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Peer Learning Activity
Supporting adults into work by
using EQF, ECVET and validation of
non-formal and informal learning
The Hague, 21 May 2014
Swedish Governance Model
A highly decentralised education system
• Goal- and result-oriented steering system (learning outcomes)
Parliament and Government have the overall responsibility for
education
• Set the framework and national goals (Education Act, Curricula, Syllabi
etc.)
Municipalities have overall responsibility for educational activities
within the school system. (mainly financed through municipal taxes)
• Local level: considerable freedom to determine how activities should be
implemented in order to achieve the nationally established goals
Central and local authorities are, together with the different organisers,
responsible for ensuring that activities are implemented in line with the
legislative framework and national goals.
• Central authorities monitor, evaluate and supervise activities at local level,
which must systematically follow up and evaluate their own activities
Question 1
Current status on the developments of the
EQF, ECVET and validation of non-formal
and informal learning
Current status SE NQF
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Sweden plan to adopt the NQF
Implementation in two steps (within/outside)
Ordinance for the NQF
Possible government decision autumn 2014
Presentation is based on a Proposal!
(National Agency for Higher Vocational
Education)
NQF: Swedish Proposal
• Swedish Proposal: 8 levels
• The Swedish NQF should be as near
Europe as possible.
• Broad descriptors : Government mission
2009 stated that qualifications within/
outside formal education system should be
included in the NQF
• Open to qualifications from all types of
learning at all levels
• Should be reviewed at regular intervals
• Website: www.seqf.se (in Swedish only)
SE NQF Proposal
• Swedish Proposal: Academic, as well as
non-academic qualifications should be
referred to all levels
• 2011 Government mission on how
qualifications within/outside the edu. system
can be linked to the NQF, including quality
criteria
• Designed so as to facilitate the professional
development that is constantly going on in
education, and working life.
Proposal for the Swedish NQF
• The qualifications described in levels 1-3 can be summarized
with the concepts of basic and elementary knowledge of a
growing and deepening in the descriptor skills with increasing
capacity for autonomy, accountability and evaluation of own and
others' results.
• Levels 4-6 are characterized by greater depth and
specialization, developed critical thinking and ability to lead.
• The qualifications described in levels 7 and 8 can best be
summarized by the concept of excellence. Such qualifications
are characterized by a very advanced knowledge in a work or
study, a very highly developed ability to complete tasks and
solve problems of various kinds and in varying environments and
a very highly developed ability to act with responsibility and
autonomy, make decisions, communicate and lead.
Proposal: Quality criteria
Qualifications outside the formal edu. system:
• To join the NQF, some national criteria must be
fulfilled
• Qualification must be clearly expressed in terms
of learning outcomes referring to the
appropriate NQF-level.
• The provider must furthermore describe how to
arrive at the expected learning outcomes as well
as how the acquired outcomes can be assessed.
• Organisation or body must be “recognised”
within the activity-area addressed by the
qualification (“owner of the qualification”)
Proposal: Systematic quality assurance
• Learning outcome must have national
legitimacy and relevance within its
activity-area
• Both the learning outcomes and the
means whereby these are to be reached
must be the subject to quality assurance.
• When applying for inclusion into the SE
NQF, providers must clarify how these
arrangements are to be operated.
• The qualification should be designed so
as to allow for validation (full/partial)
ECVET: Development in Sweden
• Awaiting formal decision on the NQF
• ECVET National Contact Point: Skolverket
• ECVET expert team – three government
agencies, and organisations which have
used ECVET
• Legal framework and promotion of ECVET
• Conversion of Swedish credits to ECVETcredits
• NA-cooperation within the Swedish NRP
Do the instruments contribute to flexible and
modular education and training/credit system?
• Swedish system at upper secondary level
(level 4) very much in line with ECVET
• Modular system consisting of courses,
which can be accumulated
• Credits attached to each course, outcome
based (not: time of study)
• In adult education: partial courses
possible, which can be accumulated to a
full/complete course. Can be validated.
Similarities & differences Swedish
system and ECVET
• Documentation of learning outcomes and
modules regulated
• Taxonomy slightly different
• In Sweden not mandatory to have a
Learning agreement or a Memorandum of
understanding between the partners in
e.g. an international project.
Current status: Validation
• Government commission to identify and
remove barriers
• In line with the EU Recommendations
• EU-recommendation 2018
• Development work between different sectors
and levels needs to be coordinated, but…
• Formal regulations in place only in AE, and
university admission requirements.
• Qualifications from the labour market are nonformal: parallel or dual system for validation
• Validation of real competences: Broad
approach in Sweden, fragmentised
Validation: Links to the NQF
• Within the formal school system,
validation works relatively well.
• National Agency for Higher Vocational
Education: coordinates a national
framework for prior learning and
validation
• Also serve as national coordination point
for the EQF
NationalValidations:
framework Links
for prior
learning
to the
NQF
and validation
Definition of Validation
“Validation is a process which involves
a structured assessment, evaluation,
documentation and recognition of
knowledge and competence
possessed by a person independently
of how it is acquired.”
(Education Act, 2010)
Validation in three contexts
1. As a step in ongoing education for the
purpose of mapping the level of
knowledge, adapting contents in and/or
shortening the study period for a person
2. In connection with guidance in order to
define the initial level for further studies
and also
3. In order to document real knowledge
and competences prior to applying for
employment or in connection with
personal development at the workplace.
Validation and APL
• An introductory course equivalent to 10
weeks full-time study can be supported by
student aid (orienteringskurs)
• General and focused competence
mapping
• Use of Core content* in a course at
upper-secondary level to identify
knowledge and competences
(*The core content states what the
teaching should cover in each particular
course.)
Validation and APL
• Assessing/grading: Validation followed by
“Prövning”
• Grades cannot be set through validation
• Validation - documentation of learning
outcomes: “intyg” (certificate)
• “Prövning” – documentation – aiming at
grading: Assessment of knowledge and
competences in relation to pre-set
knowledge requirements in course syllabi
Question 2:
Trends in policy regarding Adult
Learning and the three European
instruments
Policy trends in Adult Education
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New Curriculum for AE (Lvux 12)
Based on regulations in the Education
Act
Adult education policy objectives: the
individual’s goals and needs
Downplay the normative and regulating
parts
Focus on working life and labour
market
Individual study plans and career
guidance
Policy trends in AE
• Validation (not in the curriculum of Upper
secondary school)
• Entrepreneurship education
• European Key competences
• Combination of studies at different AE levels
• Cooperation: Higher vocational education,
Liberal AE, universities
• PES, and other stakeholders on the labour
market
Policy goal for adult learning in
Sweden
• Give all adults the opportunity to
extend their knowledge and develop
their competence in order to
promote personal development,
democracy, gender equality,
economic growth, employment
and participate in an equitable
society.
New Education Act and
Ordinance on Adult Education
• Based on the needs and requirements of the
individual (all three types of AE)
• Accessibility and flexibility (time, location)
• Validation and individual study plans
regulated in the Act for all three types of AE
• The right to adult education at upper
secondary level in order to achieve basic
eligibility for higher education institutions for
pupils who have attended a vocational
programme at upper secondary level.
(proposal to extend this right)
• Limitation of re-taking courses
Policy
• Adult education should be conducted
continuously during the whole year.
(Ordinance of Adult Education, 3 Ch. 25 §)
• Stronger focus on the individual
• New ordinance on adult education focusing
on adapting AE to the individual’s needs
Question 3:
Is there any experience in showing the
benefits of connecting the three
instruments, for example reducing
costs and time;
• Module-based system works well with the
European tools
• Traditionally generous view on exchange
periods
Question 4:
Involvement of employers
Involvement of employers
• Employers new target group of the
National Agency for Education
• National skills and competence provision
in relation to VET and apprenticeship
training
• A number of national VET initiatives
(workplace and apprenticeship learning,
focus age 16-19, but also AE)
• Organising and supporting the connection
between the apprentice and the employer
• Mentorship training
Involvement of employers
• National Programme Councils advise and
influence national upper-secondary VET
programmes (social partners)
• Local Programme Council mandatory for
upper-secondary VET
• The National Agency for Higher
Vocational Education programmes strong
link to employers in designing and
conducting education programmes
Question 6:
Results achieved and obstacles
encountered.
Results achieved and obstacles
encountered
• Five government commissions
• Formal decision in the near future?
• Cooperation between government
agencies for EQF-EQAVET-ECVETEuropass
• Skolverket coordinate the implementation
of ECVET in Sweden
• Information material and examples of
good practice
Results achieved and obstacles
encountered
• Validation needs momentum
• EQF and ECVET: pedagogic challenge to
explain the benefits in Sweden to all
stakeholders
• At the same time: Great interest from
employers and private stakeholders
Thank you for your attention!
[email protected]