Towards a European Qualifications Framework Relevance beyond Europe? Moscow 18 April 2006 Jens Bjornavold European centre for development of vocational training (Cedefop)

Points to be elaborated What is meant by qualifications frameworks - at national and international level? Prerequisites for qualifications frameworks: Learning outcomes, quality assurance, co-operation and co-ordination Question: do we need an international rather than a European qualifications framework……? An international positioning system for qualifications?

National qualifications frameworks To provide coordination between sub-systems of qualifications To establish national standards of knowledge, skills and competences To promote the quality of education and training provisions To promote access to learning, transfer of learning and progression in learning

European countries moving towards National Qualifications Frameworks 25 out of 32 countries responding to the EQF consultation signalling a move towards NQFs Focus on the need for national coordination Focus on the need for coherent quality assurance Focus on the need to build on learning outcomes

A METAFRAMEWORK for qualifications Make it possible for national frameworks of qualifications to relate to each other Make it possible to relate qualifications located in different frameworks to each other Develop mutual trust by defining common principles for quality assurance, credit transfer as well as guidance and information Transparency is necessary at national and international level – a metaframework facilitates this

Towards one European Qualifications Framework….. Cooperation in higher education; commitment (Bergen 2005) to a qualifications framework for higher education Cooperation in vocational education and training, request for common reference levels (Copenhagen 2002) Commission and Council have requested (2004, 2005) the creation of an overarching qualifications framework in Europe - EQF

Main functions of the EQF Neutral reference point Neutral reference point and a system for placing and positioning of qualifications Translation device Translation device for comparing qualifications

EQF Level 1 EQF Level 2 EQF Level 3 EQF Level 4 EQF Level 5 EQF Level 6 EQF Level 7 EQF Level 8 Country A Country B Q Q Q NQ F/ NQ S Q Q Q Q

Learning Outcomes, a prerequisite for an EQF Learning Outcomes Non-Formal Learning Formal Learning Informal Learning

Shift of focus in Education and Training INPUT BASED + duration + type + location + programme + institution OUTCOME BASED What an individual is expected to know or be able to do at the end of a learning experience Towards Transparency Comparability Quality Accountability

Quality assurance; a prerequisite for an EQF QA is necessary to ensure accountability and improvement of education and training QA policies and procedures should cover all levels of education and training systems QA should be an integral part of the internal management of education and training institutions QA should include regular evaluation of institutions or programmes by external monitoring bodies or agencies

Quality assurance ; a prerequisite for an EQF QA should give emphasis to outputs and learning outcomes. QA initiatives at national and regional level should be coordinated in order to ensure overview, coherence, synergy QA should be a cooperative process across levels, involving all relevant stakeholders, within countries and across Europe QA guidelines at European level may provide reference points for evaluations and peer- learning.

A mechanism for co-operation and coordination; a prerequisite for an EQF A need for mechanisms guiding co-operation between countries; supporting mutual trust Need for a national EQF body Need for a European EQF body Need strong technical and scientific support at European level supporting work at all levels

Do we need an international rather than a European qualifications framework? Do we need an “IQF”….? Is it possible to envisage an international focus on learning outcomes…? Is it possible to envisage international cooperation in the field of quality assurance...? Can the EQF inspire a broader international approach?