The issuance of the Diploma Supplement is regulated by Art. 57, Sec. 1 of the Higher Education Act No. 111/1998, Coll., which stipulates that the Diploma Supplement is awarded "automatically" to graduates of all study programmes.
The Diploma Supplement Purpose
The Diploma Supplement (DS) is a means of improving international "transparency" and fair academic and professional recognition of qualifications. One of the main reasons for introducing the DS was persisting problems with international recognition of qualifications. These problems were caused by the lack of relevant information as well as by the changes made in national education systems which were adjusting to the new economic and technical development. The DS helps to promote citizens' mobility as it provides its holders with an international proof of their qualification. It describes the nature, level, context and status of the studies which were successfully completed and which led to obtaining a qualification. As a result, the DS complements the university diploma. However, it does not serve as a curriculum, it does not replace the original qualification document (diploma), nor does it guarantee the automatic recognition of a qualification.
Benefits for the Students
University diplomas accompanied by the DS are clearer and more easily comparable abroad. They provide a detailed description of the academic career and of the competences acquired during the studies, thus offering an objective description of students' attainments. It also facilitates access to work or study opportunities abroad and increases the employability of its holder.
The DS also raises the notoriety of a higher-education institution abroad, it increases its graduates' chances to find a job at national or international level and, last but not least, it helps to save time as it offers answers to many questions concerning the content and the transferability of diplomas, which higher-education institutions have to answer repeatedly.
Diploma Supplement:
• increases transparency of higher education
• reflects rapid changes in qualification profiles
• promotes mobility and facilitates access to education
• supports fair assessment of a qualification