The joint project involving the University of Oldenburg, Jade University of Applied Sciences (Wilhelmshaven/Oldenburg/Elsfleth), Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences and the University of Health Sciences in Bochum aims to develop high-quality, part-time, competitive study programmes with a strong academic and research focus, which, situated at the interface between universities and universities of applied sciences, aim to facilitate a direct transfer of academic knowledge and help meet the growing demand for academically trained professionals in the nursing and healthcare sectors.

Specifically, four Bachelor’s degree programmes and three Master’s degree programmes are to be (further) developed and implemented on a sustainable basis. This will build on the experience and networks in the field of nursing and health sciences at the universities involved in the project, as well as on the expertise of the Centre for Lifelong Learning (C3L) at the University of Oldenburg, one of the largest further education institutions at German universities in the field of further education and part-time study programmes.

The “Credit Transfer Competence Area”, with its tools for carrying out equivalence comparisons between non-higher-education and higher-education programmes, plays a key role in promoting the permeability of the degree programmes being developed within PuG.

All planned degree programmes are to be supported in the introduction of individual credit transfer procedures for professionally acquired competences. This support covers both the formal establishment of credit transfer (including in examination regulations and credit transfer guidelines) and the organisational design of the credit transfer process. In collaboration with the degree programmes, tailor-made recognition tools for individual credit transfer (e.g. credit transfer portfolios) are to be developed.

For Bachelor’s programmes aimed at individuals with vocational qualifications, standardised credit transfer options based on systematic equivalence comparisons are to be established. These standard credit transfer options are to be developed in co-operation with vocational education providers (e.g. nursing schools). To improve permeability, non-higher-education providers should, where appropriate, be supported in the modularisation and quality development of their programmes.

The entire project will be supported by targeted credit transfer workshops, which will cover, amongst other things, the planning of equivalence comparisons, the tailoring of credit transfer procedures to the specific characteristics of the programmes, and the coordination of development steps with programme managers.