Transcript Development of NQF in Poland

An overview of developments of NQFs:
Poland
Ewa Chmielecka
the Polish NQF Project Coordinator
&
Marek Frankowicz
the Polish NQF Project Expert
Ministry of National Education
International Conference on Qualifications Framework
Ministry of Science, Education and Sports
Zagreb, 14 September 2009
Polish NQF – 4 basic questions:
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What to do? – Introduce NQF in Poland
Why to do it? – National needs, European decisions
Who shall do it? – All involved parties, but a „core
group” and „control panel” are needed
How to do it?
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Action plan
Time frame
Institutional requirements
Our project:
“Stocktaking of competences and qualifications for the
Polish labour market and the development of the
National Qualifications Framework model”
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Located at the Ministry of National Education
Financed by Operational Programme “HUMAN
CAPITAL 2007-2013”,action III, 3.4.1.
Launched in October 2008
14 experts + stakeholders
International co-operation: HR, AT, SCO
Background: Actions/projects involving
implicitly elements of qualifications framework
„National curricula” for formal education (implemented 2009)
 Standards for professional qualifications (2005 and before)
 Qualifications framework for HE (started in 2006)
 NQF for LLL (2008)
 Many other projects - information sent to the „NCP”
In general:
- quite good cooperation of different sectors
- stakeholders involvement
- knowledge on NQF still insufficient but steadily growing
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Action lines:
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Level descriptors for general education
VET / standards for professional qualifications,
ECVET
NQF for HE
Validation
„PANGLOSS” glossary of key terms
Empirical research - inventory of qualification
system characteristics
Building stakeholders’ support
Web page
Developments:
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October 2008 - starting point
July 2009 – the first (“small”) report containing
preliminary proposals concerning Polish NQF
December 2009 – the “big” report with the draft of
main elements of Polish NQF & its national and
international context
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general characteristics
further development of the Polish qualification system
identification
list of questions and answers to be solved by the national
authorities
EQF referencing milestones
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Designation of NCP
To the end of 2010
Setting up of referencing committee
March 2010
Start of referencing process (relating qualifications
systems to EQF – 2010 deadline)
Autumn 2010
Draft report for discussion within EQF AG
2011
Final referencing report
2012
Strenghts and weaknesses
Strenghts:
 Good background
 Experts work progress
Weaknesses:
 Lack of the Polish NCP
 Coordination in terms of decison making
Topics and problems:
Validation example
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To be developed by Marek Frankowicz
Institutional base for NQF
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To be developed by Krzysztof Chelpinski
(workshop)
Validation
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Definition
What to validate?
How to validate?
Definition of validation – proposal:
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Actions aiming at documented verification and recognition
of competences (as equivalent with those acquired within
Polish formal education system). They concern
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Competences acquired outside Polish formal education
system (in Poland or abroad)
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Competences/qualifications acquired abroad (in the framework
of other systems of formal education)
Regarding all levels of education and all types of diplomas
and certificates
Marek Frankowicz, April 2009
Projects related with validation
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„Let us build together” within EQUAL initiative, concerning
construction sector
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Institute of Welding
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Association of Polish Electricians
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CZ/04/B/F/PP – 168010 European Common Principles for the
Accreditation of Non-formal and Informal Learning in Lifelong
Learning (EPANIL)
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„Systemic project” Improvement of basic curricular frameworks as a
key to modernization of vocational training” (led by National Centre
for Support of Vocational and Continuing Education)
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Validation - threats
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Too many initiatives, lack of consistency
Lack of correlations amongst different
decision makers
Important (non-trivial) task
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To identify all programs/projects/practices
related with validation in Poland
Problems:
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Different sectors
Different levels
Different types of programs
Different organizations involved
Data base
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Level (EQF/NQF)
Diploma/certificate
Profession
Competences/qualifications to be certified/validated
Certification/validation method
Certifying/validating institution
Legal basis
Remarks
How to validate?
To take into account existing solutions and practices
To describe
 Formal examinations systems in general education
 Examinations systems in vocational education
 Examinations conducted by various craftsmanship chambers
 Other practices
To analyse opportunities and problems related with
 Possibilities of extending scope of activities of Central
Examination Commissions and Regional Examinations
Commissions to validate non-formal and informal learning
 Possibilities of integration of various validation and recognition
systems into a common one (including HE sector)
Labour Markets
Diplomas/Certificates
INSTITUTIONS
PROCEDURES
exams
portfolio
Documented
experience
Other
VALIDATION – possibilities
Information, counselling
How to validate?
„Customer”
Validation – examples:
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Informal practices in higher education
Nursing – example of good practice
Teachers training and language colleges –
example of bad practice
Informal practices in higher education
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Remark on formal recognition mechanisms in HE (Bureau for
Academic Recognition and International Exchange, ERASMUS
regulations, nostrification procedures)
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Autonomy of higher education institutions
& Autonomy of academic teachers
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Informal validation/recognition practices based on
individual decisions of deans and academic teachers
Validation - nursing
Example of good practice:
 Demands of the European labour market
 „Bridging studies” (in Polish: „studia
pomostowe”)
 Implicit recognition of prior learning,
validation of workplace experience
Validation – teachers training
Example of bad practice
 Teachers training colleges and language colleges –
belong to the post-secondary sector
 Temporary solutions – agreements between local
self-governments and higher education institutions
 New HE Act – does not allow for formal recognition
of competences acqired outside formal study system
 Present situation is not clear, lack of precise
regulations etc.
Main tasks for the Validation group
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Improve definition of validation
Cooperate with other groups on Repositories of
diplomas, practices etc.
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Determine how to make use of existing
examination/certification/validation systems and
practices in creation of future validation model
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Propose comprehensive validation system (basic
assumptions, procedures, institutions, QA
mechanisms)
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Propose a scheme of qualifications database
Thank you very much
for your attention!