Transcript Titre

Key issues for EU & EU member
States in developing
European/national qualification
frameworks and systems
(EQF/NQF/NQS)
Michel Aribaud
01 February 2011
The EU Knowledge economy in 2020:
Are we thinking enough ahead about the
knowledge, skills and competences that we will
need in ten years time?
•
77 million jobs created during the coming decenium, of which 70
million for replacement of existing jobs
•
10 milion less jobs than forecasted in 2006 as a consequence of
the present economic crisis in the EU
•
The need for higher educated employees will increase from 29%
now to 35%, with a negative effect on lower skilled jobs
•
But the need for people with intermediate skills will remain stable
at more or less 50% of the labour force
New Cedefop report 'Skills supply and demand in Europe: medium term forecast up to 2020'
The top ten of EU MS
questions: how to...?(1)
1 - Increase consistency, credibility and
relevance of qualifications
2 - Insure better transparency of
qualifications for individuals and employers
3 - Increase currency of single qualifications
4 - Enlarge the range of learning forms to
be recognised
5 – Put in place a national/external
reference point for qualifications standards
The top ten of EU MS
questions: how to...? (2)
6 - Clarify and facilitate learning pathways and
progression
7 - Increase portability of qualifications/partial
qualifications
8 - Design a platform for stakeholders for
cooperation and commitment
9 - Reach greater coherence of national reforms
policies
10 – Design a strong basis for international cooperation, understanding and comparison
Solutions?
• National/sectoral/… qualification
systems
• National Qualification
Frameworks
• Regional (European)
Qualification Frameworks
What is a qualification?
• “A formal outcome of an assessment
and validation process which is
obtained when a competent ody
determines that an individual has
achieved learning outcomes to given
standards”
EQF Recommendation - 2008
What else?
• An explicit reading code of:
- Individuals’ Knowledge, Skills and
Competences
- Individuals’ employability
(a currency on/for the labour market)
- Individuals’ position in a given societal
environment
- Individuals’ position in a given education
and training framework
What is a qualification
system?
•
A governing and monitoring structure (competent institution)
•
A practical organisition
•
A qualifications offer
•
A set of qualifications standards
•
Additional processes: units system, credit system, RPL device…
•
A set of processes and procedures regarding the
acquisition/award of qualifications:
- Processes for the assessment of learning achievements
- Procedures for the validation of achieved learning outcomes
- Recognition procedures
What is a National
qualification framework?
• An instrument for the development
and classification of qualifications (e.g.
at national or sectoral level) according
to a set of criteria (e.g. using
descriptors) applicable to specified
levels of learning outcomes.
Cedefop - 2008
What else?
• An instrument which aims to integrate
and coordinate national qualifications
subsystems and improve the
transparency, access, progression and
quality of qualifications in relation to
the labour market and civil society.
Cedefop - 2010
What is a regional
Qualification Framework?
Eg EQF
•
A « metaframework »
•
The EQF for lifelong learning is a common European reference
framework which enables European countries to link their
qualifications systems to one another.
•
It is a translation device making qualifications more readable and
understandable across different countries and systems in Europe.
•
It will help learners and workers wishing to move between EU
countries, change jobs or switch educational institutions.
•
The EQF aims to contribute to creating a European workforce that
is flexible and mobile.
What is the European
Qualification Framework?
The core of the framework: the 8 EQF levels
•
•
•
•
Relate system to system
Enable reference to all learning
Generic descriptors, not a blue print for NQFs
Indicate the learning outcomes (knowledge,
skills and competences) relevant to
qualifications at that level in any system of
qualifications
Country A
Country B
EQF Level 8
Q1
AQ
F
EQF Level 7
NQ
F
QC
EQF Level 6
Q2
Q3
AQ
F
AQ
F
EQF Level 5
NQ
F
QB
EQF Level 4
EQF Level 3
Q4
AQ
F
EQF Level 2
EQF Level 1
NQ
F
QA
Summary of some level EQF descriptors
level 1
basic general knowledge & skills
capacity to undertake simple tasks under direct supervision in structured
environment.
structured support needed for learning and development
not occupation specific and are often sought by those with no qualification.
level 3
broad general knowledge & specific practical & basic theoretical knowledge,
capacity to carry out tasks under direction
responsible for own learning but with limited experience of practice
level 5
broad theoretical & practical knowledge, relevant to a particular field of learning
or occupation.
capacity to apply knowledge and skill in developing strategic solutions to well
defined abstract and concrete problems.
able to learn independently with experience of operational interaction in work or
study including management of people and projects.
Qualifications and the Lifelong
learning paradigm
“Traditional” Routes to Qualification
Academic, school based learning context
“Traditional” Routes to Qualification
Academic, school based learning context
Qualification
Achieving Qualifications: a
‘LLL perspective’ for a ‘person
centred framework ’
KSC1 capital
Formal
Informal
Formal
On the job
1:
knowledge, skills, competences
“LLL” Routes to Qualification
Academic learning context
‘On the job’ learning context
All relevant life experience learning context
Or: Mixture of all the above learning context
“LLL” Routes to Qualification
Academic learning
context
‘On the job’
All relevant life experience
Assessment
& validation
of learning
outcomes
Qualification
Or: Mixture of all the above
“LLL” Routes to Qualification
Academic learning context
‘On the job’ learning context
All relevant life experience learning context
Qualification
Or: Mixture of all the above learning context
Functions in NQS: a
systemic approach
Governance
functions
Policy decision process
Monitoring the process
Design of qualifications
Conception
functions
Design of formal and non formal
programmes
Design of asessment and
validation procedures
Carrying out the programme
Implementation functions
Assesment of learning outcomes
Validation of learning outcomes
Certification of learning
outcomes
Support
functions:
Quality
assurance
- Information
- Guidance
- Documentaon
and
communication
The national contexts of
NQFs v. Q. Systems(1)
© Aribaud, adpated from Stackelberg
Qualifications
providers/
awarding B.
Learners/ «clients»
One type of
learners (e.g.
IVET learners)
Limited number
of types of
learners
One
qualification
provider/
awarding body
Some
qualification
providers/awar-ding bodies
Several
qualification
providers/awar-ding bodies
Bilateral
monopoly
Multilateral
monopsone
Absolute
monopsone
Multilateral
monopoly
Bilateral
oligopoly
Oligopsone
Oligopoly
Perfect
competition
All types of
Absolute
learners in a LLL monopoly
perspective
The national contexts of
NQFs v. Q. Systems (2)
Qualifications
providers/
awarding B.
One
qualification
provider/
awarding body
© Aribaud, adpated from Stackelberg
Some
Several
qualification
qualification
providers/awar- providers/awar-ding bodies
-ding bodies
One qualification
system (QS)
One competent
institution (CI)
Very limited
number of QS
Restricted number
of CI
Qualifications
« restricted
market »
with some QS & CI
Limited number One or several QS
One competent
of types of
institution
learners
Limited number of
QS
Very limited
number of CI
Qualifications
« semi-open
market » with
Numerous QS & CI
Several QS
All types of
learners in a LLL One competent
institution
perspective
Variety of QS
Limited number of
CI
Qualifications « open
market »
«Infinity»of QS
«Infinity»of CI
Learners/ «clients»
One type of
learners (e.g.
IVET learners)
Impact:
Role of the NQF
Quality assurance process
– Role of the NQF:
- Regulation oriented
or
- Transparency oriented
– Quality assurance process:
- Prescriptive
- Cooperative
- Self-regulated
NQF features for transparency,
coherence & consistency of
qualifications
1 – Structure of levels, based on learning
outcomes
2 – Set of learning outcomes descriptors
that refer to specific levels of K.S.C.
3 – Set of rules regarding how and by who
qualifications are designed*
4 – Set of rules regarding the
acquisition/award of qualifications**
NQF features for transparency,
coherence & consistency of
qualifications
– Set of rules regarding how and by who qualifications are
designed (Q.A.)
- Involvement of relevant stakeholders
(labour market and economic world, educ. World, …)
- Qualifications related to occupational standards
- Description based on learning outcomes
- Assessment and validation standards
– Set of rules regarding the acquisition/award of
qualifications (Q.A.)
- Assessment and validation processes, procedures and
operators
- Recognition procedures
The shift to learning outcomes
A well known definition:
«Learning outcomes are statements of what a learner knows,
understands or is able to do at the end of a learning process».
(Source: EQF Recommendation, 2008)
A common explanation
Learning Outcomes are an alternative way to define and design
education, training and qualifications. There is a shift from
learning inputs, such as duration, type of education, location,
programme, institution etc. to learning outcomes
Occupational standards as a basis for designing learning outcomes
The sectoral approach: from
occupational standards to LO and
qualifications standards
How are occupational standards going to be used?
 HR tool in companies
 Certifying skilled workers from abroad
 Developing training programmes
 National vocational qualifications
 Curricula for initial vocational education
 Assessment and certification
…
Sectoral approach:
from occupational standards to
learning outcomes and
qualifications standards (1)
•
•
•
•
•
Finding
OS are not only for learning
OS have been at the basis of outcome
based approach
OS reflect language world of work, cover
employment requirements, and
sometimes learning requirements and or
assessment requirements
OS are the product of a demand-led
approach
OS can reflect tasks, activities,
competences, that are job specific, job
role specific, occupation specific, sector
specific or training profile specific,
Consequence
•
OS need to be adapted for learning
•
OS need to be developed with
representatives from the world of
work
•
OS reflect different contexts and
develop when contexts change
Sectoral approach:
from occupational standards to
learning outcomes (2)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Finding
•
LO can be derived from OS
LO are meant for learning
•
LO need to use a language bridging
world of work and education,
•
LO cover learning requirements, and
often assessment requirements and/
or employment requirements
•
Switch to LO approach is work in
progress
LO can be expressed in different terms
(narrow or wide)
•
Consequence
Linking LO to OS ensures relevant LO
for Labour Market
But deriving LO from OS is often a
translation or interpretation process
Language of LO needs to be
understandable and meaningful for all
users
Existing LOs are a product of an
outcome based approach, but often
still contain input elements and may
therefore be difficult to compare
LO are also defined by their context,
including possible requirements for
progression or mobility
The dynamics of
qualifications: defining and
renewing occupational and
educational standards
http://cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/5195_en.pdf
Cross country study in 32 countries published
by Cedefop in 2009
Two common trends can be observed:
• more countries are introducing outcomebased standards;
• more countries are institutionalising the
participation of social partners in standardsetting procedures.
Solutions?
The Scottish Qualification Authority:
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/CCC_FirstPage.jsp
The Scottish framework:
http://www.scqf.org.uk/
The Irish qualification authority:
http://www.nqai.ie/index.html
The Irish framework:
http://www.nfq.ie/nfq/en/
Solutions?
The spanish qualification system:
http://www.educacion.es/educa/incual/ice_ncfp.html
The Spanish qualification authority:
http://www.educacion.es/educa/incual/ice_incual.html
or
http://www.educacion.es/educa/incual/ice_incual_ing.html
The UK qualification authority:
http://www.qcda.gov.uk/
The UK qualification framework:
http://www.qcda.gov.uk/
Solutions?
The French qualification authority:
http://www.cncp.gouv.fr/grand-public/presentationCNCP
The French National Qualifications Register:
http://www.cncp.gouv.fr/
The qualification database of French ministry of education:
http://www2.cndp.fr/secondaire/
The EQF:
www.ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learningpolicy/doc50_en.htm
ECVET projects
www.ecvet-projects.eu