The changing concept of competence and categorisation of learning outcomes in Europe : implications for the design of higher education radiography curricula at the European level
The Bologna process has made the qualifications framework of the European Higher Educational Area
based on three cycles and on learning outcomes central to curriculum development in higher education
in Europe. The Tuning Educational Structures in Europe project recommended that learning outcomes be
expressed in terms of competences. The expression of educational programme learning outcomes as
inventories of competences has since become the norm at the European level. However, the more recent
European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning utilises a tripartite set of categories of learning
outcomes, namely, knowledge, skills and competence. In addition, the definition of competence used
though overlapping with that used by Tuning, is however not identical. This article reviews and discusses
the changing definition of the concept of competence and changes in categorisation of learning outcomes
in Europe and their potential impact on curriculum development in radiography at the European level. It
is proposed that the shift in the definition of competence and in the categorisation of learning outcomes
should be taken into account in the formulation of new European curricula or the updating of present
ones so that they may reference in a more direct manner to the levels of the European Qualifications
Framework.peer-reviewe