution of a course will be made by the teacher in charge of the course and the decision on the substitution of a study module will be made the person in charge of the academic subject. The decision-making can be delegated.
Inclusion: If equivalent teaching is organised at the University, the unit responsible for teaching the course or study module and the person in charge of the academic subject will decide on the inclusion. If no equivalent teaching is organised at the University, the Head of the student's major subject or the School/Department providing the teaching will decide on the inclusion. The decision-making can be delegated.
The credit transfers of pedagogical studies completed at the University of Applied Sciences are decided by the Philosophical Faculty and, in the case of teacher training in health sciences, by the Faculty of Health Sciences.
A student who is dissatisfied with the decision concerning the credit transfer can request oral or written rectification from the person who made the decision within fourteen (14) days of receiving notification of the decision. A student dissatisfied with the decision concerning the request for rectification may submit an appeal to the University of Eastern Finland’s Board of Appeal in writing within 14 days of receiving notice of the decision. The Board of Appeal’s decision is not subject to appeal.