The Refine Project Grethe Haugøy, Vox Frank Moe, SEVU, UiB

Refine REcognition of Formal, Informal and Non-formal Education ≈ Valuing Competence

International background Partly general trends, but especially EUs ambition to become the leading competence based economy by 2010, with special focus on Competence development etc (Lisbon process) Keyword:MOBILITY

Mobility In the working life Between working life and education Between countries Socially

Activities and processes ECTS Tuning Bologna-process Brügge-process Common Framework for Qualifications (Dublin descriptors, focus on Learning Outcomes)

Background Norway The Competence Reform The Realkompetanse project Act on Universities and Colleges The Quality Reform

Act on U & C § 37 Chapter 9. Student admission. The right to sit examinations. Exclusion from attending courses Section 37: Educational qualifications for entrance to higher education The general basis for admission as a student (the general entrance requirement) is successful completion of the Norwegian upper secondary school and fulfilment of the requirements regarding subject combinations and hours of study laid down by the Ministry. The Ministry may stipulate that other suitable education or combinations of education and work experience shall constitute a general basis for admission. The institution shall consider whether applicants hold qualifications corresponding to the stipulated entrance requirements. The institutions may grant applicants who are 25 years of age or older in the admission year admission to specific courses if they on the basis of their prior learning (formal and non-formal) are adequate for the course concerned. The Ministry may issue further provisions concerning documentation, procedures and any coordination.

Act on U & C § 49 Chapter 10. Learning environment. Degrees. Examinations. Section 49: Exemption from examinations or tests Exemption from an examination or test shall be granted when it has been shown that a corresponding examination or test has been taken at the same or another institution. Such exemption may also be granted on the basis of another suitable examination or test. Documentation of prior learning (formal and non-formal) may also provide a basis for exemption. The board decides whether the faculty concerned or a special body at the institution shall decide on exemptions. The Ministry may order the institutions to coordinate their practice.

Refine – Aims and objectives I The aims of this project are: to test the tools for a European methodological framework for the recognition of non-formal and informal learning; to foster trans-national and trans- sectoral collaboration; and to build understanding of and confidence in the practices and procedures involved. The objectives of the project are: To undertake concrete experiments and laboratory testing of a range of European tools – ECTS, the Euro CV, the European language portfolio, Europass, codes of practice and guidelines for practitioners, the European language portfolio, Computer Driving Licence, and some national tools -eg VAE dossier in France, code of practice in UK - for the recognition of non- formal and informal learning in Europe

Refine- Aims and objectives II To test the tools in a range of different institutional and organisational contexts: universities, vocational training schools at different levels, youth and third sector organisations, and employment; and in 12 countries To compare and evaluate the results of the tests and recommend modifications to the tools and/or variations for specific purposes and specific settings within the general framework.

Refine – Aims and objectives III To share the experience of the testing across sectors within countries, transnationally, and within sectors across Europe To create real and virtual meeting places of candidates, practitioners and managers The fulfilment of these objectives will address the fragmentation of expertise and experience, the low level of knowledge and the lack of confidence and trust between sectors identified in 2.1 above.

The Refine Norway project Part of the EUCEN Refine project Frank Moe (national coordinator), Grethe Haugøy (Vox) Project period: April 2004-January 2005 Final report available

Project objectives Gain insight into the practice of granting exemption from study modules in higher education based on documented informal and non-formal learning Test tools available for documenting such prior learning

Main findings A lack of procedures: None of the institutions taking part in the project had procedures or guidelines for dealing with exemption applications. A lack of tools: Existing tools for documenting non-formal and informal learning are not adapted to exemption use in higher education.

Other findings Institutions vary when assessing how many ECTS a student may seek exemption from – from max 18 to max 30 credits in a Bachelor degree There are different attitudes regarding whether obligatory modules may be exempted In general, practice may not be exempted, because practice with instruction is considered as of a higher quality than work experience

Methods 10 candidates were selected and posed as cases. These candidates were lab rats, not actual candidates with real applications All candidates had solid work experience and competence relevant to the fields of study The institutions reported orally or in written form to the project

Tools The ’Nordland’ tool (CV and Competence Card from the Work Life) was used by all candidates in Nordland county as well as one of the BI candidates. Main finding: This tool for documentation of prior learning is not directly relevant to the field of study Extensive CVs were used by the other candidates

Partners Nesna College (Nordland county) Bodø College (Nordland county) Narvik College (Nordland county) University of Bergen Norwegian College of Music BI Nordland county

Challenges Lack of actors taking responsibility for the right to exemption based on validation of informal and non- formal learning in higher education Lack of public information about the right to exemption Lack of guidelines on how to handle costs related to the treatment of exemption applications Ad-hoc procedures result in low legal protection for candidates Lack of relevant tools for documenting non-formal and informal learning

Other relevant work Report on mapping the results of validation of prior learning, Vibeke Oppheim and Håvard Helland, NIFU Project on exemption of studies based on validation of prior learning, Ellen Brandt, NIFU STEP Project on reconstructing formal education in refugees, NOKUT 2004.

Topics for discussion What kind of documentation tool is relevant for higher education purposes? What are the attitudes towards a national project developing procedures for exemption? Is it possible to imagine a way of observing work practice in order to document relevant training/practice? Who ought to pay for the costs of dealing with exemption applications?