Achievements, needs and challenges of ECVET at European level MAS ECVET Ankara - 24 February 2014 Jeff Bridgford Department of Education and Professional Studies

2 Background European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) Recommendation – June 2009 What is ECVET’s objective? ‘ to facilitate the transfer, recognition and accumulation of assessed learning outcomes of individuals who are aiming to achieve a qualification’

3 Background ECVET Recommendation – June 2009 What are learning outcomes? ‘statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do on completion of a learning process and which are defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence’

4 Background ECVET Recommendation – June 2009 What is done with these learning outcomes? They can be turned into credits ‘set of learning outcomes of an individual which have been assessed and which can be accumulated towards a qualification or transferred to other learning programmes or qualifications’

5 Background ECVET Recommendation – June 2009 Who is responsible for designing and awarding qualifications and credit accumulation? Competent institutions

6 Background ECVET Recommendation – June 2009 Who is responsible for credit transfer? Competent institutions, via a Memorandum of Understanding

7 Benefits For Employers It should be easier to recruit trained workers, whether from home or abroad understand what workers, know, understand and can do, on the basis of learning outcomes which are ideally related to real tasks at work know that workers in supply chains have the appropriate skills

8 Benefits For Workers It should be easier to recognise periods of informal learning in the workplace, and thus shorten the period of further training return to education and training on the basis of professional experience apply for jobs at home and abroad on the basis of knowledge, skills and competence – what workers know, understand and can do

9 Challenges Quantity of Initiatives European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) European Qualifications Framework (EQF) European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) European Quality Assurance Reference Framework (EQARF)

10 Challenges Introduction and Application of Terminology Learning outcomes, Qualifications, Credits, (Units, Points) Memorandum of Understanding (Learning Agreements)

11 Challenges Identification of Competent Institutions Authorities responsible for Qualifications? Training providers?

12 Challenges Trust Updated occupational profiles Recognition of prior learning Common training standards Clear and full documentation, but simple Quality of work-based training Quality of assessment

13 Challenges Heterogeneity Pilot projects have interpreted the Recommendation in terms of their own needs, and so ECVET implementation tend to suffer from a lack of consistency

14 Next steps Quality Implementing the EU Recommendation on European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education and Training (2009) The Framework has 10 Quality Indicators for assessing Quality in Vocational Education and Training

15 Next steps Strategy I Member States should create the necessary conditions and adopt measures, so that it is possible for ECVET to be gradually applied to VET qualifications (2012) ‘lack of readiness’, but designation of national contact points (26 out of ) that coordinate ECVET implementation and provide information, guidance and support creation of national teams of experts

16 Next steps Strategy II The European Commission will report by 18 June 2014 on the experience gained and implications for the future, including, if necessary, a review and adaptation of the Recommendation (2014)