1. EQF Referencing - Process and Report Some considerations
Karin Luomi-Messerer 3s
Prague
11 March 2011

2. EQF referencing report
Purpose
Presentation of the result of the referencing process: linking national qualifications levels to the EQF levels – required to use the EQF as translation device
Other purposes? e.g. reflecting own system, preparing reforms
Target group
EQF Advisory Group, qualifications / qualifications frameworks, referencing experts, national stakeholders...?
Context:
To implement the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), countries are asked to link their qualifications systems or national qualifications frameworks (NQF) to the EQF: National qualifications systems should be referred to the EQF until 2010 and references to the EQF levels should be introduced in all new certificates and Europass documents by 2012.
According to common agreement, the national EQF referencing processes must use transparent procedures and methods. The EQF Advisory Group has decided on criteria and procedures that should be considered for the referencing of national qualifications levels to the EQF. The referencing criteria aim to ensure that the referencing processes and results can be compared and generate trust. Therefore, the referencing processes need to be transparently conducted and documented: countries need to refer their qualifications systems and levels to the EQF in a demonstrable, explicit and defensible way. Those not familiar with a country's qualifications should be able to judge the information provided as valid or not. However, each country’s qualifications authorities must choose the modality of linking their qualifications levels to the EQF. To establish mutual trust in the referencing process, EU countries need to discuss and exchange experiences.
Funding:
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission and the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture (bm:ukk) .
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3. EQF referencing report
Transparency
Explanation of decisions, description of procedures and methodology applied
Evidence
To justify the decisions - to enhance transparency and credibility
Trust
Also addressing challenges and possible conflicts in the referencing process
Context:
To implement the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), countries are asked to link their qualifications systems or national qualifications frameworks (NQF) to the EQF: National qualifications systems should be referred to the EQF until 2010 and references to the EQF levels should be introduced in all new certificates and Europass documents by 2012.
According to common agreement, the national EQF referencing processes must use transparent procedures and methods. The EQF Advisory Group has decided on criteria and procedures that should be considered for the referencing of national qualifications levels to the EQF. The referencing criteria aim to ensure that the referencing processes and results can be compared and generate trust. Therefore, the referencing processes need to be transparently conducted and documented: countries need to refer their qualifications systems and levels to the EQF in a demonstrable, explicit and defensible way. Those not familiar with a country's qualifications should be able to judge the information provided as valid or not. However, each country’s qualifications authorities must choose the modality of linking their qualifications levels to the EQF. To establish mutual trust in the referencing process, EU countries need to discuss and exchange experiences.
Funding:
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission and the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture (bm:ukk) .
3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH, 3

4. Criterion 2
There is a clear and demonstrable link between the qualifications levels in the national qualifications framework or system and the level descriptors of the European Qualifications Framework.
Some of these criteria play an essential role: for example, the criterion related to the correspondence between the levels of the NQF and the eight levels of the EQF (Criterion 2).
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5. Criterion 4
The procedures for inclusion of qualifications in the national qualifications framework or for describing the place of qualifications in the national qualification system are transparent.
Of particular importance when NQF also has 8 levels!
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6. ”Best fit” principle Approaches
___Technical analysis: textual/linguistic comparison of descriptors
___Social approach: how are qualifications regarded in a country – current practice in relation to implicit levels; stakeholder consensus/consultation; empirical research, analyses
How to conceptualize “best fit” and balance these different approaches in case of different outcomes?
Evidence/reason for decision has to be made explicit – transparency!
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7. ”Best fit” principle - challenges
Learning outcomes
(How) are qualifications classified that currently are only partly oriented towards learning outcomes (see also Criterion 3)?
Differences between descriptions and reality?
Types of qualifications
Are qualifications of the same types allocated to the same levels?
“Best fit” principle – common understanding?
Levels have to be understood as corridors and not as exact lines. Qualifications might include learning outcomes from different levels –the “centre of gravity” has to be identified.
Different dimensions of learning outcomes may be emphasized in qualifications placed at the same level.
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8. Evidence Empirical evidence/indicators Values
Of particular relevance when LO descriptions are not available or the existing documents are not sufficient.
What kind of information is relevant and can be accepted (“valid evidence”)? (For example, statistical information on status of qualification holders on the labour market or income of holders of a qualification?)
Values
Kind of evidence used in the classification process reflects implicit or explicit values connected with the classification of qualifications.
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9. Thank you very much for your attention!
Contact:
Karin Luomi-Messerer
3s Wiedner Hauptstraße 18
1040 Vienna
Austria
3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH,