1. European Learner Mobility Standardization Cleo Sgouropoulou email: csgouro@cs.ntua.gr

2. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 European Requirements The EU should become “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion”. The EU should become “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion”. The achievement of this ambitious goal involves “not only a radical transformation of the European economy, but also a challenging programme for the modernization of social welfare and education systems”. The achievement of this ambitious goal involves “not only a radical transformation of the European economy, but also a challenging programme for the modernization of social welfare and education systems”. European Council, Lisbon (Mar. 2000)

3. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 European Requirements Education and Training at European level involve Education and Training at European level involve the development of the European Higher Education Area (the “Bologna process”), the development of the European Higher Education Area (the “Bologna process”), the enhanced European co-operation in Vocational Education and Training (the “Copenhagen process”). the enhanced European co-operation in Vocational Education and Training (the “Copenhagen process”). The Commission has taken initiatives to establish synergies between both processes for the design of national frameworks of qualifications and an overarching European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for Lifelong Learning, taking into account the work done in the Bologna and Copenhagen context. The Commission has taken initiatives to establish synergies between both processes for the design of national frameworks of qualifications and an overarching European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for Lifelong Learning, taking into account the work done in the Bologna and Copenhagen context.

4. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 EQF aims EQF intend to: EQF intend to: Facilitate the comparability and compatibility of degrees and qualifications Facilitate the comparability and compatibility of degrees and qualifications Facilitate the recognition of degree, experimental, informal and non-formal learning Facilitate the recognition of degree, experimental, informal and non-formal learning Ease mobility Ease mobility Build the link between higher education and lifelong learning Build the link between higher education and lifelong learning Contribute in the improvement of the European cooperation with regards to quality assurance Contribute in the improvement of the European cooperation with regards to quality assurance Foster the social dimension Foster the social dimension Provide more transparency for the labour market and for learners Provide more transparency for the labour market and for learners

5. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 EQF Tools Tools for accomplishing EQF aims: Tools for accomplishing EQF aims: European Credit Transfer System European Credit Transfer System Europass: Single Framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences Europass: Single Framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences Europass-CV, a curriculum vitae structure for the presentation of an individual’s qualifications and competences Europass-CV, a curriculum vitae structure for the presentation of an individual’s qualifications and competences Europass-Mobility, which records periods of learning attended by its holders in countries other than their own Europass-Mobility, which records periods of learning attended by its holders in countries other than their own Europass-Diploma Supplement, providing information on its holder’s educational achievements at higher education level Europass-Diploma Supplement, providing information on its holder’s educational achievements at higher education level Europass-Language Portfolio, providing individuals with the opportunity to present their language skills. Europass-Language Portfolio, providing individuals with the opportunity to present their language skills. Europass-Certificate Supplement, describing the competences and qualifications corresponding to a vocational training certificate Europass-Certificate Supplement, describing the competences and qualifications corresponding to a vocational training certificate

6. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 Supporting IS The Europass framework and the related support services should rely upon a suitable information system, allowing to link in a coordinated way the completed documents and to make them available to their holders through the Internet The Europass framework and the related support services should rely upon a suitable information system, allowing to link in a coordinated way the completed documents and to make them available to their holders through the Internet The Europass information system is expected to facilitate submission and exchange of information among the interoperating parts, and shall be developed taking into account the opportunity of future developments, with particular reference to the integration of information services on job and learning opportunities The Europass information system is expected to facilitate submission and exchange of information among the interoperating parts, and shall be developed taking into account the opportunity of future developments, with particular reference to the integration of information services on job and learning opportunities Decision on Europass (Dec.2004) Decision on Europass (Dec.2004)

7. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 European Reqs revisited… Implementation of the 2006 Recommendation on Further European Cooperation in Quality Assurance will continue to be a major emphasis, as will the implementation of the European Qualifications Framework and strengthening its link to the Framework of Qualifications for the European Higher Education Area… The Lisbon Strategy and the Bologna process will continue to be the framework for the policy agenda for higher education… Implementation of the 2006 Recommendation on Further European Cooperation in Quality Assurance will continue to be a major emphasis, as will the implementation of the European Qualifications Framework and strengthening its link to the Framework of Qualifications for the European Higher Education Area… The Lisbon Strategy and the Bologna process will continue to be the framework for the policy agenda for higher education… Student and teaching staff mobility play a key role in establishing the European Higher Education Area. Student and teaching staff mobility play a key role in establishing the European Higher Education Area.

8. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 European Reqs revisited… Institutions participating in Erasmus are called upon to increase both student mobility for study and placement in order to achieve the target of 3 million Erasmus students by 2012, and increase teaching and other staff mobility. Institutions participating in Erasmus are called upon to increase both student mobility for study and placement in order to achieve the target of 3 million Erasmus students by 2012, and increase teaching and other staff mobility. Higher-education organisations are requested to ensure high quality in organising student and staff mobility. Higher-education organisations are requested to ensure high quality in organising student and staff mobility. Europass is a particularly useful instrument for developing transparency and recognition in order to aid mobility. Europass is a particularly useful instrument for developing transparency and recognition in order to aid mobility. European Quality Charter for Mobility (Dec.2006) European Quality Charter for Mobility (Dec.2006) EC DG Education and Culture – LLP Strategic Priorities (Dec.2008) EC DG Education and Culture – LLP Strategic Priorities (Dec.2008)

9. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 The way ahead… Lack of interoperable tools, impeding the recording and/or reuse of data in existing learning management systems for the production of electronic transparency documents and the exchange of information among interested parties Lack of interoperable tools, impeding the recording and/or reuse of data in existing learning management systems for the production of electronic transparency documents and the exchange of information among interested parties Need for development and consolidation of technical interoperability standards as the basis of supporting IS Need for development and consolidation of technical interoperability standards as the basis of supporting IS Harmonization is deemed necessary towards a European solution, in order to provide viable support for emerging European learner information systems and dissuade service providers from developing proprietary services and platforms. Harmonization is deemed necessary towards a European solution, in order to provide viable support for emerging European learner information systems and dissuade service providers from developing proprietary services and platforms.

10. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 Towards Implementation Use of Learning Technology Standards and Specifications for the creation of interoperability models of the transparency information schemata defined by the EU Use of Learning Technology Standards and Specifications for the creation of interoperability models of the transparency information schemata defined by the EU Existing standardization efforts mostly based on Learner Information and Learning Opportunities fields, oriented to Existing standardization efforts mostly based on Learner Information and Learning Opportunities fields, oriented to the production of information models capable of adequately describing learner characteristics and learning opportunities the provision of mechanisms for the exchange of information among diverse learning systems.

11. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 Towards implementation

12. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 Implementation efforts Europass-related initiatives based on IMS LIP Europass-related initiatives based on IMS LIP JISC & CETIS UK (2003-2004) have created UK Learner Profile including UK higher education transcript to IMS LIP UK Diploma Supplement LIP application profile PDP structures (later moved to IMS ePortfoliio) CEN/ISSS WSLT CWA 14926 (2004) - Guidelines for the production of learner information standards and specifications CWA 15455 (2005) - A European Model for Learner Competencies (also based on IEEE RDCEO)

13. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 Implementationefforts Europass-related initiatives based on IMS LIP Europass-related initiatives based on IMS LIP European Institute for E-Learning (EIfEL) has produced French DS LIP application profile TELCERT Technology Enhanced Learning: Conformance – European Requirements & Testing European Diploma Supplement Network

14. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 Example approach

15. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 Implementationefforts Europass-related initiatives based on Learning Opportunities specs Europass-related initiatives based on Learning Opportunities specs Course Description Metadata (CDM) Norwegian spec (2004) CDM-U (Norway) CDM-ECTS CDM-FR (France) CETIS eXchanging Course Related Information (XCRI) UK spec (2007-2008) XCRI-CAP-ECTS

16. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 Implementation efforts Europass-related emerging specifications Europass-related emerging specifications CEN/ISSS WSLT Metadata for Learning Opportunities (MLO) – Advertising (AD) (2008) CEDEFOP Europass (2008) EuropassCVLP Europass Mobility (draft) EuropassCV  HR-XML Digitary EDS Ireland (2008) CETIS HEAR UK DS (2008)

17. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 CEDEFOP’s Europass IS <europass:learnerinfo xmlns:europass="http://europass.cedefop.eu.int/Europass/ V0.2" 2006-06-19T09:36:11+03:00 V0.2 Automatically generated Europass CV.... CEDEFOP: Online creation of European CV and Language Portfolio http://europass.cedefop.eu.int

18. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 Interoperability specs

19. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 CEN ELM standardization activities CEN TC353 NWI on a European Learner Mobility Model and CEN WSLT project on Guidelines for a European Learner Mobility Model CEN TC353 NWI on a European Learner Mobility Model and CEN WSLT project on Guidelines for a European Learner Mobility Model Harmonization of approaches towards a European Europass model Harmonization of approaches towards a European Europass model Contribution to the consolidation and European-wide adoption of electronic transparency documents. Contribution to the consolidation and European-wide adoption of electronic transparency documents. Support of the development of information systems for the implementation of the Bologna process, at institutional, national and European levels. Support of the development of information systems for the implementation of the Bologna process, at institutional, national and European levels. Support of learner mobility and quality assurance in the European educational setting. Support of learner mobility and quality assurance in the European educational setting. Support of the wider availability of brokerage services across the EU. Support of the wider availability of brokerage services across the EU. Enabling of data consistency and facilitate data quality management. Enabling of data consistency and facilitate data quality management.

20. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 CEN ELM standardization activities Working plan and contribution Working plan and contribution Bring together individual experts, standardization bodies, Europass entities and implementers First focusing on DS and ECTS and processing CEDEFOP’s specs Examine existing approaches Gather identified needs and requirements e.g. CEDEFOP reqs for DS model The reuse of already specified elements should be promoted (e.g. Holder’s and Institution’s information from the Europass CV/LP and Mobility schemata). The names used as element tags should be semantically rich and easily convey the meaning of the information they include.

21. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 CEN ELM standardization activities e.g. CEDEFOP reqs for DS model (cntd.) Elements should be structured enough to allow the most and best validation of the content. The use of controlled vocabularies should be promoted where relevant. It is advisable to keep the schema as close as possible to existing commonly used specs in order to allow interoperability Define appropriate modelling strategy Produce European standards and guidelines

22. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 CEN ELM timelines CEN TC353 NWI on European Learner Mobility Model Draft for Enquiry to be produced by 21st May 2009

23. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 CEN ELM timelines CEN WSLT project on Guidelines for ELM Signed! To begin early 2009

24. RS3G Stuttgart 11 th December, 2008 CEN ELM collaboration European Learner Mobility wiki http://wiki.teria.no/confluence/display/EuropeanLearnerMobility/ European+Learner+Mobility

25. Thank you!