ECTS grades do not lead to comparability
The argument that ECTS grades are required in order to increase comparability is incorrect. ECTS grades will not lead to increased international comparability.

In the rest of Europe, the ECTS scale will be used relatively. A relative grading scale means that only a few students can be given the highest grade even if the whole group get excellent results. Hardly anyone in Sweden wants a grading system like that. Those who are in favour of ECTS grades want to use the scale in a result-oriented way. That is one of the reasons why ECTS grades in Sweden would not be comparable with ECTS grades from other countries. Furthermore, comparability also requires similar goals, contents, examination forms and standardised tests. As no such coordination exists, any comparability is purely illusory.

Moreover, ECTS grades can cover up differences in quality between various educations and universities. For instance, we know that the requirements for a certain grade in Uppsala can be different than the requirements for that same grade in other Swedish universities. Such discrepancies become more substantial when we compare all the universities in Europe.

It is not the University's job to screen
The argument that we should introduce ECTS grades because it makes it easier for employers to screen candidates is misconstrued. The University's job is education and research. Uppsala Student Union thinks that universities should focus on these tasks and not take precious time away from that work to rank students. It is the responsibility of the employers themselves to work out methods to screen job candidates, it is definitely not the universities' job.

We don't have to do what everybody else is doing
The argument that we should do like everyone else is also present in the debate. That however, just does not hold up. Only a few countries have introduced ECTS grades. In Sweden and in a number of other countries, the universities themselves decide what grades they give. That is why there will be many other grading systems in Europe even in the future. Only in Sweden, universities like Lund, Örebro, Växjö and Umeå have decided not to use ECTS grades, primarily for pedagical reasons.

A Swedish education and an education at Uppsala University rank high in an international perspective. That position will not be jeopardized by not introducing ECTS grades. In our view, the need for international comparability is met by other instruments, such as Diploma supplements.

Do you want to know more about ECTS grades or discusse the Student Union's stance?
Contact the Student Union's vice chairperson responsible for education policy

Read more about Uppsala Student Union's stance in relation to grades