The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) aims to make study programmes in Europe easier to read and compare. It assigns credits to course components based on the student workload required to achieve the objectives of the particular course of study. These objectives are usually described in terms of the learning outcomes of the course and the competences to be acquired.

ECTS was introduced as part of the Erasmus framework in 1989. It is the only credit system which has been successfully used across Europe, and began life solely as a credit transfer system. In helping European countries to mutually recognise periods of study abroad it assists student mobility. More recently, ECTS has developed into a credit accumulation system to be implemented at institutional, regional, national and European level. It ties in closely with the Bologna Process objective of establishing a system of credits for the European Higher Education Area.

The workload of a full-time student during one academic year is calculated to be 60 ECTS credits. Workload refers to the average time a learner might be expected to reach the required learning outcomes. Learning outcomes are sets of competences expressing what the student will be expected to understand on completion of their studies. ECTS credits can only be obtained after appropriate assessment of the learning outcomes the student has achieved.

The Steering Group on Measuring and Recording Student Achievement, chaired by Professor Robert Burgess, Vice Chancellor of the University of Leicester, has recommended a credit system for England. Scotland and Wales already have national credit transfer and accumulation systems in place within their integrated credit and qualifications frameworks.

The UK has fourteen Bologna Experts who are on hand to provide further information on ECTS to UK higher education institutions.

More details on the ECTS system are available on the European Commission's website.