ECTS credits and quality: evidence for public policy reform

This study examines the impact of ECTS credit allocation on student academic performance and quality assurance indicators in higher education. Using the VAC methodology–an evidence-based framework within the field of Curriculum Analytics–we analyze nineteen STEM degree programs at the Universidad de Sevilla (Spain) based on academic data from 2015 to 2020. Our findings reveal substantial inconsistencies in credit allocation, highlighting curriculum misalignments that negatively impact student performance, completion rates, and time-to-degree averages. We show that public policies such as Royal Decree 822/2021 promote uniform credit structures (e.g. 6-ECTS courses and 240-ECTS programs) that do not correspond to students' actual formative needs. These rigid regulations hinder the implementation of necessary curricular reforms and contribute to disparities in performance indicators across programs. We advocate for credit estimation methods grounded in academic data and predictive modeling, rather than in subjective perceptions of student workload. The VAC methodology offers a replicable and scalable approach for addressing these challenges and serves as a valuable tool for evidence-informed policy design in higher education.