EQF – det europeiska och globala perspektivet på referensramar för

kvalifikationer

Västerås 11 November 2015

Jens Bjornavold,

Cedefop

Qualifications Frameworks ‐ a global surge

• NQFs in Europe – from 3 to 40+ countries in one decade• A global phenomenon; 150+ countries have developed/are

developing qualifications frameworks in 2015, mostly after 2005• Regional qualifications frameworks - like he EQF – are now

developing in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific Region and the Caribbean

• UNESCO has started work towards global reference levels for qualifications

Are these frameworks making a difference to education and employment policies and practises?

Will they make a difference to citizens?

Have they come to stay?

The European Qualifications Framework –achievements and challenges

The European Qualifications Framework

EQF has been an important catalyst for NQF developments, inside and outside Europe, promoting three key principles:

• Learning outcomes based levels • Insisting on a comprehensive approach, covering all types

and levels of qualifications• Insisting on the need to involve stakeholders outside the

traditional education sectorThe EQF has been successful because it is based on voluntary cooperation and shared objectives – transparency and comparability

The European Qualifications Framework

• EQF cooperation now includes 38 European countries• We expect 28 countries to have linked their national frameworks

to the EQF by end 2015; • Sweden will become the 29th early 2016• 11 countries are now indicating EQF levels in their national

certificates and diploma – making these levels visible to learners and employers

• The EQF is working on technical cooperation agreements with Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong qualifications frameworks

The European Qualifications Framework –challenges ahead

• The first stage of EQF implementation is soon over, majority of countries will finalise the initial referencing by 2016

• Need to move into a continuous process where countries regularly update their referencing to the EQF – need to strengthen mutual trust

• A need to make the EQF levels visible to end-users - learners, parents, employers

• Need to find a solution as regards international and sector qualifications and how they can be consistently covered and by the EQF

National Qualifications Framework in Europe – achievements and

challenges

NQFs in Europe – overall situation November 2015

In the 38 countries working towards the EQF, NQF developments can be summarised as follows:• 34  countries work towards comprehensive NQFS covering all types 

and levels of qualifications• 32 countries operate with 8‐level frameworks• 30 NQFs have been formally adopted (by Law or Decree)• 20 have reached operational stage

• 13 early operational stage• 7 full operational stage

• The 3 pre‐2005 NQFs (France, Ireland and the UK) are undergoing substantial review and adjustment

NQFs in Europe – common characteristics

• There is a broad agreement on the architecture of the NQFs –the majority having 8 levels referring to knowledge, skills and competence.

• Comprehensive NQFs dominate (in 34 out 38 countries) and addresses all qualifications in all sectors.

• Most NQFs can be described as having limited regulatory functions; their initial focus is mostly on communication and transparency

• Most NQFs seek to include a broad group of stakeholders and use the framework as a platform for dialogue

NQFs in Europe – Impact?

Tension between countries as regards the future role of NQFs at national level. Two main positions:

– NQFs are there to better describe existing systems (Transparency)

– NQFs should become a tool for modernising education and training systems (Reform)

As NQFs have become operational they tend to take on a mix of these roles; in many cases triggering and promoting reform

I will discuss 6 areas where NQFs now are making a difference:

1. NQFs and the shift to learning outcomes

• Cedefop studies in 2009 and 2015 demonstrates a major shift to learning outcomes in all European countries

• The NQFs are the single most important factor contributing to this shift – in many countries enabling a consistent national approach

• The long term effect of this shift to learning outcomes is important

– For education and training as qualifications standards, curricula, assessment forms and teaching methods are influenced

– For the dialogue education-training and the labour market as the learning outcomes can be seen as a common language

2. NQFs and stakeholder involvement

• During the development and implementation stages of NQFs we have observed the inclusion of a broad group of stakeholders –notably involving labour market and private stakeholders

• NQFs can become platforms for dialogue and communication between different stakeholders, notably education and training and the labour market

• Depends on the willingness to open to qualifications outside the formal (public)systems

• A key question if this new dialogue can be sustained when the NQFs becomes operational?

3. NQFs and institutional reform

• NQFs have in some countries led to the establishment of new bodies and/or mergers of existing institutions.

• The challenge is to integrate the NQF-tool into overall education, training and employment policies – isolated NQFs will not be able to do their job

• The new Irish Qualification and Quality Authority (QQI) exemplifies institutional reform, the new body is set up in line with the NQF and covers all types and levels of qualifications

4. NQFs opening up towards the private sector and ‘non‐formal’ qualifications

• The majority of NQFs have so far limited themselves to the qualifications covered by the formal (public) education and training system

• In the last 2-4 years increasing attention to this area, notably influenced by the Netherlands and (now) Sweden

• On a longer term basis an area where NQFs can make a difference - facilitate lifelong learning

• Progress in this area important for the involvement and commitment of stakeholders outside the traditional education andtraining

5. NQFs – the review and renewal of qualifications

• The comprehensive NQF makes it possible to identify weak points in the national qualification system (as some countries have done for level 5).

• Challenges traditional perceptions of what is meant by ‘higher education’ and what is meant by vocational education and training.

• The learning outcomes based level of the NQF is increasingly used as a reference (‘calibration’) point for qualification developments, allowing stakeholders to – Pitch according to the relevant level– Cover and balance the different learning domains

(knowledge, skills and competence)

6. NQFs – Validation of non‐formal and informal learning

• NQFs and validation are linked through their mutual dependency on learning outcomes

• NQFs promote the independence of qualifications from programmes and delivery modes – paving the way for validation

• The NQFs makes it clear that validation can be a normal way to achieve a qualification; as a parallel and/or alternative to following traditional courses

WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED?

- Are these frameworks making a difference to education and employment policies and practises?

Yes……

- Are they make a difference to citizens?

To a limited extent….

- Have they come to stay?

The jury is still out….

THE IMPACT OF QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS…..

As NQFs become operational their impact is becoming more visible but differs very much from country to country

The international impact of qualifications frameworks – including the regional ones - is important and visible – may point to a next generation of recognition practises

THE VISIBILITY OF NQFs

NQFs are still not visible to end-users -learners, parents, employers and teachers

The slow pace in introducing NQF and EQF levels to certificates prevents the qualifications frameworks from fulfilling their guidance and transparency role

Scotland examplifies how it can be done!

THE SUSTAINABILITY OF NQFs

European NQFs have now reached a dangerous stage – moving from design and implementation to an operational stage,

NQF developments requires a continuous process and has no end, only review, revision and improvement 

Sweden……….+ Broad stakeholder involvement+ High visibility+ Strong formal basis+ Comprehensive approach, going beyond the traditional, formal system

? Is there commitment from all sectors education and training system to the NQF? Is the quality assurance approach strong enough for everybody to trust the  inclusion of private and non‐formal qualifications? ? Is there commitment from national authorities to turn the NQF into a permanent feature of the Swedish education, training and employment landscape?