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

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)

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.”

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

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’

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

Implementation of RPL in NL (1) 1990s RPL started without national regulations 2000-2005 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’

Implementation of RPL in NL (2) 2007-2009 Government subsidizes RPL initiatives 20 million euro available for unemployed in response to economic crisis 2010-2014 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

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)

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”

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

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

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.

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

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!

Thank you! Questions?