For Students

Guidelines for credit transfer within INU

The INU credit transfer system is based on the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) and the UMAP (University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific) Credit Transfer Scheme (UCTS).

The INU credit transfer system has been developed to facilitate student exchange within the network. The aim is to help make exchange more effective by ensuring credit for study (or other types of learning) undertaken on exchange.

The INU Council has decided that the system must be used on all student exchanges within the network.

1. The role of institutions and staff

Institution coordinator

Each member university is to nominate an institution coordinator, and report this name to the INU secretariat. The role of the coordinator will be overseeing the application of the INU Credit Transfer System at their institution, providing advice and materials to students and staff. The institution coordinator would normally be located at the university's International Office, and preferably be involved in INU student exchange.

Home institution's responsibilities

Selection of the student to be involved in the exchange.
Negotiation of the study program to be undertaken by the student at the host institution.
Recording of the approved study program on the INU Credit Transfer Agreement together with the student.
Approving any changes to the proposed study program, by signing the INU Credit Transfer Agreement.
Liaising with the host institution on the student's progress during the study period.
Converting the INU credits (and grades) to home institution equivalents on the INU Credit Transfer Agreement.
Arranging for the registrar, or other appropriate officer of the home institution, to sign the Certification section of the INU Credit Transfer Agreement.
Providing advice and assistance to the student before and after the INU study exchange period.

Host institution's responsibilities

Negotiation of the study program to be undertaken by the student, with the home institution.
Authorizing the approved study program, including any changes to study program, by signing the INU Credit Transfer Agreement.
Ensuring that the student receives the necessary study counseling to complete the approved study program.
Liaising with the home institution on the student's progress during the study period.
Entering the host institutions credits (and grades) on the INU Credit Transfer Agreement.
Ensuring that the registrar (or delegate) of the host institution provides official certification of the INU Credit Transfer Agreement.

2. Key features of the INU Credit transfer system

The system is based on the principle that 60 credits represent a full-time student's workload for a full academic year, regardless of level. The 60 credit scale is capable of operating under a three term and a two semester academic year regime.
Credits can only be obtained after successful completion of the work required and appropriate assessment achieved.
Student workload consists of the time required to complete all planned learning activities such as attending lectures, seminars, independent and private study, preparation of projects, examinations etc.
Credits may be allocated to all types of study programs, irrespective of their length, composition or nature. Programs may consist of year-long courses of shorter modules and they may cover work placement and research.
The allocation of credits to the different components of a study year should be based on a realistic estimation of the student workload required for the average student to achieve the learning outcomes established for each of the components. The total number of credits for one academic year is 60.

3. The INU Credit transfer grading scale

The grading scales of institutions within the INU network vary not only between, but also sometimes within the INU member universities.

Use of the grading scale is recommended in order to properly recognize the achievement of students on exchange. This is important where grades affect the eventual education outcome for the student by, for example, affecting the grade point average. However, there will be circumstances that will make conversion of grades difficult and therefore the application of the grading scale is not a mandatory element of the INU Credit Transfer system.

The grading scale is not designed to replace national systems, but to enhance the understanding of them in other countries.

The INU grading can only be created at the same time as the original assessment is made.

The grading scale consists of seven grades form A to F, with E being the lowest passing grade.

Grading scale
Grade	Percent of successful students normally achieving the grade	Comment
A	10	Outstanding work with only minor shortcomings
B	25	Above average standard but with some shortcomings
C	30	Generally sound work with a number of notable shortcomings
D	25	Fair but with significant shortcomings
E	10	Performance meets the minimum criteria
FX	-	Fail ? some more work required to pass
F	-	FAIL ? considerable further work required to pass

The grading scale is to be used in completing section 4 of the INU Credit Transfer Agreement. Transcript of INU exchange program results.

4. Using the INU Credit transfer agreement

The INU Credit Transfer Agreement has been designed to serve as a complete record of a student's study program.

The INU Credit Transfer Agreement consists of five parts:

The student's personal data
Details of the Proposed study program
Changes to the Proposed study program
Transcript of INU exchange program results
Certification of completed INU exchange program

Section 1 of the INU Credit Transfer Agreement is to be completed by the student.

Section 2 is to be completed by the student and the home institution, after negotiation with the host institution. To be valid section 2 requires three dated signatures, indicating assent to the proposed study program. The signatories are:

the appropriate home institution staff member
the host institution staff member involved in negotiating and overseeing the study program
the student

The home university is responsible for having the Agreement signed by the host institution. On its return, the home university is responsible for giving a copy of the signed Agreement to the student, keep a copy for their records and send the original over to the host university.

Section 3 is to be completed by the student and the host institution, in consultation with the home institution, whenever a change in the proposed study program occurs. To be valid section 3 requires three dated signatures, indicating assent to changes of the proposed study program. The signatories are:

the host institution staff member involved in negotiating and overseeing the study program
the appropriate home institution staff member
the student

The host university is responsible for having the Agreement signed by the home institution (who keeps a copy for their records). On its return the host university is also responsible for giving a copy of the signed Agreement to the student.

Section 4 is to be completed by the host and home institution.

Information on course units completed as well as the host institution credits/grades and the INU credits/grades are to be entered by the host institution. The home institution is responsible for entering the home institutions credits/grades. Signatures are not required in Section 4 because of the requirement for certification in Section 5 by the registrars (or delegates) of institutions.

Section 5 requires authorizations by the person(s) normally providing this certification for the institution's own students, i.e. dated signature and stamp of the institutions, provided by the registrar (or delegate).

With this certification the INU Credit Transfer Agreement is complete and serves as a self contained record of the student's attendance and achievements at the host institution, and of the recognition to be provided by the student's home institution.