THE RPL AND VALIDATION SYSTEM. HOW DOES IT WORK IN ESTONIA? Ülle Kesli Head of Continuing Education Centre Centre for LLL University of Tartu

 Established in 1632  3,500 employees (1,700 academic personnel)  9 faculties and 4 colleges  campuses in Tartu, Tallinn, Viljandi, Pärnu, and Narva  students (incl 670 international students and 5000 adults in Open University studies)  More than learners in CE programmes per year

LLL developments at UT During last 15 years the LLL has developed remarkably  1996 the Open University was established (part-time studies, continuing education, Science School for talented pupils)  1999 – first e-courses  2000 – Summer University for local people  2002 – International Summer University, UT e-university portal  2003 – Estonian e-University consortium, RPL regulations  2007 – Children University  2010 – Third-age university  2011 – Winter university

RPL history  2002 the University of Tartu started to elaborate RPL system  2003 the University Council approved first RPL regulations  ESF project LÜKKA with 15 partners  2008 RPL included into the –Universities Act –Higher Education Standard  ESF programme PRIMUS –RPL portal collecting information for applicants, counsellors and assessorshttp://vota.archimedes.ee/

University strategic plan The university offers research-based degree programmes, CE and retraining courses which meet the needs of society and beside other development activities it is important to develop support services intended for students and adult learners, including implementing more broadly the principles of accreditation of prior and experiential learning.

Regulations National level  The Universities Act  The Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act  The Vocational Education Institutions Act  The Standard of Higher Education  The professions Act Institutional level – with right to limit the opportunity to use RPL  Educational institutions – study regulations or separate documents  Professional bodies who award professional qualifications

Use of RPL It is possible to use  prior studies in educational institutions  knowledge and skills acquired through CE or independent studies  knowledge and skills acquired through professional or other experience for  restarting interrupted studies  meeting enrolment criteria  changing programme (also within an educational institution)  awarding a professional qualification  planning a career

RPL process applicantinformation respective specialist assessor study information management system adviser determining the results reply application reply application

Validation  Assessor (expert, assessment committee, professional qualifications committee)  Application with appendices (self-analysis) and evidences (certificates, academic report, job description, character reference from employer, study portfolio, etc)  Interview  Internship report  Observation of practical work or simulation

RPL applications in 2010 applications Fully validated Partly validated Not validated University of Tartu 1487 (59961,6 ECP) 1371 (52377,6 ECP) 103 (6225,8 ECP) 13 Tallinn University 517 (19454,5 ECP) 449 (18287 ECP)

Futher developments  RPL in Continuing Education – ESF project with 6 partners –common principles with degree studies –can be used for fulfilment of existing CE programmes up to 100% –part of CE programme is possible to recognise if the programme is built up in modules with study outcomes and each module and/or study outcome has fixed volume –fee for application and assessment

Thank you! Ülikooli 18, Tartu