Transitions between qualifications at EQF levels 4 & 5 in Scotland: tales of RPL for access & exemption in the SCQF Cedefop Expert Workshop The role of credit transfer systems in opening access, admission, exemption between VET & HE 22-23 May 2014, Thessaloniki John Lewis Manager HE Progression / Frameworks / European Policy john.lewis@sqa.org.uk 0345-213 5547 00-44-141-282 6047
Points of clarification RPL to what am I referring? Access, admission & exemption What forms of learning does SCQF incorporate? VET & general education SCQF & the EQF what s included & what s not? What is really meant by seamless progression?
Background Scottish Credit & Qualifications Framework (SCQF) referenced to EQF in 2010 (along with QCF (England & Northern Ireland) & CQFW (Wales) EQF level 4 = SCQF level 6 EQF level 5 = SCQF levels 7 & 8 SCQF levels 7 = starting point of higher education (HE) SCQF Database 327+ qualifications at SCQF level 7 & 275+ qualifications at SCQF level 8
The UK Frameworks & the EQF See also: Qualifications can cross boundaries: A rough guide to comparing qualifications in the UK and Ireland (2011) http://www.scqf.org.uk/content/files/resources/qualifications%20can%20cr oss%20boundaries%202011%20blue%20final.pdf
Purposes of SCQF level 7 / 8 (EQF level 5) qualifications Access to employment Access to vocational / professional education Vocational / professional training / education Access to HE (with advanced entry?) HE (short-cycle HE), including through direct entry / articulation to Bachelors Cumulative HE And: End of senior phase of secondary education (for many)
Types of SCQF level 7 / 8 (EQF level 5 qualifications) SCQF level 7: Advanced Higher Scottish Baccalaureates Higher National Certificate (HNC) Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) (HEIs) Professional Development Awards (PDAs) Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) Modern Apprenticeships SCQF level 8: Higher National Diploma (HND) Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) (HEIs) Professional Development Awards (PDAs) Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) Modern Apprenticeships Technical Apprenticeships
HNC / HND is vocational and (SC)HE HNC/HNDs are advanced vocational qualifications in specialised areas Usually tertiary college based Cover the majority of occupations Aimed at middle management / technician level Can gain advanced entry onto a degree course c.25,000 candidates every year full & part time c.70-80% progress to, or are in, employment Need to be viable &/or serve a wider social / economic purpose Need to be fit-for-purpose meet the needs of employers, HEIs, learners, the economy Developed in partnership colleges, HEIs, employers, sectoral / industrial / professional bodies
RPL / Credit transfer Articulation from SCHE (in FE) & advanced level high school qualifications to Bachelors degree
Cumulative HE: from short-cycle HE to degree c.20-30% progress to degree study Students may go directly to an HEI or may do this at some other time lifelong learning HNCs should ideally articulate with 2 nd year of a Bachelors degree programme; HNDs with 3 rd year Articulation agreements vary depending on the HNC/D & the receiving HEI NB: SCQF is helpful to articulation common understanding of levels & credits; SCQF facilitates but does not regulate articulation
Example of credit transfer / RPL 1 Construction Management Articulation Year 22 Articulation Year 3 Skills National for 4 &/or Work National 5 Construction &/or Skills for Craft Work Construction SCQF Craft level4/5 (SCQF level 4/5) National Certificate Built Environment (SCQF level6 6) HNC Construction Management (SCQF level 7) HND Construction Management (SCQF level 8) 8 BSc Construction BSc Construction Management (SCQF Management level 9/10) SCQF level 9 - enter into SCQF level 8/9 Credit Transfer Credit Transfer School or College College 2 credit transfer points University 11
Example of credit transfer / RPL 2 Social Sciences Articulation Year 22 Articulation Year 3 Skills for National Work 4 Construction &/or National Craft 5 (SCQF SCQF level 4/5) level4/5 National Highers Certificate or SWAP Access Built to Environment HE* (SCQF level6 6) HNC Construction Social Management Sciences (SCQF level 7) 7 HND Construction Social Management Sciences (SCQF level 8) 8 BA/BSc BSc Social Sciences Construction (SCQF level 9/10) Management SCQF level 9 - enter into SCQF 8/9 Credit Transfer School School or 2 credit College University college (*college only) transfer points Credit Transfer *SWAP (Scottish Wider Access Programme) is for adult returners 12
Example of credit transfer / RPL 3 Hospitality & Tourism Academy Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, with City of Edinburgh College, East Lothian Council & local (& international) businesses Articulation Year 2 National 4 &/or National 5 (SCQF level 4/5) Highers & HNC* (SCQF level 6/7) - *attend college 1 day per week for 2 years in 5 th & 6 th year Highers & HNC* (SCQF level 6/7) - * attend college 1 day per week for 2 years in 5 th & 6 th year BA Hospitality & Tourism (SCQF level 9/10) -enter into SCQF 8 Credit Transfer School School & College University credit transfer point 13
Secondary education HE in the school classroom? Advanced Higher & Scottish Baccalaureates (SCQF level 7) Adv H Growing number of entries from 18,854 in 2008 to 21,593 in 2012 Intellectual challenges & deepening of higher order skills Bridge between classbased learning and independent learning required in HE Can work on own initiative with minimum supervision Analysis! Research! Critical and independent thinking! Mature approach to learning More self directed learning More learner autonomy
Example of credit transfer 4 Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) Advanced Higher Hub, with Glasgow City Council Articulation Year 2 National 5 (SCQF level 5) Highers (SCQF level 6) Advanced Highers (SCQF level 7) BA/BSc Degree (various) (SCQF level 9/10) - enter into SCQF 8 Credit Transfer School School & GCU credit transfer point University 15
Other RPL? Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) / Modern Apprenticeships into HE SVQ 3 & SVQ 4 (broadly EQF levels 4-6) Work-based (with or without college attendance) Exploration of SVQ for access to HE Exploration of SVQ for direct entry/articulation (exemption) into HE Edinburgh Napier University s BABEs (BA in Business Enterprise) Modern Apprenticeships can include HNC/Ds within their framework
Further considerations Examples are real & live, but not without complications: VET SCHE mainly progression into certain types of HEIs Why does exemption almost always have to be for a whole time period? Learners can t always be encouraged to take up exemption opportunities even where they do exist
Useful links & contacts visit the SQA website: www.sqa.org.uk visit the SCQF website: www.scqf.org.uk http://www.scqf.org.uk/news/latestnews/scqfhandbookuserguid e2009.aspx (SCQF Handbook: User Guide (2009) http://scqf.org.uk/content/files/rpl_toolkit_final_-_may_2010.pdf (Facilitating the Recognition of Prior Learning Toolkit, 2010) http://scqf.org.uk/content/files/europe/qfuk_joint_report_- _Updated_March_2010.pdf (Referencing the Qualifications Frameworks of the United Kingdom to the European Qualifications Framework, 2010)
Any questions?