CDM-ECTS
ECTS Information Package/Course Catalogue with HTML- and XML-bindings
Introduction
This document describes the items in the "Checklist for the Information Package/Course Catalogue" in the ECTS users' guide and how to make the information easily available on the web.
According to the ECTS users' guide The Information Package/Course Catalogue from the institutions must contain all the items on the checklist in their description on all first and second cycle degree programmes and courses. The information can be presented on paper and/or on the web. An ECTS label will be awarded to institutions which fulfill the following criteria: an Information Package/Course Catalogue in two languages (or only English for programmes taught in English), use of ECTS credits, samples of Learning Agreements, Transcripts of Records and proofs of academic recognition.
The focus in this document is on the Information Package/Course Catalogue and how to make the content available on the web. This is done by encoding the content in HTML or XML. Presenting the content in a structured way makes it easy to search and navigate the information across the institutions. Search engines can automatically fetch information. This will also facilitate exchange of information about educational course units.
CDM (Course Description Metadata) is used for having a common way to encode the information.
About ECTS Information Package/Course Catalogue
This information is mainly from the ECTS users' guide:
The Information Package/Course Catalogue shall make study programmes easy to understand and compare for all students and staff – local and foreign – and provide them with essential institutional, academic and practical information.
The Information Package/Course Catalogue is not a special guide solely for mobile students. It should be a document used by all students – local and visiting students alike. The university decides on the format and whether to publish it as a single document or in parts. In the ECTS users' guide it is strongly recommended that its entire content should be available on the web and that it should be accessible for the visually impaired. It should be systematically updated at least every year. Furthermore the Web version should be easily accessible from the institution’s home page with a minimum number of clicks.
The Information Package/Course Catalogue not only lists and describes the study programmes and their course units and modules, but also supplies all the information which a student needs to make up his/her mind as to whether or not to study at a certain institution, in a specific programme, or to take certain modules.
The Information Package/Course Catalogue of the institution is to be published in the local language of instruction and in English (or only in English for programmes taught in English) on the Web and/or in hard copy in one or more booklets.
The Information Package/Course Catalogue must contain all the items in the "Checklist for the Information Package/Course Catalogue" stated in the ECTS users' guide.
The checklist is divided into three parts:
- Part One: Information on the Institution
- Part Two: Information on degree programmes
- A) General description
- B) Description of individual course units
- Part Three: General information for students
About CDM (Course Description Metadata)
CDM addresses the description of educational course units or other forms of educational offerings at all levels. It specifies the structure and semantics of the key concepts used in course descriptions. The metadata are specified as an XML Schema, and guidelines with examples are given to facilitate the generation of course descriptions as XML documents.
The metadata are intended to satisfy the following objectives:
- Facilitate description and exchange of information about educational course units
- Facilitate a standardization of course unit descriptions
- Facilitate the establishment of national and international course catalogues
- Facilitate the establishment of course portals and other services helping students
The checklist items and the relevant CDM elements
ECTS Information Package/Course Catalogue can be encoded by use of elements in CDM. To be a "CDM ECTS document" there are some criteria to be fulfilled. A CDM ECTS document has to be encoded in XML and/or HTML.
Requirements to the XML document
- XML documents must contain relevant XML elements (see below) and be parsable against the CDM schema.
Requirements to the HTML document
- Contain metadata in the <head> part of the document to mark
that the document is a CDM ECTS document (required)
This is done by the use of one of the following <meta> element:<meta name="cdm-ects" content="institution"> <meta name="cdm-ects" content="course"> <meta name="cdm-ects" content="program"> <meta name="cdm-ects" content="student">
- Contain additional metadata in the <head> part of the document
to identify the institution, program and course (optional)
This is done by use of the <meta> element. The name has to be in accordance with the element names in CDM schema. Ex:<meta name="orgUnitID" content="185">
- Contain metadata in the <body> part of the document
(optional)
This is done by use of the <div> element. The name has to be in accordance with the element names in CDM schema (see below). Ex:<div id="contacts"> Boks 1072 Blindern NO-0316 OSLO Norway Telephone: (+47) 22 85 50 50 </div>
See example-documents encoded in HTML:
The tables listed below show all the items in the checklist and the relevant CDM elements.
Part One: Information on the Institution
In CDM the institution is named "organizational unit", and the element used is <orgUnit>. This element contains the other elements mentioned below.
The element <orgUnit> has a hierarchical structure. If needed this can be used to express that a University is divided into faculties and departments, each with their own presentation.
| ECTS checklist items | CDM elements | Example XML | Example HTML |
| The Institution | <orgUnit> This root element contains information about the organisational unit. |
<orgUnit> ... </orgUnit> |
<html> <head>... <meta name= "cdm-ects" content="institution"> </head> <body> ... </body> </html> |
| Name and address | <orgUnitID> Organisational unit ID. <orgUnitName> Name of the organization <orgUnitAcronym> Acronym of the institution. <contacts> This element contains elements for address, telephone, fax, email, URL etc.... |
<orgUnit> <orgUnitID> 185 </orgUnitID> <orgUnitName> University of Oslo </orgUnitName> <orgUnitAcronym> UiO </orgUnitAcronym> <contacts> ... </contacts> </orgUnit> |
Metadata in the
<head>-element to identify the institution: <meta name= "cdm-ects" content="institution"> <meta name= "orgUnitID" content="185"> <meta name= "orgUnitName" content="University of Oslo"> <meta name= "orgUnitAcronym" content="UiO"> Additional markup in the body if applicable: <body> <h1> Universtiy of Oslo </h1> <div id="contacts"> Boks 1072 Blindern NO-0316 OSLO Norway Telephone: (+47) 22 85 50 50 </div> </body> |
| Academic Calender | <orgUnitDescription> This element is for a general description of the organisational unit. It contains a general structure for miscellaneous information. |
<orgUnitDescription> miscellaneous information </orgUnitDescription> |
With or without
<div>-element: <div id="orgUnitDescription"> <h2> Academic Calender </h2> <p> ... </p> </div> |
| Academic authorities | <orgUnitDescription> This element is for a general description of the organisational unit. It contains a general structure for miscellaneous information. |
<orgUnitDescription> miscellaneous information </orgUnitDescription> |
With or without
<div>-element: <div id="orgUnitDescription"> <h2> Academic authorities </h2> <p>The University of Oslo is governed by ... </p> </div> |
| General description of the institution (including type and status) | <orgUnitKind> Kind of organisational unit, ex university, high school and classification of the responsible body such as public or private. <orgUnitDescription> This element is for a general description of the organisational unit. It contains a general structure for miscellaneous information. |
<orgUnitKind
userDefined= "university"> miscellaneous information </orgUnitKind> <orgUnitDescription> miscellaneous information </orgUnitDescription> |
With or without
<div>-element: <div id="orgUnitDescription"> <h2> Description of the institution </h2> <p> ... </p> </div> |
| List of degree programmes offered | <orgUnitDescription> This element is for a general description of the organisational unit. It contains a general structure for miscellaneous information. The information can be presented as a list of references to the programmes <refProgram>. It is also possible to refer to the program at top level, either by a reference: <refProgram> or by use of the <program> element. |
<orgUnitDescription>
<header> List of degree programmes offered </header> <list> <listItem> <refProgram ref= "humanrights-master"/> </listItem> </list> </orgUnitDescription> or: <refProgram ref= "humanrights-master"/> or: <program> <programName> Master of Philosophy in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights </programName> ... </program> |
With or without
<div>-element: <div id="orgUnitDescription"> <h2> List of degree programmes offered </h2> <p> ... </p> </div> |
| Admission/registration procedures | <addmissionInfo> Contains information about number of student places, teaching start, registration deadline, cancel deadline as well as general information. |
<admissionInfo> <admissionDescription> <header> Admission/registration procedures </header> ... </admissionDescription> </admissionInfo> |
With or without
<div>-element: <div id="addmissionInfo"> <h2> Admission/registration procedures </h2> <p> ... </p> </div> |
| Main university regulations (notably recognition procedures) | <regulations> | <regulations> <header> Main university regulations </header> ... </regulations> |
With or without
<div>-element: <div id="regulations"> <h2> Main university regulations </h2> <p> ... </p> </div> |
| ECTS institutional co-ordinator | <contacts> can
contain <contactData> for address information to the institution
and <person> element for information about the person.
<person> contains an element <role> where it is possible to express that the person is the institutional ECTS co-ordinator. |
<contacts> <contactData> ... </contactData> <person> <name> NN </name> <role> ECTS institutional co-ordinator </role> <contactData> ... </contactData> </person> </contacts> |
With or without
<div>-element: <div id="contacts"> <h2> Address </h2> <h3> The University of Oslo </h3> <p> Boks 1072 Blindern NO-0316 OSLO Norway Telephone: (+47) 22 85 50 50 http://www.uio.no/ http://www.uio.no/english/ </p> </div> |
Part Two: Information on degree programmes
A) General description
| ECTS checklist items | CDM elements | Example XML | Example HTML |
| Degree Program | <program> This root element contains information about a program. The program is identified by programID, programCode and/or name of the program. |
<program> <programID> humanrights-master </programID> <programCode codeSet="so"> humanrights-master </programCode> <programName> Master of Philosophy in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights </programName> ... </program> |
Metadata in the
<head>-element to identify the program: <meta name= "cdm-ects" content="program"> <meta name= "orgUnitID" content="185"> <meta name= "orgUnitName" content="University of Oslo"> <meta name= "orgUnitAcronym" content="UiO"> <meta name= "programID" content= "humanrights-master"> <meta name= "programName" content="Master of Philosophy in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights"> <meta name= "programCode" content="humanrights-master"> |
| Qualification awarded | <qualification>
Contains information about qualification name, credits, degree, profession and study qualification as well as general information. |
<qualification>
<qualificationName> Qualification name </qualificationName> <credits ECTScredits="120"> </credits> <degree type="master"> Additional information if needed </degree> <profession> Profession </profession> <studyQualification> After completion / career opportunities </studyQualification> </qualification> |
|
| Admission requirements | <addmissionInfo> Contains information about number of students admitted, when teaching starts, registration deadline, cancel deadline as well as general information. <recommendedPrerequisites> <formalPrerequisites> Information about recommended and formal prerequisites is written in two separate elements. |
<admissionInfo> <admissionDescription> <header> Admission requirements </header> ... </admissionDescription> </admissionInfo> <recommendedPrerequisites> <header> Recommended previous knowledge </header> ... </recommendedPrerequisites> <formalPrerequisites> <header> Formal prerequisites </header>... </formalPrerequisites> |
|
| Educational and professional goals | <learningObjectives> Aim and objective of the program/course (preferably expressed in terms of learning outcomes and competence). |
<learningObjectives> <header> Educational and professional goals </header> </learningObjectives> |
|
| Access to further studies | <qualification> contain the element <studyQualification> | <qualification> <studyQualification> <header> Access to further studies </header> </studyQualification> ... </qualification> |
|
| Course structure diagram with credits (60 per year) | <programStructure> Information about how the program is structured, e.g. as a course structure diagram. |
<programStructure> <header> Course structure diagram with credits </header> <courseRef ref="SKLUU30D"> ...</programStructure> |
|
| Final examination, if any | <programDescription> Can be written as part of the program description. |
<programDescription> <header> Final examination </header> </programDescription> |
|
| Examination and assessment regulations | <regulations> | <regulations> <header> Examination and assessment regulations </header> ... </regulations> |
|
| ECTS departmental co-ordinator | <contacts> can
contain <contactData> for address information to the institution
and <person> element for information about the person.
<person> contains an element <role> where it is possible to express that the person is the institutional ECTS co-ordinator. |
<contacts> <contactData> ... </contactData> <person> <name> NN </name> <role> ECTS institutional co-ordinator </role> <contactData> ... </contactData> </person> <contacts> |
B) Description of individual course units
| ECTS checklist items | CDM elements | Example XML | Example HTML |
| Course unit | <course> This root element contains information about a course. The course is identified by courseID, courseCode and/or name of the course. |
<course> <courseID> INF3100 </courseID> <courseCode codeSet="so"> INF3100 </courseCode> <courseName> Database systems </courseName> <teachingTerm> Spring 2005 </teachingTerm> ... <course> |
Metadata in the
<head>-element to identify the course: <meta name= "cdm-ects" content="course"> <meta name= "orgUnitID" content="185"> <meta name= "orgUnitName" content="University of Oslo"> <meta name= "orgUnitAcronym" content="UiO"> <meta name= "courseID" content= "INF3100"> <meta name= "courseName" content="Database systems"> <meta name= "courseCode" content="INF3100"> <meta name= "teachingTerm" content="spring 2005"> |
| Course title | <courseName> | <courseName> Database systems </courseName> |
<h1> INF3100 - Database systems </h1> |
| Course code | <courseID> and/or <courseCode> |
<courseID> INF3100 </courseID> <courseCode codeSet="so"> INF3100 <courseCode> |
|
| Type of course | <teachingActivity> The course can have several teaching activities, e.g. lectures, groups. Each of these can have information about what kind of activity. |
<teachingActivity
type="lecture"> ... </teachingActivity> |
|
| Level of course | <level> | <level
level="master"> ... </level> |
|
| Year of study | <teachingTerm> May use the attribute term. |
<teachingTerm
term="hverVaar"> 2005 </teachingTerm> |
|
| Semester/trimester | <teachingTerm> | <teachingTerm> 1 semester - spring </teachingTerm> |
|
| Number of credits | <credits> ECTS credits. |
<credits
ECTScredits="120"> </credits> |
|
| Name of lecturer | <teachingActivity> The course can have several teaching activities. Each of them can have information about name of lecturer. An alternative is to use <contacts> directly. |
<teachingActivity> <contacts> <person> <name> NN </name> <role> Lecturer/Contact person </role> <contactData> ... </contactData> </person> </contacts> </teachingActivity> or <contacts> <person> <name> NN </name> <role> Lecturer/Contact person </role> <contactData> ... </contactData> </person> </contacts> |
|
| Objectives of the course (preferably expressed in terms of learning outcomes and competences) | <learningObjectives> | <learningObjectives> <header> Objective </header> </learningObjectives> |
|
| Prerequisites | <recommendedPrerequisites> <formalPrerequisites> |
<recommendedPrerequisites> <header> Recommended previous knowledge </header> ... </recommendedPrerequisites> <formalPrerequisites> <header>Formal prerequisites </header> No prerequisites. </formalPrerequisites> |
|
| Course contents | <courseDescription> or <syllabus> |
<courseDescription> <header> Course Content </header> ... </courseDescription> |
|
| Recommended reading | <syllabus> | <syllabus> <header> Recommended reading </header> Available on request. </syllabus> |
|
| Teaching methods | <formOfTeaching> | <formOfTeaching> <header> Teaching methods </header> ... </formOfTeaching> |
|
| Assessment methods | <formOfAssesment> Can contain general information about how the students are assessed. <exam> can contain details on every exam. |
<formOfAssesment> <header> Assessment methods </header> ... </formOfAssesment> <exam> ... </exam> |
|
| Language of instruction | <instructionLanguage> | <instructionLanguage> <header> Language of instruction </header> ... </instructionLanguage> |
Part Three: General information for students
| ECTS checklist items | CDM elements | Example XML | Example HTML |
| General information for students | Most of the information for students kan be encoded in the <studentFacilities> element. For some of the items there are specific elements. | <studentFacilities> <header>... </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
Metadata in the
<head>-element: <meta name= "cdm-ects" content="student"> <meta name= "orgUnitID" content="HiA-ID"> <meta name= "orgUnitName" content="Agder University College"> <meta name= "orgUnitAcronym" content="HiA-ID"> |
| General practical information | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> General practical information </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
<h1> General practical information </h1> |
| Cost of living | <studentFacilities> or <expenses> |
<studentFacilities> <header> Cost of living </header> ... </studentFacilities> <expenses> <header> Cost of living </header> ... </expenses> |
|
| Accomodation | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Accomodation ... </header> </studentFacilities> |
|
| Meals | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Meals </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
|
| Medical facilities | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Medical facilities </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
|
| Facilities for special needs students | <universalAdjustment> | <universalAdjustment> <header> Facilities for special needs students </header> ... </universalAdjustment> |
|
| Insurance | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Insurance </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
|
| Financial support for students | <expenses> | <expenses> <header> Financial support for students </header> ... </expenses> |
|
| Student affairs office | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Student affairs office </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
|
| Study facilities | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Study facilities </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
|
| International programmes | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> International programmes </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
|
| Practical information for mobile students | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Practical information for mobile students </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
|
| Language courses | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Language courses </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
|
| Internships | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Internships </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
|
| Sports facilities | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Sports facilities </header> </studentFacilities> |
|
| Extra-mural and leisure activities | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Extra-mural and leisure activities </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
|
| Student associations | <studentFacilities> | <studentFacilities> <header> Student associations </header> ... </studentFacilities> |
Relevant links
- CDM - Course Description Metadata: http://cdm.utdanning.no/
- Norway Opening Universities (NOU): http://norgesuniversitetet.no/
- ECTS - European Credit Transfer System: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/ects_en.html
- ECTS users' guide: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/usersg_en.html
- World Wide Web Consortium: HyperText Markup Language (HTML) Home Page http://w3c.org/MarkUp/
- World Wide Web Consortium: XHTML™ 1.0 The Extensible HyperText Markup Language: http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/
- World Wide Web Consortium: Extensible Markup Language (XML): http://w3c.org/XML/
Editors: Astrid Jenssen, cdm-arbeidsgruppe@usit.uio.no
Document created: 2004-07-27
