Cover sheet Country: BELGIUM Sector: Level: EQF Level: 5 IT NQF Level: Institution (private/state): Name of the study program : Duration (in years/months): Credits IFAPME, Walloon Institute for Training in SME (public institution) Manager of IT networks one year no credits attributed up to now (should be 60 credits in the future) 1
1. State of play/ macro level Please provide a short résumé of the macro level grid (1/2-1 page), how could situation in your country be summarized concerning qualifications at Level 5 & &, what is the national context, (what is considered to be HE, how could the learning culture be characterized, etc. 1.1.Progress of the NQF in Belgium, especially in the French Community For the French Community of Belgium, the elaboration of the QF is in progress in a working group composed by experts of FOREM, Walloon Agency for Employment and Training, IFAPME, Walloon agency for training of SME, Consortium for Validation of competences and representative of secondary schools and higher education institutions. A firs important fact is the decision made up by the Minister of Higher Education, telling that the levels 6, 7 and 8 would only be reserved for B, M, D in high schools and universities (also B and M for Enseignement de Promotion Sociale). Consequently operators in professional training cannot position programs at those levels (except if they work in partnership with a HE institution, but this has to be confirmed and precised). THE QF in French Community of Belgium is in progress; it could be ready very quickly, in about 6 months, but there is no political agreement about that. In a few weeks there will be a new government in French Community and Walloon Region that will have to take attitude and make up a decision about the QF. As concerns the Flemish Community the QF is now ready and available. There is a main difference with the one of French Community: there are two progression paths at level 6,7 and 8 : one is academic (B,M,D) and one is professional (training programs of VDAB, Flemish Agency for Employment and Training, and of the Flemish Agency for Training of SME). Since there will be very probably two QF in Belgium, we can hope they won t be too different. The main difference at present is the one mentioned above, concerning levels 6, 7 and 8. 1.2. The actors At level 5 in French Speaking Community (FSC in the text) of Belgium there is only one Institution delivering certifications at that level: the Enseignement de promotion sociale (translation : education for social promotion). The Enseignement de promotion sociale (EPS in the text) offers training programmes at level 5 (Brevet d enseignement supérieur in 2 years= short cycle qualification) and level 6 (bachelor, 3 years). We can note that IFAPME, Walloon Agency for Training in SME, also proposes programmes at level 5 but in comparison with EPS it cannot deliver official degrees. If the student wants to get an official degree he will have to apply for validation at EPS. The main actors at level 6 are high schools (professional bachelors in 3 years) (83.000 students in 2006) and universities (transition bachelors in 3 years leading to the master programmes in 2 years) (67.000 students in 2006). Another type of actors are public institutions for professional training: FOREM, the Walloon agency for employment and training, IFAPME, the Walloon agency for training in SME. Those two actors are very active and present with training programmes for unemployed people, for executives in the firms, for the personnel of SME and for craftsmen. They deliver good quality training, adapted to the needs of the labour market; some of their programs are very long (one or two years) and look like 2
academic programs. But the students don t get any certification or diploma when completing those programs. They have to apply for validation at Enseignement de promotion sociale, or in a high school or in a university. There are some tensions between EPS and other actors in higher education, mainly high schools (more than universities): the high schools see EPS like a competitor for the bachelor at level 6 but also for the short cycle qualifications at level 5. High schools fear to lose part of their students that could be interested to begin at level 5 programmes then complete with a level 6 programme. In theory the bridges from level 5 in EPS to level 6 in a high school or an university are simple (one year more studies, two at university) but in practice there may be tensions because of competition between the institutions. 2. Short presentation of the institution and the selected program (please provide a short summary about the institution and the background of the selected program you are presenting (origin and history of the selected program, accreditation and building process,etc, core elements of the organisational structure (e-learning, specific modules in the evening, weekend, assessment procedures, etc..) I had the opportunity to meet Mr Jacques BOUNAMEAUX General Administrator of IFAPME (Institute for Training in SME) and one of his collaborators Mrs Annick MARCHESINI, pedagogical counselor. IFAPME asks for a level 5 for his programmes chef d entreprise (Entreprise supervisor) for a programme manager of IT networks. As explained in the January report, at level 5 in French Speaking Community (FSC in the text) of Belgium there is only one Institution delivering qualifications at that level: the Enseignement de promotion sociale (translation : Education for social promotion, EPS in the text).eps can give official certifications, degrees, from the French Speaking Community and this is very important for the students. IFAPME, the Walloon Institute for training in SME, proposes about the same programmes than Enseignement de Promotion Sociale, but gives only a professional certification, not an official degree. So there is a complex relation of cooperation/competition between the two institutions. A student who has a professional degree from IFAPME may apply for an official, a public degree at EPS, but there is a process of recognition: sometimes he will have to follow some additional courses; every time, he will have to pass an integrated exam at EPS to get the official degree. This integrated exam is a personal work the student has to propose showing that he (she) has acquired the competences of the qualification profile. IFAPME proposes training programmes for apprenticeship in about one hundred different jobs, training programmes of enterprise supervisor in about two hundred jobs and lifelong learning programmes for professionals in SME. 3
The programme manager of IT networks is a program of one full time year (generic name : diplome de chef d entreprise or degree of SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) manager ). This degree is recognized by public authority, the French Community of Belgium, and allows the learner to become head of a craftsman enterprise. But It s important to note that the degree, as said above, is not an official degree like the ones delivered by Enseignement de Promotion Sociale or High Schools or Universities. As concerns the organization of the programme, 480 hours of courses are proposed in two main fields : -IT activities and competences (networks, IT access and security, networks maintenance, management of IT projects) (320 hours). This technical field is divided in 7 modules; -Management activities and competences (financial, accounts, tax, commercial and legal aspects of IT activities and firms)(160 hours).this management field is divided in 10 modules. Every module is assessed by the trainers. To get the final degree the learner has to pass an integrated assessment: he has to present to a jury of professionals a global IT project with security, administration, maintenance and economical aspects. The program (50 potential candidates at present) will start in September 2009 in five places in Walloonia : Charleroi, Tournai, La Louvière, Dinant and Libramont. 3. Access regulations/ recognition of prior learning or prior experiential learning Please describe in full detail Who are the target groups for these programs (traditional students/adults) What access conditions exist (explaining regulations/procedures/agreements with other institutions, also for case by case practices, role of involved ministries, etc.) Standards for validation of prior/experiential learning The candidates to the program have to master some basic competences in IT, information safety, IT networks, management of projects, etc. The candidates may come from other basic programs in IT from IFAPME or from FOREM, the Walloon Agency for Employment and training. Other ones will have a degree from secondary schools with a specialization in IT, or a bachelor in IT from a high school. Some other candidates may apply for validation of prior or experiential learning if they have an experience in the field of IT networks. They have to propose, with the help of a counselor, a portfolio to a pedagogical counselor. If the candidate is accepted, he (she) will have to pass an admission test based on the competences of IT networks. So the validation has to be confirmed by a test. 4
4. Relationships with employers and institutions Please provide detailed information about contributions of companies in programs, equipment, finances participation of professionals in normal courses, together with academics university courses combined with periods in companies, apprenticeship The viewpoint of the employers regarding the described programs (e.g. how is the level of acceptance, attractiveness of the program/the graduates, preferences of certain levels, etc.) The demand of the labour market has been analysed through enquiries among professionals at work in the sector, also auditors of IFAPME, Walloon agency for development of IT (Agency Wallonne des telecommunications), Walloon agency for training and employment (FOREM). The job of manager of IT networks is recognized as a lacking competency ( métier en pénurie ) in Walloon Region. So public authorities want to stimulate training programs in that field, especially accelerated programs, that is the case for IFAPME program. A complete profile of competences, based on profiles of the French ROME and also sectoral profiles, has been developed in an e-it Committee with experts of IFAPME, Walloon agency for development of IT, FOREM, professional of IT firms, etc. All the trainers of this program are professionals in activity and so are part time trainers who get a pedagogical training from the IFAPME pedagogical counsellors. Periods of internships are also proposed to students by firms. 5. Current situation regarding learning outcomes (please describe to which extent and how the presented program is based upon the principals of learning outcomes, meaning the three descriptors of EQF (knowledge, skills and personal and professional competences) and/or how much the design of the program is representing the content based approach) The learning outcomes are very precisely described. Behavioural attitudes are described in relation with pedagogical situations of the programme : taking initiatives, being autonomous, efficient, precise, thinking methodically, communicating, managing other people, etc. The knowledge and skills to acquire are also very precisely defined, for instance : -installing network services; -administrating IT networks; -solving it problems with adequate methods; -evaluating the costs of a network; -managing an IT project, etc. The contents of each course of the training programme are also precisely defined. So we can say that LO and contents are clear and precise. This is a strong point of this programme. Here is also an analysis of the level of this programme in EQF. 5
Within the framework of the discussions about NQF in French Speaking Community of Belgium, EPS, IFAPME and secondary and high schools have created a common working group about the qualification levels of their training programmes. They tried to have a common agreement about the criteria to fix the levels of qualifications. These criteria are : -type of activity; -level of knowledge and skills; -level of autonomy -level of responsibility towards other people. At level 5 EPS and IFAPME had an agreement on the following criteria: -type of activity: the person has to deal with complex and non concrete situations. He has to be able to choose the appropriate methods to solve those complex problems; -specialized knowledge: also behavioural skills, ability to adapt to change and ability to deal with exceptional situations in the field of work; -level of autonomy: the person has to be able to adapt herself in non current, exceptional situations; -level of responsibility: to be able to supervise the activities and/ or other people in current and also exceptional situations. In comparison at level 4 of NQF, the type of activity is more simple and concrete, the level of knowledge is more oriented to technical know how, the autonomy is required in current but not exceptional situations and the level of responsibility is to supervise activities and/or people in current situations. There has been an agreement between IFAPME, Enseignement de Promotion Sociale and representatives of secondary schools and higher education institutions, to propose a level 5 for the training programme of IFAPME in the management of IT networks since this training programme fits to the criteria of complexity, abstraction, behavioural attitudes and dealing with non current situations of the level 5. 6. Links between the subsystems (vocational, general and higher education) Please describe Which kind of links and bridges exist between the different subsystems? Links and bridges existing with other qualifications for access to the programme and for continuity after completion of the programme Are these links and bridges negotiated? Are they only a form of recognition? Are these links and bridges included in a strategy or just happening? What are the obstacles (institutional, legal, pedagogical, cultural, and technical?) When a graduate of the programme manager of IT networks will ask for validation at Enseignement de Promotion Sociale (EPS), for instance for a bachelor in IT, this will be only based on a test and not on a portfolio. If the test is successful then the unit of training will be credited. If the graduate wants to get an official degree from EPS, he will have to pass an integrated exam, based on the global competencies o the degree of EPS he or she wants to get. 6
If a graduate of IFAPME applies for validation in a High School or in a university, the process will be the same: there will be a comparison of contents between the degrees, some assessment procedures (tets, etc.) will be imposed. So if the test is successful some units of training may be credited.(for instance management of projects, managing a team, managing quality, analysing the costs of a network in a programme in management of a High School or of a University). But finally the cooperation and the opening of mind of EPS, HS and Universities will depend on their perceptions: if those training operators think IFAPME may bring them a new public of students and mostly that it won t take them students that would have begun in the first year of bachelor, they will have a positive attitude and be very open to the students of IFAPME. In the opposite, if they perceive IFAPME as a competitor, their attitude may be more restrictive. 7. General reflexive section Please state What were the challenges in obtaining all necessary information for the case study? What are your prepositions and recommendations? What hasn t been said? Like in the case of EPS, we may say that competition versus cooperation between the operators (IFAPME, EPS, HS and Universities) is based on political questions (influence, market shares in terms of recruited students). We can also note that validation is a bit restrictive (portfolio followed by a test) for the entry in the programme. Another important remark: the ministers in charge of Higher Education (HS, Universities) and professional training (IFAPME, EPS) really want cooperate and try to take concrete measures to favour cooperation, but there are cultural barriers and some competition between field operators. For the future we may have a positive vision about the increase of cooperation between those operators. Thank you! 7