The need to put national qualifications frameworks in an international perspective

1. The need to put national qualifications frameworks in an international perspective Tirana 24 October 2007 LoukasZahilas Cedefop, Project Manager Loukas.Zahilas@cedefop.europa.eu Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

2. Mobility for working and/or for learning: several processes European education and training area European qualifications area Technical cooperation processes Political cooperation processes Legibility of qualification for mobility of workers (UE internal market) Sorbonne - Bologna - Bergen: European Higher education area Directive on recognition of qualification Bruges 2001: lifelong learning Methodologies : four steps Copenhagen 2002: cooperation in VET 70’s : Equivalence 80’s : Correspondence 90’s : Transparency Maastricht 2004, Helsinki 2006: EU and national development of cooperation 2000’s : References, tools and methods Lifelong Education and training Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

3. Concrete results in European cooperation in VET in the fields of Qualification and mobility • Single framework for transparency of qualifications and competences, EUROPASS • European Qualifications Framework (EQF) • Common Quality Assurance Framework for VET • Common principles for validation of non-formal and informal learning • Strengthening policies, systems and practices for lifelong guidance – Council recommendation • Credit system for VET (ECVET) • Directive on recognitionofqualifications Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

4. EQF National & Sectoral Qualifications • Tools for citizens • Europass • Ploteus • ECVET Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

5. Focus on Learning Outcomes EQF LearningOutcomes Informal Learning Non-Formal Learning Formal Learning Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

6. A requirement for opening up to lifelong and lifewide learning INPUT BASED + duration + type + location + programme + institution OUTCOME BASED What an individual is expected to know or be able to do at the end of a learning experience Towards Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

7. Where do we stand? • Discussion in Council and EP • Agreement under Portuguese presidency 2007 • Leonardo da Vinci projects: test and develop EQF; develop national/sectoral frameworks Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

8. EQF as a catalyst for national developments Clear demand and strong support from Member States EQF is seen as a relevant tool for cross-border mobility and for pursuing national lifelong learning strategies EQF - a driver and catalyst for national reform and development of overarching National Qualifications Frameworks

9. Advantages of the EQF at national level Introduces an international reference - important for individuals, education and training providers and employers Supporting LLL by integrating separate education and training systems Paves way for credit transfer Improves employers ability to judge profile and relevance of qualifications Enables peer learning between countries

10. The first and critical step; Referring national qualifications levels to the EQF Countries asked to refer their national qualifications levels to the EQF by 2010 Countries will have to refer their qualifications levels to the EQF through learning outcomes The principle of ‘best fit’ - how to make trusted decisions on the placing of national qualification levels

11. classification of qualifications to levels of learning achieved. for integration and coordination of qualifications systems transparency, access, progression and quality of qualifications A key to implementation of the EQF - National Qualifications Framework:

12. National Qualifications Frameworks and National Qualifications Systems A national qualifications framework is an optional part of a National Qualifications System A national qualifications system embraces all structures and processes leading to the award of a qualification NQS; frequently complex, non-transparent and fragmented; NQF aim at making levels explicit and provide transparency for access, transfer and progress

13. Overarching National Qualifications Frameworks in Europe (1) Existing NQFs:Ireland, UK (England, Scotland and Wales), France, Malta Commitment and preparation:Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey Consideration:Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania and Sweden No preparation; Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Iceland

14. Overarching National Qualifications Frameworks in Europe (2) All candidate and pre-accession countries are working on NQFs: Croatia, fYRoMacedoniaand Turkey, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia The influence of EQF on developments is clear

15. National Qualifications Frameworks developments outside Europe; situation mid 2007 Existing NQFs: New Zealand, Australia, South Africa Emerging NQFs in; Russia, Ukraine, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Namibia and Botswana International organisations like OECD and ILO are increasingly focussing on NQF as an instrument for reform

16. Common features in European NQF developments Learning outcomes are used as a basis for classifying and describing levels Quality assurance is a major concern Big majority of countries link NQFs to validation of non-formal learning Significant number of countries use 8 level structure A number of countries have established inventories of national qualifications

17. How to achieve real comparability?The shift to learning outcomes EQF requires a (re) interpretation of national qualifications levels in terms of learning outcomes ‘Window dressing’ or a genuine effort to review national qualifications levels? The shift to learning outcomes requires objectivity and transparency to allow for mutual trust

18. How to achieve real comparability?Quality assurance A realistic use of learning outcomes Is a condition for quality and mutual trust! Are existing quality assurance approaches able to guarantee transparency and mutual trust? How to quality assure the referencing of levels certification procedures and standards?

19. Challenge: EQF as a comprehensive, meta-framework EQF is a comprehensive meta-framework addressing the links between sub-systems (for example HE and VET) How to ensure, at European and national level, an integrated LLL approach breaking down barriers between systems

20. Challenges; Credit transfer, validation and Europass How to integrate credit transfer and EQF One integrated European system? Why is there a limited development of national credit transfer schemes? How can validation of non-formal and informal learning be promoted by the EQF? Europass; how can it support the EQF?

21. European support to national implementation • EQF pre- Implementation group (32 countries) March 2007 • Following formal adoption of EQF, a European advisory group will be set up • Cluster on Recognition of learning outcomes; focus on National Qualifications Frameworks and validation • EQF test and pilot projects; 12 projects launched January 2007 • New call for proposals published 25 May 2007 • Guidelines for implementation being prepared • EQF implementation conference February 2008

22. Conclusions • The EQF has become a driver for national reform! A momentum has been created • Mutual trust is a condition for keeping up this momentum and continue the implementation of the EQF at national level

23. Cedefop’s role Cedefop is the European Union's agency to develop vocational education and training Cedefop works closely with the European Commission, governments, employers and trade union representatives, as well as with researchers and practitioners. Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

24. Cedefop’s role - EQF Cedefop has contributed to the design and operation of the EQF. As part of the ad-hoc expert group working on the EQF Cedefop will continue to provide scientific expertise to the European Commission. Cedefop will also analyse and disseminate the findings of projects carried out in 2006 to test the EQF, focusing on the role of sectors, and help develop the ‘EQF handbook’ giving guidance on its implementation. 24 Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

25. Cedefop’s role - ECVET Cedefop was also very actively involved – from the very start in 2002 – in developing the ECVET proposal. Cedefop played a key role by providing support and expertise to the Technical Working Group and also by launching two studies (European approaches to credit transfer systems in VET and European reference levels for education and training: promoting credit transfer and mutual trust) which have proven to be of great importance for the conceptual development of ECVET Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

26. Cedefop’s role – Sectors Cedefop will take forward the work on sectoral issues - and in particular on how to systematically build on the experiences gained from the EQF/ECVET test projects currently being supported by the Leonardo da Vinci programme. Cedefop will try to capture key tendencies at this level - in particular related to development of qualifications frameworks and internationalisation of qualifications. Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop

27. CedefopThanks for your attention Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop