EQF NETWORK TESTING. Chapter 3. Reflections about the implementation of NQF s. Jean-Pierre Malarme Conseil de l Education et de la Formation Belgium

Reflections about the implementation of NQF s Chapter 3 Jean-Pierre Malarme Conseil de l Education et de la Formation Belgium

Analysis of national qualification systems and of the existing or in building frameworks Analysis of national qualifications systems processes: obstacles and opportunities Methods for referencing NQF s to the EQF levels Overall conclusion

1. Analysis of national qualification systems and of the existing or in building frameworks A national qualification system, which can function to integrate various subsystems, tends to exists as a precursor to development of a national qualifications framework. All aspects of a Member States activity related to the recognition of learning and other mechanisms that link education and training to the labour market and civil society. This includes the development and implementation of institutional arrangements and processes relating to quality assurance, assessment and the award of qualifications. A national qualifications system may be composed of several subsystems and may include a national qualifications framework.

1. Analysis of national qualification systems and of the existing or in building frameworks A national qualification system, which can function to integrate various subsystems, tends to exists as a precursor to development of a national qualifications framework. an instrument for the classification of qualifications according to a set of criteria for specified levels of learning achieved. This aims to integrate and coordinate national qualifications subsystems and improve the transparency, access, progression and quality of qualifications in relation to the labour market and civil society

1. Analysis of national qualification systems and of the existing or in building frameworks The implementation of a NQF is not only a technical exercise in defining criteria for the linking to the levels of a framework. It is also often challenging for the existing qualification systems. The linking of qualifications to a framework of levels may inadvertently challenge existing implicit classifications of qualifications and may create changes perceived as challenges for the competent authorities of the different subsystems.

1. Analysis of national qualification systems and of the existing or in building frameworks The status of each country with regard to national qualifications frameworks was found to vary enormously by: the type of framework; the subsystems of a national qualifications system. A common trend has been observed: with the exceptions of the Scottish and the Welsh frameworks, which both integrate academic qualifications, frameworks are developing principally in VET and HE VET fields, and are generally experiencing difficulty in including academic qualifications.

1. Analysis of national qualification systems and of the existing or in building frameworks The aims of a NQF are not shared in the same way across all subsystems. In fact, in all countries, the drive to develop a framework is most strongly encountered in the field of VET and HE VET. The academic field does often not share the wider aims of a NQF. For the academic subsystem, the goal of transparency and mobility is often restricted to the European field of HE, according to the Bologna process.

1. Analysis of national qualification systems and of the existing or in building frameworks The implementation of a NQF may therefore experience resistance from subsystems which can take time to overcome. The success of the implementation of a national framework can often depend on the political intention shared by the competent authorities of the subsystems and therefore it is important that the aims of the framework are shared by the subsystems in order to ensure transparency of qualifications.

2. Analysis of national qualifications systems processes: obstacles and opportunities The grid representing the framework of levels is only one of the components which constitute the EQF. Developing transparency and mobility is a key aim of the EQF as outlined in the Recommendation, however these will only be realised by enabling and improving mutual trust.

2. Analysis of national qualifications systems processes: obstacles and opportunities This mutual trust implies the following: having a shared methodology to describe qualifications (independent of the learning pathway): a shift to learning outcomes a transparent methodology for the linking of the levels of national qualifications frameworks to the levels of the EQF This section addresses whether the descriptions of qualifications in the various national subsystems create opportunities or obstacles when implementing a NQF.

2. Analysis of national qualifications systems processes: obstacles and opportunities Results: Within VET professionals such as employers, employees, social partners and sometimes users are involved in the process of qualification development. For HE and in particular for academic qualifications, professionals are less often, and in some cases not at all involved in qualification development.

2. Analysis of national qualifications systems processes: obstacles and opportunities Results: For VET, most of the qualifications in most of the countries are described in relation to the profession. For general and academic qualifications, the description of the qualifications seems more strongly linked to the learning process and expressed more in terms of curricula then in terms of learning outcomes.

2. Analysis of national qualifications systems processes: obstacles and opportunities The implicit currency of qualifications varies between subsystems: for VET, the involvement of the professionals ensures the legitimacy with the labour market; for HE, the currency is linked to the reputation of the diplomas (and to their legal or negotiated effects), this currency is more social. However, the development of a NQF introduces a new currency, based on a common methodology for describing qualifications using generic descriptors across the different subsystems.

2. Analysis of national qualifications systems processes: obstacles and opportunities The implicit currency of qualifications varies between subsystems: for VET, the involvement of the professionals ensures the legitimacy with the labour market; for HE, the currency is linked to the reputation of the diplomas (and to their legal or negotiated effects), this currency is more social. This could be an obstacle in the implementation of a NQF since subsystems could be reluctant to development a NQF because they fear they might lose part of the currency of their qualifications.

2. Analysis of national qualifications systems processes: obstacles and opportunities The implicit currency of qualifications varies between subsystems: for VET, the involvement of the professionals ensures the legitimacy with the labour market; for HE, the currency is linked to the reputation of the diplomas (and to their legal or negotiated effects), this currency is more social. However, it could also be an opportunity: the implementation of a NQF could be a driver for change in the way that qualifications are described. These adjustments would also improve the wider quality of the qualifications system, ensuring greater coherence for the end user.

3. Methods for referencing NQF s to the EQF levels EQF There are three possible ways of referencing: when a national framework exist, from national framework to national framework 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Qualifications

3. Methods for referencing NQF s to the EQF levels 1 2 EQF 1 2 Where a framework exists, the referencing method will take the form of a framework to framework approach, however this may not be technically straightforward. The methodology will have to provide a way to refer national frameworks to the EQF using different sets of descriptors and in some cases a different number of levels to the EQF. 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 Qualifications

3. Methods for referencing NQF s to the EQF levels EQF 1 2 3 There are three possible ways of referencing: when a national framework exist, from national framework to national framework by blocs : linking to EQF levels according to the existent system of making explicit levels of qualifications 4 5 6 7 8 Qualifications

3. Methods for referencing NQF s to the EQF levels EQF 1 2 3 4 5 Referencing by blocs has the advantage of allowing a fairly quick referencing to the EQF without much change to existing systems of levels in the countries. However, basing the referencing purely on a level to level match does not address the wider goals of transparency and mobility of the EQF. This is because some existing levels are currently based on other criteria such as duration of training which are not independent of the process of learning and in contradiction with the learning outcomes approach. 6 7 8 Qualifications

3. Methods for referencing NQF s to the EQF levels EQF 1 2 3 Therefore referencing by blocs can only been seen at this stage as a transitory step. If however referencing in this way is accompanied by improved descriptions of qualifications based on learning outcomes as well as robust and clearly defined quality assurance procedures, there is a greater chance that the referencing can be accepted as defensible leading to mutual trust. 4 5 6 7 8 Qualifications

3. Methods for referencing NQF s to the EQF levels EQF 1 2 3 4 It has been observed that there are three possible ways of referencing: when a national framework exist, from national framework to national framework by blocs : linking to EQF levels according to the existent system of making explicit levels of qualifications qualification by qualification 5 6 7 8 Qualifications

3. Methods for referencing NQF s to the EQF levels EQF 1 2 3 The approach of qualification by qualification appears to be suggested in the case of when the national system is not formally structured. The notion of a transitory step can also be applied to the qualification by qualification approach because the existing material is not yet completely expressed in terms of learning outcomes. 4 5 6 7 8 Qualifications

3. Methods for referencing NQF s to the EQF levels The analysis finds that in all countries the referencing of HE education to the EQF will be realised according to equivalence with the three Bologna cycles. For VET, it seems that the referencing will be based on existing descriptors or on a learning outcomes approach to describe qualifications. If a referencing by blocs is adopted, a process to verify the robustness of the referencing is intended.

4. Overall conclusion The existing national systems of qualifications, including sub-systems, have an important influence on the development of a NQF. As well as being potential obstacles to referencing to the EQF, the differences between sub-systems could be obstacles to developing an integrative national framework. Developing national frameworks may lead to changes in the national systems by introducing a new currency of qualifications, based on the outcomes of learning rather than the inputs of learning. This can in turn lead to resistance on the part of those involved in qualifications development and delivery.

4. Overall conclusion In order to avoid resistance, it will be important to take account of the specificities of each national system and to proceed gradually, perhaps even going trough a transitory phase. If however referencing in this way is accompanied by improved descriptions of qualifications based on learning outcomes as well as robust and clearly defined quality assurance procedures, there is a greater chance that the referencing can be accepted as defensible leading to mutual trust.

4. Overall conclusion National coordination point In light of these difficulties and obstacles it will be necessary to share, at the higher political level, the aims of transparency and mobility of a national framework. The development of a national coordination point may be an instrument for this. Dissemination tools for education and training providers to explain the aims, objectives and uses of a national framework and to help them develop the technical features necessary to develop a framework will also be of great importance.