Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) us? Higher Education and Training Awards Council, Ireland

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Juliet Robinson
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1 European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) What is it and what does it mean for us? Bryan Maguire Higher Education and Training Awards Council, Ireland Eurashe, Malta, 8-9 May, 2008

2 ECTS ECTS is well established Long use as credit transfer system within Erasmus Increasing use as accumulation system Incorporation as element in Bologna qualifications framework New Key Features incorporates learning outcomes as well as (notional) learning time

3 Copenhagen Process Parallels elements to Bologna Process Qualifications framework (EQF) Common principles for quality assurance Credit system Other emerging similarities Subsidiarity, especially to national systems Confidence building measures central Soft law (compare with professions directive)

4 EQF Adopted as recommendation by Council and Parliament - 23 April, levels with learning outcomes described, referencing Dublin descriptors Member states to develop national frameworks, incorporating HE, by 2010 Self-certification will commence shortly in at least some countries that already have national frameworks

5 ECVET origins i Credit system envisioned as feature of the Copenhagen Process from 2002 Ministers responsible for VET gave mandate to develop ECVET in Maastricht (2004) and Helsinki (2006) Cedefop report 2005, followed further technical research and development, led to Commission consultation on blueprint from November March 2007

6 ECVET debate Industry sectors wanted scope for strong intra-sectoral transfer with minimal interference from states States wanted to retain capacity to integrate education and training systems, including transfer between secondary education, VET, higher education and adult education systems Higher education actors wanted to retain autonomy, avoid duplication

7 Eurashe comment Circulated in Copenhagen last year Eurashe institutions often function at the interface of VET and HE ECVET should build on ECTS experience - confidence building is important ECVET should explicitly link to ECTS Recognition of credit between VET and HE should be facilitated

8 ECVET recommendation Presented to Parliament 9 April, 2008 for co- decision with European Council Member states (and EEA) are committed, on a voluntary basis, to using ECVET as a device to facilitate transparency, comparability, transfer and accumulation of learning outcomes between different learning contexts and different countries, with a view to setting up a lifelong learning area without borders

9 Features of ECVET - 1 Unit-based credit system ECVET partnerships and networks formalised through memoranda of understanding Learning agreements as practical implementation for individual learners ECVET points are attached to qualifications and units of learning outcomes

10 Features of ECVET - 2 Credit obtained by a learner is and expression of the validity of his/her achieved learning outcomes for the purpose of transfer and accumulation towards a qualification As a convention, 60 points will be assigned to the learning outcomes expected to be achieved in a year of formal, full-time VET Points allocated first to whole qualification and then to units

11 QuickTime and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture. ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/ecvet/index_en.html

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13 Future steps for Commission Support various tests, mutual learning, promotional activities Develop Users guide and tools, in collaboration especially with ECTS Establish an ECVET users group Monitor states t implementation ti and report back in four years

14 Future steps for states t Promote ECVET Use ECVET from 2012 Support national and European partnerships and networks Ensure stakeholders have access to information and guidance for ECVET Apply principles of QA when using ECVET Coordinate and monitor national implementation

15 What does ECVET mean for Eurashe members? ECVET is compatible with ECTS; if your local credit system is ECTS compliant you need expect no further technical changes Take a role in national discussions to ensure that maximum compatibility is achieved at national level also; offer to share your experience of ECTS There are opportunities to participate in the confidence building partnerships, within and across countries Repeat the message on the centrality of QA to trust and act upon it

16 Convergence The Bologna and Copenhagen processes represent a much greater coherence within European education and training They combine a minimum but adequate superstructure with extensive localised cooperation Although they have goals, they are well named as processes because they require continuing support from many actors, including Eurashe members, to achieve and maintain these goals

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES RECOMMENDATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

EN EN EN COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Brussels, 9.4.2008 COM(2008) 180 final 2008/0070 (COD) RECOMMENDATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the establishment of the European