1. Validation: The Dutch Experience
Conference “Adapting to Changes in Society”
Tallinn, 27 May 2014
Drs. Amnon Owed
Policy advisor
Ministry of Education, Culture and Science

2. Adult Learning in the Netherlands (NL)
1,5 million people every year participate in post-initial learning (15,5% of population)
84% of adult learning takes place in the private sector
Turnover € 3,5 billion per year
10% of the Dutch population is functionally illiterate
NL has a developed system of recognition of non formal and informal learning (RPL)

3. The essence of RPL
“The belief and trust that people can also gain knowledge, skills en competences by other means than through school and that this is as worthy as learning through formal education.”

4. The value of RPL Employee (or unemployed): Increases motivation
Personal development
Professional identity and self-esteem
Increases value on the labor market (facilitates mobility to other jobs)
Can shorten duration of education programs nationally recognized qualifications
Employer:
Upgrading of employees
Flexibility of the workforce
Professionalization of HR cycle
Increased loyalty towards the organization
Renewed learning readiness
Increased motivation and productivity

5. RPL Step-by-step 0. Information and advice
Intake: Career counselling, personal aim, quick scan, choice of standard
Recognise: Collect work experience and other informal learning in a portfolio, prove it!
Validate: Portfolio, assessment, compare the outcomes to standard
Accreditation: Result of the RPL procedure is written in a rapport called ‘certificate of experience’

6. Characteristics of RPL in NL
National standards
Open market with independent RPL providers
RPL-result: ‘Certificate of Experience’
For labor market directly or towards education
Available for everyone

7. Implementation of RPL in NL (1)
1990s
RPL started without national regulations
Dutch Knowledge Centre on RPL
Growing practice in RPL, but also great diversity in procedures, instruments and quality
Social partners asked for structure and quality
2006
All national stakeholders (social partners, government and education) signed the covenant ‘A quality code for RPL’

8. Implementation of RPL in NL (2)
Government subsidizes RPL initiatives
20 million euro available for unemployed in response to economic crisis
Government takes responsibility for quality of RPL
Quality plan RPL + National Register
New covenant Dutch government & social partners
Reflection on current situation and transition to new system

9. Role of the government Dutch Knowledge Centre on RPL
Communication => link to television ad
Financial facilities and stimulus activities
National RPL-Register
Quality framework (with Quality Code at the core)

10. RPL Quality Code Quality criteria regarding: Aims Rights & information
Assessment instruments & criteria
Quality of counsellors & assessors
Internal quality assurance by RPL providers
Toolbox of supporting documents for involved partners, for example a format and writing guidelines for a “Certificate of Experience”

11. RPL Quality Assurance System
MINISTRY
ACCREDITOR
QUALITY CODE
REGISTER
REPORTS
PROVIDERS
EVALUATORS

12. Success factors and challenges
Successes
National agreement on Quality Code for RPL in 2006
Involvement of all stakeholders
Infrastructure for Lifelong Learning
Market-oriented product
Inclusion in collective labor contracts
Challenges
Transfer and acceptance of Certificates in education system
Quality and uniformity of external quality control
Flexibility of education & training

13. Recommendation on validation
The EU Council gave member states a recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning (20 December 2012), some of the key points are:
Have a system in place for the validation of non-formal and informal learning no later than 2018.
Include transparent quality assurance measures.
Ensure synergies with other (European) systems such as ECTS, ECVET and NQF/EQF.
Promote the involvement of relevant labor-market stakeholders.

14. Current developments in NL (1)
Paradigm shift from “transparency in learning outcomes” to “tools for employability and lifelong learning”
“Dutch Knowledge Centre on RPL” becomes “Partnership Lifelong Learning” which responsibilities related to the implementation/support on RPL, ECVET and NQF/EQF
Working together with social partners and several ministries towards a new dual system for validation. Planning:
2014: implementation plan
2014/2015: transition phase
2016: intended realization

15. Current developments in NL (2)
One system, two routes:
1. Validation for the labor market
Promote the use of a variety of instruments and standards
Promote integration in HRM policies & practices
2. Validation within the education system
Promote the use of validation instruments in order to get exemptions in the formal education system
Promote efficient, demand-driven, tailor-made learning pathways!

16. Thank you!
Questions?