1. QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS IN THE EHEA AND EQF
Bologna Board
Chişinău, January 18, 2016
Sjur Bergan, Council of Europe

2. QUALIFICATIONS IN THE EHEA
Two (later three) tier degree structure (1999, 2003)
Role of the first degree in the labor market (1999)
Recognition (1998 and later)
Mobility
Employability
But Qualifications Frameworks mentioned for the first time:
Bologna conference in March 2003 in København
Berlin Communiqué 2003

3. MINISTERS IN BERGEN 2005, LONDON 2007 AND LEUVEN 2009
We have an overarching framework (adopted in Bergen 2005) of three cycles with the possibility of intermediate qualifications in national frameworks
We will develop national frameworks compatible with the EHEA framework and prepared for self certification by (Leuven changed deadline)
This is a steep challenge and we need continued coordination even if QFs are ultimately a national responsibility

4. QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS DESCRIBE
How qualifications fit together within and between systems
All qualifications in a given (higher) education system
How these qualifications articulate
How learners can move between qualifications within a system
Learning outcomes
All of the above in ways that make them understandable to informed foreigners
QF: an instrument to describe and make sense of diversity

5. FRAMEWORKS AND FRAMEWORK
National framework
closest to the operational reality
owned by national system
ultimately determines what qualifications learners will earn
describe the qualifications within a given education system and how they interlink
Overarching framework
facilitates movement between systems
face of “Bologna”/European qualifications to the rest of the world
provides the broad structure within which national qualifications frameworks will be developed (“outer limits” for diversity)

6. OVERACHING FRAMEWORKS
Bologna (QF-EHEA)
Adopted 2005
47 countries
Higher education only
3 levels with short cycles integrated within the first cycle in 2015
Overseen by BFUG and WG QFs, coordinated by the Council of Europe until 2105
National correspondents
EQF Lifelong learning
Adopted 2008
36 countries
All levels of education in a lifelong learning perspective
8 levels
Overseen by EQF Advisory Board and the European Commission
National Coordination Points

7. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
How can countries contribute better to the Network of National Correspondents?
How can self certifications be presented and assessed?
What should the relationship between QF- EHEA and EQF-LLL be?