The ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) is a system established in 1988 by the European Union to facilitate the academic recognition of higher education studies completed abroad. ECTS credits are awarded based on the total workload required to complete a semester, which includes lectures, practical work, seminars, internships, research, personal study, exams, as well as the learning objectives and competencies to be achieved.

Upon successful completion of all courses in a semester, students earn 30 credits, amounting to 60 credits per academic year. Thus, a Bachelor's degree corresponds to 180 credits, a Master's degree (completed in two years) adds an additional 120 credits, and a PhD typically requires 180 credits over three years.
As a result, ECTS credits serve as a valuable tool for facilitating student mobility between countries and higher education institutions, both internationally and within the same country.

Notably, since the 2014-2015 academic year, Cadi Ayyad University (UCA) has been the first university to integrate the ECTS system into its academic structure. This initiative has significantly enhanced the comparability and international recognition of UCA’s diplomas, while also promoting greater student mobility.