Bologna process and reforms of the higher education qualifications in Lithuania

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Aukštasis išsilavinimas; Bolonijos procesas; Profesinė kvalifikacija; Higher education; Bologna process; Education qualifications; Professional qualifications.

ENThe systems of higher education today faces multiple challenges related to the changing role of degrees and qualifications in seeking for improvement of employability of graduates and implementation of the lifelong learning principles. The goal of this paper is to overview the current reforms of higher education in Lithuania related to the development of qualifications and implementation of the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework. The paper starts from overviewing the institutional preconditions of the reforms of qualifications related to higher education. Then it is continued with the explanation of the place of higher education qualifications in the national system of qualifications of Lithuania. Afterwards there is analysed the implementation of the learning outcomes approach in the system of higher education of Lithuania and the role of the competence based approaches in the reforms of higher education qualifications. There are also discussed the implications of these reforms for validation of non- formal and informal learning in the higher education. [Introduction, p. 106]