What is a ‘Bologna’ diploma?

The form and content of the Bologna diploma documents have been developed to further the ‘Bologna’ goals of promoting student mobility through the harmonisation of qualifications across Europe. By describing the content of university programmes and thus ensuring the transparency of the French Community in Belgium’s higher education system, the Bologna diploma not only enables the harmonisation, and thereby recognition of academic qualifications between the universities of different countries, but also improves recognition of those qualifications by employers across the European labour market.

The three-part ‘Bologna’ diploma

The diploma is based on the recommendations of the Decree of 31 March, 2004.

The diploma is composed of three documents: the diploma (‘landscape’ presentation), the diploma supplement (8 pages), and the diploma supplement appendix. These three documents together form a single document, i.e. the diploma is valid only if accompanied by its supplement and appendix (and vice versa). Each diploma has an identification number, which is also indicated on the supplement and the appendix. A single copy of the three-part diploma is issued to its conferee, free of charge.

The landscape format diploma

The diploma is marked with the university logo and provides the following information: the name of the awarding university and faculty, and the name of the conferee (family name, first name, place and date of birth); the academic year of award, the diploma title (bachelor, master en…) and the grade achieved (final grade).

It is authenticated by 4 signatures (the President of the Examination Board, the Secretary of the Examination Board, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, and the conferee of the degree). (Specimen)

The diploma supplement

The supplement is in part bilingual (French/English).

It provides comprehensive information describing the nature and level of the studies that were successfully completed by the student, the institutional context (the faculty, university, French Community in Belgium) in which the studies were carried out, the teaching language(s), any noteworthy features of the student’s programme (such as related work experience, an Erasmus exchange, or a reduction in the duration of studies), plus an explanation of the ECTS grading system used by the university of Saint-Louis, Brussels. (Specimen)

The diploma supplement appendix

This document presents full details of the student’s courses and results: including a full listing of the programme’s courses, grades and ECTS credits, plus the yearly and final grades obtained. (Spécimen)

Contacts 

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