European tools for professional recognition

1. European tools for professional recognition

2. Este un proiect al Bibliotecii Judeţene Dinicu Golescu Argeş, proiect finantat de Consiliul Judetean Argessi Comisia Europeană, care functionează în cadrul Bibliotecii Judetene Dinicu Golescu Arges, destinat comunitătii judetului Arges si care permite cetătenilor să obtină: Informaţii privind oricare dintre domeniile de activitate ale instituţiilor Uniunii Europene; Un răspuns la toate întrebările dumneavoastră legate de legislaţia, programele şi politicile Uniunii Europene; Informaţii practice cu privire la numeroase aspecte, cum ar fi: oportunităţi de finanţare, granturi sau burse de studii, concursuri, drepturile şi obligaţiile cetăţenilor europeni etc. Consultanţă pentru depăşirea problemelor practice in exercitarea drepturilor dumneavoastră în Europa.

5. EUROPASS: It is a tool that opens doors to learning and working in Europe!! Its objectives: • to help citizens communicate their skills and qualifications effectively when looking for a job or training; • to help employers understand the skills and qualifications of the workforce; • to help education and training authorities define and communicate the content of curricula. If you want to learn more about Europass the first point of contact is a network of National EuropassCentres

6. What is EUROPASS? • Five documents to make your skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood in Europe. • Two documents freely accessible, completed by European citizens: • the Curriculum Vitae helps you present your skills and qualifications effectively and clearly. You can create your CV online using tutorials or download the template, examples and instructions. • the Language Passport is a self-assessment tool for language skills and qualifications. You can create your Language Passport online using tutorials or download the template, examples and instructions. • Three documents issued by education and training authorities: • the Europass Mobility records the knowledge and skills acquired in another European country; • the Certificate Supplement describes the knowledge and skills acquired by holders of vocational education and training certificates; • the Diploma Supplement describes the knowledge and skills acquired by holders of higher education degrees.

11. YOUTHPASS • Recognition tool for non-formal & informal learning in youth projects • Youthpass is a tool to document and recognise learning outcomes from youth work activities. It is available for projects funded by Erasmus+(2014-2020) and Youth in Action (2007-2013) programmes. It is a part of the European Commission’s strategy to foster the recognition of non-formal learning, putting policy into practice and practice into policy. • While creating their Youthpass certificate together with a support person, project participants are given the possibility to describe what they have done in their project and which competences they have acquired. Thus, Youthpass supports the reflection upon the personal non-formal learning process and outcomes. • As a Europe-wide recognition instrument for non-formal learning in the youth field, Youthpass strengthens the social recognition of youth work. • Youthpass supports active European citizenship of young people and of youth workers by describing the added value of their project. • Youthpass also aims at supporting the employability of young people and of youth workers by raising their awareness of and helping to describe their competences, and by documenting their acquisition of key competences on a certificate.

12. Who can useYouthpass? • Within the Erasmus+: Youth in Action programme, Youthpass certificates are currently available for the following activities: • Youth Exchanges • European Voluntary Service • Mobility of Youth Workers • Structured Dialogue meetings • Transnational Cooperation Activities (TCA) of the National Agencies. • The certificates can also be issued for projects that were granted under the previous, Youth in Action programme (2007-2013). • All participants of the projects approved within these frameworks are entitled to receive a Youthpass certificate, and thus recognition for their non-formal learning outcomes. • The responsibility to issue the Youthpass certificates to the participants/volunteers, in case they wish to receive them, lies with the organisation that signs the contract for the Erasmus+ grant.

13. Youthpass Certificates • Structure of the certificate • The Youthpass certificates are specific to the various types of non-formal learning projects within Erasmus+: Youth in Action, but the general structure of the certificate is the same. The Youthpass certificate is divided into three sections. • The first page confirms the participation in a given project and lists the main facts about the project. It also provides background information about the general context and value of the activity. It has to be signed by a legal representative of the organisation. • The second section informs about the project in more detail. The organisations in charge are mentioned, the aims, activities, and results of the project described. This part of the certificate has to be signed by the person responsible for the project. • In the third section,participants reflect upon their learning and the outcomes. They are encouraged to describe what they have learnt in the course of the project, adhering to the eight key competences for lifelong learning. If applicable, a dialogue partner is also invited to sign the third section. There is neither a limitation to how much the participants are allowed to write, nor do they have to include every single competence.

14. The European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) Is the new European instrument to promote mutual trust and mobility in vocational education and training. ECVET has been adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in 2009. The adoption and implementation of ECVET in the participating countries is voluntary. • ECVET is based on: • Learning outcomes, which are statements of knowledge, skills and competencesthat can be achieved in a variety of learning contexts. • Units of learning outcomes that are components of qualifications. • ECVET points, which provide additional information about units and qualifications in a numerical form. • Credit that is given for assessed and documented learning outcomes of a learner. Credit can be transferred to other contexts and accumulated to achieve a qualification on the basis of the qualifications standards and regulations existing in the participating countries. • Mutual trust and partnership among participating organisations. These are expressed in Memoranda of Understanding and Learning Agreements.

15. ECVET contributes to making recognised mobility as an integrated part of individuals’ learning pathways. It makes it easier for employers to understand qualifications achieved abroad. • It also improves the credibility of international education and training experience by identifying and documenting what the learner has achieved. • By giving learners the possibility to undertake parts of their training abroad, VET providers can enrich the training provision, raise the attractiveness of training programmes and enhance their pan-European reputation. • The improved possibilities for lifelong learning created by ECVET facilitate cooperation between VET providers and companies. This means that ECVET can strengthen the link between education and training and the labour market.

16. ECTS - European Credit Transfer System • To help students make the most from their study abroad, the European Commission has developed a European Credit Transfer System, which provides a way of measuring and comparing learning achievements, and transferring them from one institution to another. • ECTS helps higher education institutions to enhance their cooperation with other institutions by: • improving access to information on foreign curricula, • providing common procedures for academic recognition. • ECTS can also be used within one institution or between institutions within one country.

17. WHAT DOES ECTS OFFER TO THE STUDENT ? • ECTS guarantees academic recognition of studies abroad. • ECTS enables access to regular courses alongside local students, with the benefit of full participation in the academic life of the host institution. This characteristic of ECTS distinguishes it from many other student mobility programmes. • ECTS enables further studies abroad. A student may prefer not to go back to the home institution after the study period abroad, but rather to stay at the host institution -- possibly to gain a degree -- or to move to a third institution. The institutions themselves decide whether or not this is acceptable and what conditions the student must fulfil in order to get a diploma or transfer registration.

18. Useful links: • https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/ • https://www.youthpass.eu/en/ • http://ec.europa.eu/education/ects/users-guide/ects-and-ehea_en.htm#ectsTop • http://www.ecvet-secretariat.eu/en/what-is-ecvet

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