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A copy of the guidelines can be found:

Welcome to: The UNESCO Guidelines for the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation (RVA) of the outcomes of non-formal and informal learning: Critical success factors in applying them The webinar will start at 11:00AM EST. A copy of the guidelines can be found:

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A copy of the guidelines can be found:

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  1. Welcome to:The UNESCO Guidelines for the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation (RVA) of the outcomes of non-formal and informal learning:Critical success factors in applying themThe webinar will start at 11:00AM EST A copy of the guidelines can be found: http://recognitionforlearning.ca/library/unesco-guidelines-e (English) http://recognitionforlearning.ca/library/unesco-guidelines-f (Français)

  2. The UNESCO Guidelines for the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation (RVA) of the outcomes of non-formal and informal learning:Critical success factors in applying them Dr. Madhu Singh Unesco Institute for Lifelong Learning September 2012 Capla -Webinar

  3. Housekeeping • Guest mikes will be muted for the webinar • Questions should be posted in the question / answer box • Questions will be answered at the end of the webinar time providing • Questions not answered in the webinar will be answered at www.recognitionforlearning.ca several days after the webinar • Thank you for your cooperation

  4. 1. Introduction • Guidelines are not legally binding; • Promoting lifelong learning for all is UNESCO’s major commitment; • The Guidelines are based on a consultative process with member states, and on research.

  5. 2. UNESCO’s acronym RVA can be interpreted to mean PLAR or RPL in Canada UNESCO defines: • Recognition as a process of granting official status to learning outcomes and/or competences, which can lead to the acknowledgement of their value in society. • Validation is the confirmation by an approved body that learning outcomes or competences acquired by an individual have been assessed against reference points or standards through pre-defined assessment methodologies.

  6. 2. Cont’d.: UNESCO’s acronym RVA UNESCO defines: • Accreditation as a process by which an approved body, on the basis of assessment of learning outcomes and/or competences according to different purposes and methods, awards qualifications (certificates, diploma or titles), or grants equivalences, credit units or exemptions, or issues documents such as portfolios of competences. Accreditation also applies to the evaluation of the quality of an institution or a programme as a whole (Unesco Guidelines, p.8).

  7. Global trends: 3. Questions • How do the UNESCO Guidelines aim at developing a common understanding of RVA when, first of all, terminologies, contexts and approaches to RVA across regions, nations, sectors, and organisations are so diverse and, secondly, when conceptual and definitional confusion exists in the field of RVA? • How can UNESCO Guidelines be taken a step forward from principles and suggestions to actual implementation and thus facilitating a process that helps Member States to develop and strengthen systems for recognising the outcomes of non-formal and informal learning?

  8. 3. Cont’d.:Questions • How and to what extent can different RVA tools be used creatively to support the development of a lifelong learning culture with an open eye to all kinds of recognition and validation of learning outcomes rather than aiming at credentials and qualifications only? • What is UNESCO’s comparative advantage in the area of promoting RVA internationally? • How can the RVA Guidelines be helpful in Canada in terms of public policy and strategic implementation?

  9. 4. Developing a common understanding of RVA The common thread that runs through the Guidelines is around the following core values: • Notions of ‘equity and inclusion in accessing learning opportunities’; • A holistic understanding of ‘ lifelong learning for all’; • ‘Equal value of formal and non-formal learning’; • Centrality of the learner’s needs’; • ‘Flexibility and openness of education and training’; • ‘Quality assurance in the entire RVA process’; • ‘The notion of ‘shared responsibility from design to implementation and evaluation of the RVA system’ (Unesco Guidelines, p.4).

  10. 5. From principles and suggestions to actual implementation … From a macro-level policy perspective, at the country-level, there is need for : • Developing legal frameworks and guidelines at the country-level; • ‘Developing a national lifelong learning strategy with RVA of non-formal and informal learning as a key pillar at the country level’ (Key area of action 1.1, p.4). • ‘Facilitating the development of national references or standards that integrate the RVA of non-formal and informal learning ….. Establish a national qualifications framework’ (Key area of action 1.2, p.4). • While RVA is not only for those that experience disadvantage, the UNESCO Guidelines have highlighted in several parts the importance of ‘providing support through flexible arrangements’ for those experiencing disadvantage (Key area of action 2.4, p.5), or Key area of action 6.3 which states: ‘make special provision for access to RVA arrangements at a reduced rate of free of charge for vulnerable groups and individuals’ (p.6). It might be necessary therefore, to develop a strategy at the macro-level to provide solutions for the complex problems of groups that experience disadvantage.

  11. 5.Cont’d.: macro-level policy perspective e) ‘Establishing mechanisms to adopt credible and quality of RVA procedures, standards and instruments, as well as awarding qualifications’ (Key area of action 4.2). It might be necessary to develop regulatory frameworks for quality of non-formal and private educational sectors to address frequently expressed quality concerns; • ‘Making efforts to build the RVA infrastructure at local level, and make RVA a part of existing institutions in communities’ (Key area of action 4.4). This may require highlighting the importance of provincial/territorial issues in the implementation of RVA and the role of provincial/territorial local authorities in RVA implementation; • RVA practitioners are central to RVA quality, to ensuring reliability and trust in RVA practices (Key area of action 5). Putting in place resources for training of RVA practitioners will be extremely important.

  12. 5. Cont’d.: From a micro-level practical institutional perspective, there is need for: • ‘Creating awareness and acceptance in formal educational and training of the learning outcomes gained in non-traditional settings’ (3.2, p.3). This will go a long way to overcoming institutional attitudinal resistance and distrust towards non-formal and informal learning; • ‘Use of RVA to build bridges between the different education sectors and to promote the integration of formal, non-formal and informal learning’ (3.3, p.3); • Improving relations and dialogue between non-formal and formal systems, by ‘developing approaches to increase interaction between educational institutions, enterprises and voluntary organisations to translate learning outcomes from working and life-experiences into credits and/or qualifications’ (3.4. p. 3); • Addressing quality issues such as varying quality practice within organisations/institutions; • Identifying obstacles such as lack of institutional pathways to RVA; better communication to learners of the opportunity s for RVA; cost of processing RVA and delays; • Training RVA practitioners will be crucial to the transition to NQFs and building bridges between formal and non-formal and informal learning.

  13. 6. Lifelong learning culture with an open eye to all kinds of recognition and validation of learning outcomes rather than aiming at credentials and qualifications only. • The scope of RVA should not be limited to the perspectives of RVA in the context of the workplace and vocational education and training but also focus on RVA in the context of socio-cultural work in non-governmental organisations and agencies of civil society. • Lifelong learning needs to be connected to life-wide learning. • RVA needs to be directed at all levels of the education system. • Training RVA practitioners will be crucial to building bridges between formal and informal learning; however, professional development merits special attention, not only for accreditation but most importantly for RVA and non-formal learning for social inclusion.

  14. 7. UNESCO’s comparative advantage First: the focus of UNESCO is directed at a holistic analysis of RVA, in its fullest sense. Second: UNESCO is able to reflect perspectives from both developed and developing countries. Third: RVA is of high relevance in the UNESCO context. Fourth: UNESCO has played a significant role in developing a vision of lifelong learning. Opening up of learning systems to the recognition of non-formal and informal learning is the central tenet of the learning society as already expressed in ‘Learning to Be’ (Faure et al. 1972). Fifth: UNESCO has played an important role in strengthening international cooperation and capacity-building in the field of RVA.

  15. 8. Relevance for Canada • Evidence from Canada indicates that a PLAR system is missing in Canada which prevents PLAR‘s full potential to be realised within a lifelong learning culture. • PLAR has a long history of attachment to educational institutions for the purpose of academic credit. However, recognition and assessment also play an important role in workplace learning and in skilled and professional occupations. • Challenges for PLAR occur because of temporary limited funding and short-term projects. • Despite these challenges there is a lot of advocacy for PLAR, by many champions of PLAR, such as organisations and networks like CAPLA. However, a PLAR and adult learning strategy at all levels of government – federal, provincial/ territorial, local – could be helpful to bring PLAR into public agendas.(cont’d)

  16. 8. Cont’d.: Relevance for Canada • While a bottom-up-decentralised and provincial approach has served well in Canada to date, strategic direction at the country level could help to facilitate cooperation and comparisons across provinces, countries and in relation to international agencies. While Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), along with the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) is undertaking several supportive activities, they have no regular arrangements in respect of PLAR.

  17. 8. Cont’d.: Relevance for Canada • The Guidelines are more in the nature of strategic directions and public policy planning, and in this sense could be relevant for Canada. • The Unesco Guidelines could serve as an important template for Canada when it reports to Unesco on developments in lifelong learning and RVA.

  18. Thank You Dr Madhu Singh Unesco Institute for Lifelong Learning Feldbrunnenstr. 58 20148 Hamburg m.singh@unesco.org Reminder: For questions/answers as well as a discussion area regarding this webinar please go to the Discussion Board at www.recognitionforlearning.ca

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