Chris Lyons, Head of Business Development UK NARIC Frazer Wallace, Coordinator of the UK National Europass Centre, UK

1. Europass • increasing mobility, releasing potential Chris Lyons, Head of Business Development UK NARIC Frazer Wallace, Coordinator of the UK National Europass Centre, UK NARIC November2010

2. Europass – What is it? How did it come about? A tool developed by the European Commission and launched in 2005 following Council Decision No 2241/2004/EC. It was designed to facilitate one of the fundamental principles of the Treaty of Rome, namely the free movement of workers across Europe, by making it easier for individuals to find employment or study abroad. It provides a number of documentary tools to increase the transparency of qualifications, experience and competences. How does it facilitate mobility? • Helps Employers and HEIs, to understand the skills, competences and qualifications of individuals, particularly those from other EU Member States. • Helps Individuals, by providing a means to clearly demonstrate their skills and experiences in a transparent fashion.

3. Europass – What is it? The Documents: The Europass portfolio comprises 5 documents: Curriculum Vitae Language Passport Mobility Supplement Diploma Supplement Certificate Supplement The component parts are distinct and separate and can be used individually or in association with one another. There is a National Europass Centre in each European Member State, whose job it is to promote the use of the Europass Portfolio in that country.

4. Europass Curriculum Vitae • What does it do? • The Europass CV helps users highlight their skills, qualifications and work experience. It is free of charge, available to all and can be downloaded or completed and edited online. How widely used is it? • Advantages • Standard template recognised across Europe and available in numerous European Languages; • Language self-assessment section based on CEFR; • Allows easy cross referencing by employers if CV used as standard; • Help individuals draw attention to the skills and attributes that will set them apart from others.

5. Europass Language Passport • What does it do? • Designed to be used to supplement an individual’s CV, the Language Passport gives individuals the opportunity to provide additional detail on their language abilities. • Users record their: • informal language skills –self assessment CEFR; • academic language courses; • linguistic experience –gained on work or study placements. • How widely used is it? • Advantages • Can be completed online or using the new iPhone App; • Great for individuals with informal language skills; • Ideal for employers looking for employees with language skills.

6. Europass Mobility Supplement • What does it do? • It provides a record, and validation of, skills and competences acquired by an individual during an organised period of learning or training (a “European Mobility Experience”) in another European Country. • How widely used is it? • Advantages • Highlights an individual’s cultural awareness and transferable skills. • Mobility experience is validated by the sending organisationand host organisation, giving a measure of formalisation. • Increases transparency & visibility of Mobility experiences by promoting gained knowledge, skills and experience. • Potential to be used to record ECVET points

7. The Diploma Supplement • What does it do? • The Diploma Supplement is designed to supplement a Higher Education graduation certificate. • Developed as a tool to facilitate the Bologna Process, it is an agreed, standard European method for presenting and explaining an individual’s qualifications. • It was designed to facilitate mobility of individuals by providing greater transparency of Higher Education qualifications across Europe. The documents provide information on the qualification’s: • Content, key skills and grading; • Level within the NQF &information on issuing institution; • The function of the qualification and any professional status. • The role of the UK National Europass Centre? • To promote the use of the Diploma Supplement within the UK, report to the Commission and to liaise with the other National Europass Centres.

8. The Diploma Supplement • How widely used is it? • UK • According to Universities UK survey in 2009: • 74% of survey respondents use a diploma supplement in some format (an increase from 60% in 2007). • 81% of HEIs issuing a diploma supplement use the EC format. • EU/EEA • The European University Association’s 2005 report indicated that the majority of European HEIs had complied with the specification in the Berlin Communiqué - that they issue Diploma Supplements to every graduate by the end of 2005. • By 2004 the following countries had introduced it by law: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden. • In addition the following countries indicated its imminent introduction in 2005: Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey. • In Member States where it is not enacted by law, it is necessary • to promote usage by the issuing institutions.

9. The Diploma Supplement • How widely used is it? • INTERNATIONAL? • Through contacts with the University of Western Australia (UWA), the UK NEC was asked to advise in relation to the Australian Higher Education Graduate Statement (AHEGS). • The Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations recently released guidelines for the presentation of the AHEGS which states: “ ” • The Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) is the Australian equivalent of the European Diploma Supplement. It takes the form of a document provided to graduates by the awarding institution. • The UK NEC has provided the UWA with the Diploma Supplement Template and has been asked to retain an advisory role in the formation of their AHEGS template. It is likely that it will retain a structure similar to the Europass Diploma Supplement.

10. TheDiploma Supplement • Advantages: Why use the European template?

11. TheDiploma Supplement • Advantages: An Austrian Survey

12. Europass Certificate Supplement • What does it do? • A similar concept to the Diploma Supplement, but for FE Qualifications, though they are non-personalised documents. • The document provides information on the qualification’s: • Content, key skills and grading; • Level within the NQF & information on issuing institution; • The function of the qualification and any professional status. • How widely used is it? • In the UK, it is issued for qualifications issued by City and Guilds England. • In the EU/EEA, we believe it to be widely issued, though we are awaiting the results of a survey conducted by the Belgian Europass Centre to provide a definitive picture. • Advantages • Similar to the Diploma Supplement: • Increases transparency • Promotes mobility • A consistent European approach

13. Europass – A Summary Transparency Mobility Consistency

14. Thank You, Frazer Wallace Coordinator of the UK NEC frazer.wallace@naric.org.uk Chris Lyons Head of Business Development, UK NARIC chris.lyons@naric.org.uk www.uknec.org.uk