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ISSUE 13
January 2013
NEWS AND VIEWS
TO KEEP YOU
IN THE KNOW
FROM THE ETF
COMMUNITY
National Qualifications Frameworks –
contributing to better qualifications
WHAT ARE NATIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS? Content
In the EU and the ƒƒ The ETF approach to national
National qualifications frameworks or NQFs classify ETF's partner qualifications frameworks in
qualifications according to a hierarchy of levels in a grid countries, much its 31 partner countries.
structure. Each level is defined by a set of descriptors of the impetus
has come from ƒƒ How NQFs are implemented
indicating the learning outcomes relevant to qualifications at already or how they could be
the European
that level, which vary in number according to national needs. Qualifications implemented in future.
Currently NQFs have 5, 7, 8, 10 and 12 levels. Framework (EQF)
Qualifications in an NQF can be compared by individuals, and the ƒƒ How NQFs can help to make
employers and institutions. When different countries’ NQFs Qualifications qualifications more relevant
are linked internationally, qualifications can be compared, Framework for the and support wider education
which in turn supports mobility. But the implications of European Higher and training reform.
Education Area.
establishing and using an NQF go well beyond simply
For countries
classifying and comparing qualifications. wanting to join the
Countries develop NQFs for many reasons. While many EU EU, NQFs are a Learning outcomes
Member States use NQFs to coordinate their existing practical way to
qualifications systems more efficiently, ETF partner countries manage their Countries are moving at different
use them to support wider national education and training qualifications and speeds to redefine curricula and
reforms. These include bringing education and training closer link them to the qualifications by learning outcomes.
EQF. Indeed, Learning outcomes say what a
to the labour market, developing relevant qualifications,
most ETF partner learner is expected
creating progression routes linking vocational education and countries have
training (VET) with higher education, and working towards a to know, understand
opted for an and be able to do at
greater recognition of qualifications within the country and 8-level NQF,
abroad. the end of a learning
modelled on the
EQF. process. Learning
NQFs are not new, but the recent surge in the number of outcomes facilitate
countries developing them is remarkable for its speed and diverse learning routes
geographical coverage. Before 2000, only a handful of – formal or informal -
countries had NQFs. Now 142 countries worldwide have that recognise and
embarked on developing NQFs, including 27 of the ETF’s 31 encourage lifelong
partner countries. NQFs are part of a wider search for learning, by defining a
international solutions in education and training. They are also qualification by what
an attempt to support mobility at a time when economies are the learner needs to
increasingly integrated and interdependent, where technical achieve rather than by traditional inputs
specifications of products or services are becoming more such as the duration of a programme.
unified and where labour migrates across borders. They also make it easier to compare
qualifications nationally and
internationally because of their neutral
pathway, duration and location.
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2. ETF partner countries a qualifications framework as a common
The worldwide surge in NQFs is not
reference
something that the ETF is observing The ETF is coordinating a regional project to support international cooperation in
without concern as they require qualifications development and recognition. Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia
considerable resources, capacity, are developing qualifications in two economic sectors - construction and tourism.
expertise and time for development and Two occupations were selected for each sector: bricklayer and site supervisor,
implementation. The ETF does not and waiter and hotel receptionist, respectively.
advocate establishing NQFs To compare qualifications, the EQF is used as a common reference. Experts
indiscriminately; rather its position is to from each country were asked to (re)describe the qualifications for the
assist countries in finding fit-for-purpose occupations in terms of knowledge, skills and competences against the EQF
solutions. Partner countries and regions descriptors, resulting in common profiles. The project demonstrates that a
differ in their socio-economic and common reference tool (in this case the EQF) can support the development of
demographic characteristics and in the relevant national qualifications.
types of qualifications needed.
The project also shows that no single institution can do all the work required.
For example, some former Soviet states Reliable information on national qualifications and the necessary expertise to
have retained large industrial develop occupational standards requires a range of stakeholders, including
conglomerates with highly specialised ministries, sectors, qualification authorities and the social partners.
jobs, but younger people are now less
inclined to train in narrow industrial
occupations. In the southern Developing relevant qualifications
Mediterranean, governments struggle to The Turkish NQF provides a platform for cooperation between the government
find decent jobs for a growing young and sectors to develop outcomes-based occupational standards followed by
workforce. Many people end up in sectoral qualifications. National occupational standards ensure the relevance of
informal subsistence jobs in agriculture qualifications for adult training, which was previously often unrecognised. The
or services. Qualified personnel are Vocational Qualifications Authority coordinates this new system, while sectors are
difficult to find in growth sectors such in charge of developing standards and certification processes.
as tourism, construction or ICT. Now, in the second stage, a Turkish qualifications framework for lifelong learning
Traditional education and training is being developed. It builds on the same principles of quality and relevance and
systems struggle to address these and links higher education developments, sectoral qualifications and general,
other problems, such as an oversupply vocational and teacher training qualifications issued under the responsibility of the
of qualifications for which there is little Ministry of National Education.
demand on the labour market. Weak
links between VET outcomes and labour
market requirements leads employers to quality enhancement
have little trust in qualifications. In Georgia, the NQF is an instrument for establishing a new approach to quality
Qualifications systems also focus assurance in VET based on learning outcomes. The National Centre for
primarily on young people and offer few Educational Quality Enhancement is in charge of quality-assuring the
opportunities to facilitate and recognise development of qualifications and their use in provision and assessment. It works
lifelong learning. There are few with sectoral bodies as well as public and private providers. The Centre ensures
nationally-accepted qualifications for that learning outcomes drive provision and accredited providers must use
adults. Validation of non-formal or participatory self-assessment methods involving staff, students and external
informal learning is limited or non- stakeholders to improve their efficiency. The new Georgian system requires the
existent. VET also has a low status and active involvement of the sectors and local companies working
accordingly students usually prefer with providers. The Centre has also started developing
higher education. recognition of prior learning through VET providers.
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what value DO NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS ADD?
An NQF has no value without In most ETF partner countries, a led by an education ministry or higher
qualifications inside it. The ETF believes qualification has traditionally been education community and focuses on
that NQFs should lead to better obtainable only by taking a formal education standards.
qualifications that are more relevant to training course. But now countries are
the labour market and flexible enough Ministries traditionally dominate
using NQFs to develop systems to
for holders to progress between education and training policy and in
validate non-formal and informal
qualifications or combine them from most ETF partner countries, social
different fields. learning, usually for the first time. NQFs
partner engagement in education and
apply the same assessment standards
Developing and implementing an NQF training is weak. But NQFs can provide a
to obtaining a qualification, no matter
requires both technical and social/ platform for social dialogue. They are
how the learner acquired the knowledge
institutional processes. usually developed by a range of actors,
and skills necessary to achieve it. So
including ministries, employers, trades
NQFs introduce a common language NQFs can support recognition of skills
unions, education authorities, VET
– of levels, outcomes, credits, award acquired informally and give a boost to
types and so on – among stakeholders, agencies and individual experts all
learning beyond formal education,
in particular employers, sectoral working collaboratively on the
particularly for adults.
representatives and the education world framework, occupational standards and
(ministries, qualifications authorities, qualifications, thus supporting labour
schools etc.). This leads to a shared market relevance. Indeed, in some
understanding and acceptance of cases, notably Russia and Ukraine,
concepts and implementation, policies employers have initiated the NQF
and strategies. process and in Turkey sectors play a
The most important of these is the use strong role in developing and awarding
of learning outcomes for level vocational qualifications.
descriptors in the framework and the
definition of individual qualifications in This wider stakeholder engagement is
the different NQF levels. Level beginning to influence the design and
descriptors are usually generic, while content of curricula and qualifications.
those for individual qualifications are Traditionally ETF partner countries have
more specific. used subject- or input-based curricula,
NQFs are therefore lifelong learning
Outcomes tell us what is inside the but increasingly they are developing
instruments, linking general education,
qualification enhancing comprehension occupational standards to make
higher education and VET, defining
and transparency. This creates the basis vocational qualifications more relevant.
learning pathways for individuals and
of trust essential for the recognition and Occupational standards – themselves a
encompassing systems and procedures
acceptance of individual qualifications. type of learning outcome – are normally
In an NQF, the levels typically share a to recognise skills acquired lifewide.
developed by sectors or professional
common set of descriptors of the Frameworks are also usually associated bodies and involve experts who practice
knowledge, skills and competences to with quality assurance arrangements. To the occupation. Basing qualifications on
be acquired by the learner. The same be included in an NQF and associated occupational standards and labour
descriptors are used across general
qualifications registers, qualifications market demand, and linking them to
education, academic education, VET
and adult learning qualifications, must be validated against criteria and higher-level qualifications and allowing
underscoring the relationship between providers often have to be accredited to for progression, raises their “market
them and allowing individuals, award the qualification. Assessments value”.
employers, qualifications authorities and also have to be quality assured, or
Developing an NQF also deepens
training providers to compare and link verified. In many ETF partner countries
institutional capacity, especially in
qualifications offered by different these are wholly new requirements,
institutions. transition or developing countries. Some
which should increase employer trust in
states establish new bodies such as
In this way, NQFs help to illustrate qualifications.
qualifications authorities to design,
potential learning pathways, enabling In most cases, NQFs are established by construct and coordinate the framework.
learners to choose and transfer
laws before real implementation begins. Others are starting to build different
between different types of
qualifications at the same level (for Where ministries lead, the ETF forms of sectoral organisations, while
example, between general, vocational observes two general approaches. One new quality assurance bodies are also
and academic qualifications). They can is driven by a labour ministry with an emerging.
also enable learners to progress to employability agenda, involving sectors The added value of NQFs is therefore in
higher-level qualifications in the same and social partners and focussing on driving greater quality in qualifications
field. Thus, NQFs can be a tool to help occupational standards. The second is and qualifications systems.
people manage their own careers.
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4. THE ETF’s findings
On the surface, most NQFs share It appears that NQFs drive quality. They
common elements: reference levels, are usually linked to quality assurance
structure and purpose. In practice systems. To be placed in an NQF,
REFERENCES
however, their specific arrangements qualifications must meet specific criteria Developing Qualifications Frameworks in EU
such as quality assurance systems, in terms of their design, basis on Partner Countries, ETF 2011
,
governance and use vary from country occupational or other standards, and Qualifications Frameworks: from concepts
to country. This is as it should be – demand on the labour market. to implementation, ETF 2012
,
NQFs must fit national institutions, Assessment and certification processes
Qualifications that count: Strengthening the
meet national needs and keep evolving. must be robust to ensure that only recognition of qualifications in the
NQFs cannot be copied or transplanted individuals meeting the necessary Mediterranean region, ETF 2009
,
from other countries. requirements receive a qualification.
Recommendation of the European
Providers often have to be accredited to Parliament and of the Council on the
Implementing an NQF is more difficult
award an NQF-levelled qualification. establishment of the European
than designing its structures. It implies a Qualifications Framework for lifelong
major reform of qualifications and the Institutionally, it is clear that no single learning, April 2008
surrounding education and training body can implement an NQF alone. The
Transnational Qualifications Frameworks,
system. As most NQFs are based on ministry or authority charged with ETF 2010
,
learning outcomes, this means adopting leading NQF development needs to
learning outcomes approaches not only collaborate closely with other actors and
for qualifications, but also for curricula, the framework needs to be owned by
teaching and learning and assessment. its stakeholders. Nominating a single
In practice, the shift to learning responsible agency or authority for
outcomes is not a linear process solely qualifications can accelerate
determined by the implementation of implementation and lead change in the
the NQF. It is a more variable process of national qualifications system. Capacity
outcomes approaches being introduced development, both of institutions and
gradually and integrating them in varying professionals engaged in NQF
degrees into descriptors and development and implementation, is
qualifications, and assessment and also crucial.
learning processes. Furthermore,
approaches or types of learning
NQFs also evolve over time. They
undergo reviews and adjustments in line
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outcome used differ, for example,
with changing national needs. In that The ETF has established an online
between VET and higher education.
sense implementation is never community for people working on
NQFs don’t remove the need for quality complete. Therefore, countries should qualifications.
inputs. As an organisation concerned not delay implementation in a quest for
Join the Qualifications Platform by
with capacity building, the ETF fully the perfect design.
registering at:
acknowledges the necessity of qualified
teachers and quality schools and other http://www.etf.europa.eu/web.nsf/
providers to support the development of pages/qualification_frameworks
professional skills.
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