Implementation and impact of NQFs: Report of a study in 16 countries

1. Implementation and impact of NQFs: Report of a study in 16 countries Methodology, key findings, and analysis Stephanie Allais 29th September 2010

2. Literature: critical issues and mapping NQFs 5 case studiesonearlystarters(Australia, theEnglishNVQs, NewZealand, Scotland, andSouthAfrica) throughexistingresearchanddocumentation 11 case studies(Bangladesh, Botswana, Chile, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Turkey) through 2 stagesoffieldwork: Phase one: design, intentions of key stakeholders, what NQF looks like in practice, how it was or is being implemented, challenges emerging. Phase two: impacts, ownership, and use. Focus on country context, labour market issues, nature of education and training system Methodology overview

3. Evaluation criteria and nature of the evidence • What systems or approaches exist for monitoring or analyzing impact? How do the designers and managers of the framework expect to see and evaluate impact? • Is there, in the view of designers and managers of the NQF, evidence of impact, and what is it? • How do stakeholders view impact? What do/did they expect from the NQF, and did it meet/is it meeting/do they think it is likely to meet their expectations?

4. Limitations • Time and money • Inherent difficulties of comparative research • Early stages of development of many NQFs • Tendency to interview ‘inner circle’

5. Context

6. Context

7. Time frames • England, Northern Ireland, Wales: NQVs launched in 1987 • Scotland: Credit and Qualifications Framework formally launched in 2001, as culmination of reforms starting in 1984. • New Zealand: NQF launched in 1991, changed substantially in 2001. • Australia: NQF introduced in 1995. • South Africa: NQF introduced in 1995, changed substantially in 2009. • Mexico: Labour Competence Framework designed in 1995. • Chile: in 1999 the first labour competence framework was designed, followed by another version in 2002. • Malaysia: established NQF in 2007, building on earlier reforms.

8. Time frames • Mauritius: NQF created in 2001. • Botswana: NVQF design started 2000; implementation started 2004. • Sri Lanka established NVQF in 2005. • Turkey: NQF dates to TVET reform in 1990s. In 2000 draft law for Occupational Standards Institution prepared. In 2006 Vocational Qualifications Authority created. • Lithuania: design started 2006. January 2008 National Authority of Qualifications established, but abolished the same year. Decree to introduce the NQF prepared. • Tunisia: 2007 & 2008 focus on design & conceptualization. Decree passed in 2009 introducing NQF design. • Bangladesh: NTVQF under design, initiated in 2008. • Russia: NQF currently under development.

9. NQF design in the 16 countries • Key structures, institutions and systems • Qualifications Authorities (incl. stakeholders) • Structures to design competency standards or outcomes-based qualifications (incl. stakeholders) • Accreditation, assessment, and certification arrangements • NQF design features • A nationally accepted framework • Level descriptors • Outcomes, standards, and competencies • Monitoring and evaluation systems

10. Implementation and use in the 16 countries • Creation of structures, institutions, and systems • Different types of Qualification Authorities, different developments, some conflicts with existing institutions • New structures • Tensions with existing forms of governance • Assessment and certification issues • Legal status of NQFs • Differences: legislated and voluntary • Tensions with existing legislation and regulation

11. Implementation and use in the 16 countries • Social dialogue and the role of stakeholders • Mainly government-led • In general stakeholder support but weak stakeholder involvement • Complexity of processes and structures • Concerns and resistance from education & training institutions • Development & use of level descriptors • Use of learning outcomes • Difficulty of employer and trade union involvement • Outsourcing of development • Many instances of un-used qualifications despite stakeholder involvement

12. Implementation and use in the 16 countries • Pilots and sectoral approaches • Policy breadth • Other issues • Speed • Top-down versus bottom-up • Donor aid and ‘expertise’

13. Aims and impact • Improving communication of qualification systems: most successes although also problems • Improving transparency of individual qualifications through learning outcomes: • Reported support in Australia and Malaysia although difficulties • Overspecification and changing forms of specification • Unused qualifications • Reducing mismatch between education and training and labour market: very little evidence • Credit accumulation & transfer: +ve & -ve

14. Aims and impact • Recognition of prior learning: little evidence, small-scale • Access: little evidence • Quality assurance systems and new regulatory, assessment, and certification mechanisms • Marketized competition based VET systems established in Australia and New Zealand • Difficulties in South Africa, Botswana, Mauritius • Concerns in Turkey because of heavy reliance on accreditation mechanisms and institutions • Complexity of governance arrangements in South Africa, Chile, Mexico

15. General findings and analysis • Contexts, models, processes • Aims in tension with each other? • Learning outcomes difficulties • NQFs as tools to improve skills development • Accreditation in the context of weak provision • Policy borrowing • Positive possibilities: sectoral approaches incl range of appropriate expertise, skills eco-systems, financing, developing and supporting education and training institutions