RPL in Norway and Europe A Work in Progress Hanne Christensen
Canada Norway fact file 33.5 mill people, 10 mill sq km >> 3.4 people per sq km 5 mill people, 385,000 sq km >> 13 people per sq km
RPL in Norway policy and legislation The Parliament asks the Government to establish a system that gives adults the right to document their nonformal and informal learning without having to undergo traditional forms of testing (1999)
Policy and legislation The Competence Reform 1999-2003 (social partners): To give adults more opportunity by putting NFIF competences on a more equal footing with formal competences through a national system for REALKOMPETANSE To secure the right to free primary and secondary education for adults Legislation: statutory right to (adapted) primary and secondary education, and to validation of non-formal and informal learning (towards national curricula) right to a trade certificate based on RPL (more than 5 years work experience). Formal education and training process not required, but the same final examination as apprentices, including both theoretical and practical elements. Adults (over 25) without a general college and university admissions certification can apply for enrolment in higher education on the basis of documented prior learning. Documentation of informal and non-formal learning may provide a basis for exemption of modules in the CAPLA study Workshop, programme 18.11.2013 (in HE).
Cultural/social background and traditions Historical reasons tradition for popular enlightenment in Scandinavia (Grundtvig) Learning as a democratic right Strong involvement from social partners «It s never too late» A response to national changes in demography A response to national and international policy visions of lifelong learning
Principles and purposes Shared principles in all sectors: Voluntary Beneficial Documentation owned by individual Transparent processes In line with European development Purposes: Career development // changing jobs // getting a job // admission into education // progression in education // personal development
RPL in education; administration Ministry of Education and Research Directorate for Primary and Secondary Education Municipalities (435) Counties (19) Compulsory School; primary, lower sec. Adult Education Upper Secondary Education incl. VET Universities and U.Colleges
Formal Education Higher education University Colleges and Universities Tertiary vocational education ½ - 2 years Bachelor Master PhD Upper secondary education General study programmes, 3 years Vocational training, 4 years (2+2) Primary and lower secondary school 10 years (age 6-16) obligatory
RPL in education Higher education University Colleges and Universities Tertiary vocational education Local curricula Local curricula Upper secondary education National curricula Academic study programmes, 3 years Vocational training, 4 years Primary and lower secondary school National curricula
RPL in education; national statistics Upper secondary education: (2010) 14 % RPL students Tertiary Vocational Education: (2011) 7 % RPL students Universities and University Colleges: (2010) 1.4 % RPL students (qualified, more than twice as many applied)
RPL in upper secondary education Education Act (2008): From the age of 25, adults without a secondary education have a statutory right to get their non-formal and informal learning validated and recognised towards national curricula.
RPL in upper secondary education 2013 (?) Guidelines underscore: The statutory rights of adults The responsibility of the county authorities, for access to and quality in RPL processes Recommmendation on training of assessors (but no requirements) Methods should reveal tacit knowledge Written documentation alone is not acceptable National curricula = criteria, but «equal, not identical competence» Documentation of results - equals «school results» The process should benefit the learner
RPL in upper secondary experience and effects A large number of people have profited from the system (80 % in VET) Individual success stories difficult to quantify long-term effects Certificates a key to employability and flexibility in the labour market Overwhelmingly positive response Development: RPL career guidance tailored training
RPL in Tertiary Vocational Education Since 2003: Enrolment based on upper secondary VET / or RPL Subject of national survey: How many were validated last year? How is RPL performed?
RPL in Tertiary Vocational Education 10 % RPL applicants (Appr 700 out of a total of 7319 applicants.) 94 % of RPL applicants were admitted. 57 % of the institutions have performed RPL - 43 % have not. Huge variation: One institution has close to 100 % RPL students, another has 2.6 % RPL students.
RPL in Universities and University Colleges; enrolment and exemption Since 2001: Admittance/enrolment for applicants who are 25 years or older without a general college and university admissions certification Exemption from parts of a study programme The procedures are decided locally ( all universities are autonomous institutions) National survey on exemptions: How many students are granted exemptions? How are exemptions performed?
RPL in universities and u. colleges; survey results on exemption Seldom used and low demand Little or no information to learners Uncertainty as to practice Uncertainty as to use of resources Lack of incentives
RPL in higher education; Guidelines Fritak for deler av universitets-/høyskolestudium på grunnlag av dokumentasjon av realkompetanse Veiledning Guidelines for admission in TVET Guidelines for exemptions in HE
RPL in the voluntary sector Approach: Holistic traditions Shared principles Weak regulation Progress: Competence mapping possible but not compulsory Organisations choose what to do Capacity issues. Sporadic use rather than an integrated practice
RPL in working life Approach: Shared principles Benefits also for employers: give value to work-place learning; internal motivation for LLL; overview of the skills of the employees; workforce mobility; strategic competence management; personal development (etc.) Status: The Basic Agreement 2010-2013, 16-4; Documentation of actual qualifications: It is important that the enterprise has a system for documenting the individual s experience, courses and practice related to the employment relationship. Documentation of competence is considered useful, but often not implemented Small companies struggle to implement competence development (time and money issues) Ministerial Working Group
RPL in Norway; challenges Attitudes and awareness Co-operation and involvement Different sectors Different levels of education Quality assurance Methods Training of RPL staff Structured and reliable documentation Better and more uniform procedures
The European Union (EU) 28 Member States 5 candidate countries (IS, ME, RS, MK, TR) 3 potential candidate countries (AL, BA, XK)
RPL in the EU Central documents: «Old» Guidelines (2009) 2012 Recommendations from the Council of the EU Revised Guidelines (in progress) The role of Cedefop (EU Agency)
The 2009 Guidelines The result of work in «Peer Learning Clusters» A practical tool, not a «policy framework» An influential document Principles: the common European principles on identifying and validating non-formal and informal learning, as adopted by the European Council in 2004
The 2009 Guidelines Principles Perspectives: European National Organisational Individual Process Methods Practitioners Checklists
The 2012 Recommendations By 2018, national arrangements should be in place, to: Provide opportunities for validation Give the opportunity to acquire a qualification on this basis The Commission should support the process by: Facilitating for peer learning and exchange of experience Reviewing the Guidelines regularly Reviewing the European Inventory regularly
The Recommendations; principles Arrangements should be linked to NQF Information, counselling and guidance should be available Target disadvantaged groups Transparent measures for quality assurance Professional development for staff Qualifications should comply with agreed standards (equivalence) Use of EU Tools Synergy with existing credit systems, ex ECTS, ECVET Involvement and participation of all relevant stakeholders
The Recommendations; the procedure These elements should be included Adaptation to individual needs
National example
Plans for further work The EU Guidelines - revision: Draft to go through a broad consultative process Revised Guidelines and Inventory; then peer learning activities The EU Inventory: New updated version next year «Observatory style»? Regular updates are planned
hanne.christensen@cedefop.europa.eu www.cedefop.europa.eu hanne.christensen@vox.no (2015 ) www.vox.no