The ECTS was introduced in 1989 within the framework of the ERASMUS Programme as a mechanism for converting the academic credits earned by students during studies abroad into credits recognised by their home institution upon their return, thereby counting towards their degree programme. In the years that followed, the system evolved beyond the transfer of academic credits—based on student workload and achieved learning outcomes—to support the accumulation of credits within higher education programmes. ECTS contributes to the design, description and implementation of study programmes, facilitates the integration of different forms of learning within the framework of lifelong learning, and promotes student mobility by removing barriers to the recognition of qualifications and periods of study. The ECTS may be applied to all study programmes, irrespective of the mode of delivery (classroom-based instruction, coursework, or distance learning), the students' study status (full-time or part-time), or the type of learning environment (formal, non-formal or informal).