The Diploma Supplement is a complementary document to the diploma which is awarded at the end of a study course and provides a description of the higher education system in the country of origin of the diploma, describing the educational institution which awarded the diploma, the training undertaken and its objective, as well as detailed information on the training undertaken and the results obtained.
The European Commission, the Council of Europe and UNESCO/CEPES have developed a model for the Diploma Supplement to promote transparency and recognition of qualifications for both academic and professional purposes. The Diploma Supplement is a bilingual document issued by the competent awarding body.
The Diploma Supplement, which falls within the recommendations of the Bologna Declaration, becomes one of the main instruments to facilitate the mobility and the employment of the graduates.
It is important to stress that the Diploma Supplement is merely informative in nature and does not replace the diploma, nor is it proof of ownership of the qualification to which it refers.
In the model used by Portucalense University it is possible, in point 6.1 of the Supplement – Supplementary Information, to include a set of academically validated activities, instilling a wider scope and formal/institutional recognition of the graduate’s academic path. Up to 8 activities may be included in this point, the types of activities in the following table being eligible.
MAP OF ACTIVITIES ELIGIBLE FOR THE DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT
| Name of the Activity | Who certifies |
|---|---|
| Sports Athlete | Students Association at UPT |
| Merit-based scholarship holder | Social Support Office |
| Buddy ERASMUS | International Relations Office |
| Academic Choir | Choir leader |
| Associative Leader | Students Association at UPT |
| Student Group Leader of a course | Director of the Department overseeing the course |
| Curricular internship | Director of the Department overseeing the course |
| Summer internship | Director of the Department overseeing the course |
| Curricular Internship Abroad | International Relations Office |
| Member of the course management/evaluation commission | Director of the Department overseeing the course |
| School Council Member | Director of the Department overseeing the course |
| Member of Pedagogic Council | Director of the Department overseeing the course |
| Mobility under European Programmes and/or Cooperation Protocols | International Relations office |
| Student events organisation | Director of the Department overseeing the course |
| Participation in ERASMUS+ Blended Intensive Programme | International Relations Office |
| Theatre | Theatre Group |
| Academic Tuna | Students Association UPT |
| Volunteering | Student Support Office |
| Mentoring Programme | Student Support Office |
| MasterWork Programme | Student Support Office |
» A supplement to the final certificate of completion issued by the Institution;
» A model created by the European Commission, the Council of Europe and UNESCO/CEPES;
» A mobility facilitator tool with complementary information about each and every qualification, to be produced in the original language and in another community language. At Portucalense University we have chosen English;
» A source of precise and easy-to-read information on individual qualifications;
» It is not a curriculum vitae;
» It is not a substitute or a transcription of the original qualification;
» It is not an automatic system that guarantees recognition
» Promoting transparency in higher education;
» Grant more equitable and fairer recognition;
» Simplify the decision-making process regarding academic and/or professional recognition;
» Frame the qualification in the education system of origin of the diploma;
» Provide information on the institution where the qualification was obtained;
» Use easily readable terminology, seeking to overcome language barriers;
» Contribute to a better insertion in the labour market, increasing the employability of graduates;
» Help create a European higher education area
