ECVET forum Vienna, October 30 and 31 This report provides you with impressions of the European ECVET forum 2014. On the website http://www.ecvet-team.eu/en/training-and-events/ecvet-forum-2014-trusting-skills-andqualifications-europe-tomorrow you can find the presentations, as well as the background material. Day 1: October 30, 2014 SESSION 1: TAKING STOCK TO MOVE TO THE FUTURE Impressions from the plenaries and workshops Antonio Silva Mendes, Director Education and vocational training, DGEAC Let s focus on the learners: we do it for them. The numbers are big: 25 million people are unemployed, most of them low skilled: aim is to enhance their capacity. There are 80 million Europeans with very low skills. We should increase the quality of skills at all different levels. 40 million young people (2% GDP, its like a 29 th member state) feel that they are not being addressed properly, by government. We need action, now, on 3 challenges: 1. Reinforce flexibility of VET at European level 2. Increase permeability of the system 3. Mismatch: geographical, degrees and also technical. 2 million jobs are currently unfulfilled. For this we need cooperation and involvement of VET providers, universities, companies, governments. Many European initiatives co-exist, but they lack synergies. We have to solve problems all together: this requires an integrated approach. Round table: experience gained from ECVET ECVET supports mobility by helping to increase the quality of it. ECVET also supports Lifelong Learning as a model for flexibility of learning pathways and units of learning outcomes. Young people have more guarantee in terms of job opportunities, as employers know the diploma s. Research by Cedefop shows that in systems that are predominantly apprenticeship based, social partners are not eager to use ECVET, because they feel that it could lead to fragmentation. Synergies: Europass and ECVET together form a comprehensive framework for international mobility. It increases the quality of mobility. The NQF s along with ECVET principles could help to better adopt qualifications to the needs of labour market. Recommendation: member states should apply ECVET in all qualifications. But so far, levels 5,6
somehow escape ECVET and use ECTS. Need for more permeability with ECTS: tools are complementary, not interchangeable as they have different aims and backgrounds. What is changed since last year? What are key lessons learned? In Estonia all VET curricula have been changed: LO based and in line with ECVET principles. All trainers and teachers are being trained. They don t know yet what is the effect. It s not easy for teachers, as they need to engage the students. Workshop round 1 Aim of the workshops was to share the experience gained at all levels and to highlight the successes, strengths and challenges of the relevant processes launched both at national and European level. The testing phase is over. Countries have defined their national approaches to ECVET. A growing number of VET mobilities are using (to some extent) ECVET principles and tools. We should ask ourselves whether the structure needs to be adjusted. The workshops have addressed the following questions: What are the most tangible results and impact of ECVET? What are the main lessons learnt? Based on this, what would be the development of ECVET to engage in priority? Some key lessons learnt: It s important to continuously pay attention to the bigger picture: why do we need a reform of VET? ECVET is more than just a technical method for writing and recognising LO s. It should be coherent with developments at national VET system levels. At some point you need a legal framework: without - there is less commitment. In countries without VET policy that supports mobility, and without resources, nothing will happen. Don t start to talk about ECVET, too quickly. Talk about the Principles of (units of) LO s. And show the benefits. Like developing flexible learning pathways and the need for people to have recognition for their skills an competences, also in terms of RPL. Give all partners a role and resources, find a way of working together (dialogue). A cook without tools cannot make a meal. There is a need for sharing (more) good examples regarding assessment abroad + quality assurance. Is ECVET also for increasing the quantity of mobility? The photos on the next pages capture some more workshop harvest.
Workshop 1, 1
Workshop 1, 2
Workshop 1, 3 SESSION 2: PREPARING THE FUTURE Aim was to provide a platform where all stakeholders could share best practice and develop effective cooperations leading to new projects and cooperation opportunities. Borhène Chakroun, UNESCO This key note speaker expanded the horizon of the participants by taking a global perspective on levels and recognition of learning. Mobility is globally important, so we put it in a more global perspective. 240 million economic migrants and growing skills- and talent gaps. OECD shows figures on mobility of jobs. Major trend is: growing use of sector recognised awards rather than national qualifications Categorising learning recognising it settings levels of learning. Definition of competences varies across countries. Regional qualification frameworks: Asian, South-African, Pacific, Central American. None of them is considering credit. Most of them are at early stages of development. They are softer than EQF and therefore more referencing. The convergence of NFIL is happening, however no real implementation or recognition. EQF is an advanced framework, but be aware that other regions move quickly, especially Asia.
For the quality assurance of online credentials most used are: test based credentials, open badges and online badges. A conceptual framework for qualifications follows three steps: 1. Categorizing learning, 2. Recognizing learning, 3. Setting the level of learning. Privacy is an important issue to take into account. Users group view Some remarks in the plenaire panel discussion: We should not try to harmonize all European systems, but try working in the clusters as suggested in the Cedefop study. Also stop the discussion on points and start the institutional discussion, this is done by using L.O. s in comparing the systems. Both ECVET and ECTS use L.O s, but in a different way and with a different meaning. The attractiveness of VET is lost in mobility to HE. How can we enhance the attractiveness of VET if we stop implementing ECVET in EQF 5 and 6? Please note that permeability is not only upwards in EQF levels, but also the other way around. We need a more integrated approach in VET and HE on national level. Use ECVET principles for national mobility and permeability. And involve all stakeholders. Need for a more inclusive approach. Forgotten VET fields are CVET and HVET. And don t forget the group with learning disabilities, keep them involved and focus on the whole range of the EQF. We have to ask ourselves the question, that is not been answered: Do we still want a European credit system for VET? Cumulation is more important than credit. And is ECVET still the solution? Is this not developed into a certain background? If you want the tool to create a European added value, than we should keep the points. A solution can be to divide holistic tools and sectoral tools. At national level we should look at holistic approaches and tools, whereas at European level a combination of both is desirable. Questions and answers session with the European Commission Europass will be revised, starting now and ready in 2015. It will be attuned to LO principles. In June 2015 EQAVET will be evaluated.
Workshop Preparing the future Free reflection, exchange and learning in a market place format. Presentations of some successful projects involving ECVET: - EUVET: portal for the transport sector on how to use ECVET and EQF - icare: Test method/assessment for the growing demand of assistant carehelpers in Italy. With the possibility to fix gaps in the prior learning of foremost migrant women. - KnowIn: qualifications for transport fleet managers. A matrix link for recognition of prior learning with self-training material and self-assessment. Main challenges in the projects and solutions: - To produce a product for a target group that is highly differentiated. Make the product differentiated too. - If you want to make clips, make sure you have clip-makers on board from the start. - If there are different interpretations of key definitions, try to find and keep in mind the common aim. - Recognition differs per country. - Hoe to make the results sustainable. - Making a glossary can be very helpful. - If there is a difference in the levels of a certain education, make one EQF level and connect this to divers NQF levels. - Different cultures in Recognition of prior learning can lead to clashes. Make the end product in the own languages. - Start with making the qualification, then follows curriculum of training program, not the other way around. - Dig in! Try to understand each other. - Use the first project meeting to erase misunderstandings in interpretation.
Day 2-31 October 2014 ENGAGING WITH THE FUTURE Discussions on future developments, both short term and long term. Operational-tactical and strategically. What might the future hold from the perspective of students, teachers, employers and government?
ECVET in 2-3 years, workshop harvest