The European Qualifications Framework - Current and Future Challenges

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1 The European Qualifications Framework - Current and Future Challenges Dr. Jörg Markowitsch 3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH EQF Network Testing Conference, Paris, 18th of December 2008

2 A short history of the EQF Preparation European reference levels for educations and training (CEDEFOP, 2004) Consultation first proposal on EQF (July 2005) consultation process (July - Dec. 2005) final consultation Conference in Budapest (Feb. 2006) Revision expert groups revising the descriptors (March- July 2006) revised proposal on EQF (Sept. 2006) 3s research laboratory,

3 EQF Where are we now? Formal adoption Formal signing of the EQF Recommendation by the Presidents of the European Parliament and the European Council (22 April 2008) Promotion of the EQF Political launch in Lisbon (26-27 Nov.2007) Implementation launch in Brussels (3-4 June 2008) Implementation of the EQF Countries are invited to refer their national qualifications levels to the EQF by 2010 and to introduce references to EQF in certificates and diplomas by 2012

4 Current activities and working structure Advisory Board Provide overall coherence, Promote transparency of the process of relating NQS to EQF, Plenary meetings, 2 to 4 times a year Sub-groups of the Advisory Board On referencing criteria, quality assurance and sector issues National Contact Points Relate levels of qualifications to EQF levels, EQF Pilot Projects EQF Project Call 2006, 2007 and 2008, 23 ongoing projects National Qualifications Frameworks

5 Source: Arjen Deji, ETF 2008 European countries that are developing National Qualifications Frameworks 2008

6 A Global Development Source: Arjen Deji, ETF 2008

7 Current challenges and future work Develop criteria & practices for self referencing Develop further guidance material, e.g. on Best fit Start work on quality assurance of EQF procedures Strengthen the relationship between EHEA and EQF Start to work systematically on the sectoral issue Develop common internet based platform for EQF

8 Activities adressing the challenges Criteria & practices for self & referencing 10 criteria have been developed and recently agreed upon by the advisory group, compatibility to the EHEA-criteria Guidance Notes Explaining the EQF (already available) Added value of NQFs (work in progress) Further topics (?): Best-Fit, EQF-EHEA relation (?) EQF & EHEQ Council of Europe and European University Association (EUA) are members of the Advisory Board and take part in subgroups (e.g. QA) Pilot projects focusing on HE, e.g. HE_LEO, Social Sc.

9 Activities adressing the challenges Quality Assurance a subgroup of the AG has been established, first meeting took place ENQA and ENQA-VET are involved Sector issue a subgroup of the AG will soon be established a conference took place recently in Thessaloniki, (Nov. 2008) Cedefop strongly supports work in this field EQF Web-platform a first prototype developed by GHK-Consulting was presented to the last AG meeting

10 Criteria for self-referencing (1-3) Criteria and procedures for referencing national qualifications levels to the EQF The responsibilities and/or legal competence of all relevant national bodies involved in the referencing process, including the National Coordination Point, are clearly determined and published by the competent public authorities. (Criterion 1) 1. The responsibilities and/or legal competence of all relevant national bodies involved in the referencing process, including the National Coordination Point, are clearly determined and published by the competent public authorities. 2. There is a clear and demonstrable link between the qualifications levels in the national qualifications framework or system and the level descriptors of the European Qualifications Framework. 3. The national framework or qualifications system and its qualifications are based on the principle and objective of learning outcomes and linked to arrangements for validation of non-formal and informal learning and, where these exist, to credit systems. There is a clear and demonstrable link between the qualifications levels in the national qualifications framework or system and the level descriptors of the European Qualifications Framework. (Criterion 2) 4. The procedures for inclusion of qualifications in the national qualifications framework or for describing the place of qualifications in the national qualification system are transparent. 5. The national quality assurance system(s) for education and training refer (s) to the national qualifications framework or system and are consistent with the relevant European principles and guidelines (as indicated in annex 3 of the Recommendation). 6. The referencing process shall include the stated agreement of the relevant quality assurance bodies. 7. The referencing process shall involve international experts. The national framework or qualifications system and its qualifications are 8. The competent national body or bodies shall certify the referencing of the national framework or system with the EQF. One based comprehensive on the principle report, setting out and the referencing objective and the evidence of learning supporting it outcomes shall be published and by the linked competent national to bodies, including the National Coordination Point, and shall address separately each of the criteria. arrangements for validation of non-formal and informal learning and, where these exist, to credit systems. (Criterion 3) 9. The official EQF platform shall maintain a public listing of member states that have confirmed that they have completed the referencing process, including links to completed referencing reports. 10. Following the referencing process, and in line with the timelines set in the Recommendation, all new qualification certificates, diplomas and Europass documents issued by the competent authorities contain a clear reference, by way of national qualifications systems, to the appropriate European Qualifications Framework level. 3s research laboratory,

11 Outcomes of a recent EQF-Seminar, Thessaloniki, We need to develop common best cases illustrating the referencing process for different qualifications categories and levels We need to strengthen the role of analysis and research in supporting mutual trust towards the referencing process. We need to develop common ways to describe and categorise qualifications We need to use the NCPs for networking on referencing, learning outcomes and terminology We need prototype methods for identifying and defining learning outcomes We need to build on certificate supplements (and diploma supplements);

12 My personal favourite challenges If EQF descriptors are used as NQF descriptors Empirical data vs. text hermeneutics Non-academic Qualifications on level 6, 7 and 8 How to trademark the EQF? International qualifications & regulated professions Different types of qualifications The changing border between formal and nonformal/informal learning and the role of indicators

13 Thank you for your attention & Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Contact: DI Dr. Jörg Markowitsch 3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH Wiedner Hauptstraße 18, 1040 Wien Tel , Fax -99, markowitsch@3s.co.at Danube University Krems Dr.-Karl-Dorrek-Straße 30 A-3500 Krems Tel +43 (0) joerg.markowitsch@donau-uni.ac.at

14 Criteria for self-referencing (2) Criteria and procedures for referencing national qualifications levels to the EQF The procedures for inclusion of qualifications in the national qualifications framework or for describing the place of qualifications in the national qualification system are transparent. (Criterion 4) 1. The responsibilities and/or legal competence of all relevant national bodies involved in the referencing process, including the National Coordination Point, are clearly determined and published by the competent public authorities. 2. There is a clear and demonstrable link between the qualifications levels in the national qualifications framework or system and the level descriptors of the European Qualifications Framework. 3. The national framework or qualifications system and its qualifications are based on the principle and objective of learning outcomes and linked to arrangements for validation of non-formal and informal learning and, where these exist, to credit systems. The national quality assurance system(s) for education and training refer 4. The procedures for inclusion of in the national qualifications framework or for describing the place of qualifications (s) to in the national national qualification qualifications system are transparent. framework or system and are consistent with 5. The the national relevant quality assurance European system(s) for education principles and training and refer guidelines (s) to the national qualifications (as indicated framework or in system and are consistent with the relevant European principles and guidelines (as indicated in annex 3 of the Recommendation). annex 3 of the Recommendation). (Criterion 5) 6. The referencing process shall include the stated agreement of the relevant quality assurance bodies. 7. The referencing process shall involve international experts. The referencing process shall include the stated agreement of the relevant quality assurance bodies. (Criterion 6) 8. The competent national body or bodies shall certify the referencing of the national framework or system with the EQF. One comprehensive report, setting out the referencing and the evidence supporting it shall be published by the competent national bodies, including the National Coordination Point, and shall address separately each of the criteria. 9. The official EQF platform shall maintain a public listing of member states that have confirmed that they have completed the referencing process, including links to completed referencing reports. The referencing process shall involve international experts. (Criterion 7) 10. Following the referencing process, and in line with the timelines set in the Recommendation, all new qualification certificates, diplomas and Europass documents issued by the competent authorities contain a clear reference, by way of national qualifications systems, to the appropriate European Qualifications Framework level. 3s research laboratory,

Criteria for self-referencing (3) The competent national body or bodies shall certify the referencing of the Criteria and procedures national for referencing framework national qualifications or

15 Criteria for self-referencing (3) The competent national body or bodies shall certify the referencing of the Criteria and procedures national for referencing framework national qualifications or system levels to the with EQF the EQF. One comprehensive report, 1. The responsibilities and/or legal competence of all relevant national bodies involved the referencing process, including the setting National out Coordination the referencing Point, are clearly determined and the and evidence published by the competent supporting public authorities. it shall be published by 2. the There competent is a clear and demonstrable national link between bodies, the qualifications including levels the the national National qualifications Coordination framework or system and Point, the level descriptors of the European Qualifications Framework. and shall address separately each of the criteria. (Criterion 8) 3. The national framework or qualifications system and its qualifications are based on the principle and objective of learning outcomes and linked to arrangements for validation of non-formal and informal learning and, where these exist, to credit systems. The 4. The official procedures for EQF inclusion platform of qualifications shall in the national maintain qualifications a framework public or listing for describing of the member place of qualifications states in the national qualification system are transparent. that 5. The have national confirmed quality assurance system(s) that they for education have and training completed refer (s) to the the national referencing qualifications framework process, or system and are consistent with the relevant European principles and guidelines (as indicated in annex 3 of the Recommendation). including links to completed referencing reports. (Criterion 9) 6. The referencing process shall include the stated agreement of the relevant quality assurance bodies. 7. The referencing process shall involve international experts. Following the referencing process, and in line with the timelines set in the 8. The competent national body or bodies shall certify the referencing of the national framework or system with the EQF. One comprehensive report, setting out the referencing and the evidence supporting it shall be published by the competent national bodies, including the National Coordination Point, and shall address separately each of the criteria. Recommendation, all new qualification certificates, diplomas and Europass documents issued by the competent authorities contain a clear reference, by 9. The official EQF platform shall maintain a public listing of member states that have confirmed that they have completed the way of referencing national process, qualifications including links to completed systems, referencing reports. to the appropriate European Qualifications Framework level. (Criterion 10) 10. Following the referencing process, and in line with the timelines set in the Recommendation, all new qualification certificates, diplomas and Europass documents issued by the competent authorities contain a clear reference, by way of national qualifications systems, to the appropriate European Qualifications Framework level. 3s research laboratory,

16 European Policy Initiatives based on LO Bologna Framework (EHEA) European Qualifications Framework (EQF) European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) European Credit Transfer System for VET (ECVET) European principles and guidelines on validation of non- and informal learning EU language portfolio EU Key competences Europass

17 Learning outcomes are essential for Recognition of prior and informal learning Credit transfer Qualifications frameworks Explanation and guidance for learners Assessment of learning and Quality assurance LO open up systems and provide a comprehensible language both between HE and VET, and the world of education and the world of work.

What is the added value of a Qualifications Framework? The experience of Malta.

Meeting The Latvian Qualifications Framework, Riga 2011 What is the added value of a Qualifications Framework? The experience of Malta. Dr James Calleja Chief Executive Malta Qualifications Council National