ECTS was introduced in 1989, within the framework of Erasmus, now part of the Socrates programme. ECTS is the only credit system which has been successfully tested and used across Europe. ECTS was set up initially for credit transfer. The system facilitated the recognition of periods of study abroad and thus enhanced the quality and volume of student mobility in Europe. Recently ECTS has been developing into an accumulation system to be implemented at institutional, regional, national and European levels. This is one of the key objectives of the Bologna Declaration of June 1999
