Peer Learning Activity

Supporting adults into work by using EQF, ECVET and validation of non-formal and informal learning

The Hague, 21 May 2014

Swedish Governance Model

A highly decentralised education system • Goal- and result-oriented steering system (learning outcomes)

Parliament and Government have the overall responsibility for education • Set the framework and national goals (Education Act, Curricula, Syllabi

etc.)

Municipalities have overall responsibility for educational activities within the school system. (mainly financed through municipal taxes)• Local level: considerable freedom to determine how activities should be

implemented in order to achieve the nationally established goals

Central and local authorities are, together with the different organisers, responsible for ensuring that activities are implemented in line with the legislative framework and national goals.• Central authorities monitor, evaluate and supervise activities at local level,

which must systematically follow up and evaluate their own activities

Question 1

Current status on the developments of the EQF, ECVET and validation of non-formal and informal learning

Current status SE NQF

• Sweden plan to adopt the NQF• Implementation in two steps (within/outside)• Ordinance for the NQF• Possible government decision autumn 2014• Presentation is based on a Proposal!

(National Agency for Higher Vocational Education)

NQF: Swedish Proposal

• Swedish Proposal: 8 levels• The Swedish NQF should be as near

Europe as possible. • Broad descriptors : Government mission

2009 stated that qualifications within/ outside formal education system should be included in the NQF

• Open to qualifications from all types of learning at all levels

• Should be reviewed at regular intervals• Website: www.seqf.se (in Swedish only)

SE NQF Proposal

• Swedish Proposal: Academic, as well as non-academic qualifications should be referred to all levels

• 2011 Government mission on how qualifications within/outside the edu. system can be linked to the NQF, including quality criteria

• Designed so as to facilitate the professional development that is constantly going on in education, and working life.

Proposal for the Swedish NQF

The qualifications described in levels 1-3 can be summarized with the concepts of basic and elementary knowledge of a growing and deepening in the descriptor skills with increasing capacity for autonomy, accountability and evaluation of own and others' results.

Levels 4-6 are characterized by greater depth and specialization, developed critical thinking and ability to lead.

The qualifications described in levels 7 and 8 can best be summarized by the concept of excellence. Such qualifications are characterized by a very advanced knowledge in a work or study, a very highly developed ability to complete tasks and solve problems of various kinds and in varying environments and a very highly developed ability to act with responsibility and autonomy, make decisions, communicate and lead.

Proposal: Quality criteria

Qualifications outside the formal edu. system:• To join the NQF, some national criteria must be

fulfilled • Qualification must be clearly expressed in terms

of learning outcomes referring to the appropriate NQF-level.

• The provider must furthermore describe how to arrive at the expected learning outcomes as well as how the acquired outcomes can be assessed.

• Organisation or body must be “recognised” within the activity-area addressed by the qualification (“owner of the qualification”)

Proposal: Systematic quality assurance

• Learning outcome must have national legitimacy and relevance within its activity-area

• Both the learning outcomes and the means whereby these are to be reached must be the subject to quality assurance.

• When applying for inclusion into the SE NQF, providers must clarify how these arrangements are to be operated.

• The qualification should be designed so as to allow for validation (full/partial)

ECVET: Development in Sweden

• Awaiting formal decision on the NQF• ECVET National Contact Point: Skolverket• ECVET expert team – three government

agencies, and organisations which have used ECVET

• Legal framework and promotion of ECVET• Conversion of Swedish credits to ECVET-

credits • NA-cooperation within the Swedish NRP

Do the instruments contribute to flexible and modular education and training/credit system?

• Swedish system at upper secondary level (level 4) very much in line with ECVET

• Modular system consisting of courses, which can be accumulated

• Credits attached to each course, outcome based (not: time of study)

• In adult education: partial courses possible, which can be accumulated to a full/complete course. Can be validated.

Similarities & differences Swedish system and ECVET

• Documentation of learning outcomes and modules regulated

• Taxonomy slightly different• In Sweden not mandatory to have a

Learning agreement or a Memorandum of understanding between the partners in e.g. an international project.

Current status: Validation

• Government commission to identify and remove barriers

• In line with the EU Recommendations• EU-recommendation 2018• Development work between different sectors

and levels needs to be coordinated, but…• Formal regulations in place only in AE, and

university admission requirements.• Qualifications from the labour market are non-

formal: parallel or dual system for validation• Validation of real competences: Broad

approach in Sweden, fragmentised

Validation: Links to the NQF

• Within the formal school system, validation works relatively well.

• National Agency for Higher Vocational Education: coordinates a national framework for prior learning and validation

• Also serve as national coordination point for the EQF

Validations: Links to the NQFNational framework for prior learning and validation

Definition of Validation

“Validation is a process which involves a structured assessment, evaluation, documentation and recognition of knowledge and competence possessed by a person independently of how it is acquired.”

(Education Act, 2010)

Validation in three contexts

1. As a step in ongoing education for the purpose of mapping the level of knowledge, adapting contents in and/or shortening the study period for a person

2. In connection with guidance in order to define the initial level for further studies and also

3. In order to document real knowledge and competences prior to applying for employment or in connection with personal development at the workplace.

Validation and APL

• An introductory course equivalent to 10 weeks full-time study can be supported by student aid (orienteringskurs)

• General and focused competence mapping

• Use of Core content* in a course at upper-secondary level to identify knowledge and competences

(*The core content states what the teaching should cover in each

particular course.)

Validation and APL

• Assessing/grading: Validation followed by “Prövning”

• Grades cannot be set through validation• Validation - documentation of learning

outcomes: “intyg” (certificate)• “Prövning” – documentation – aiming at

grading: Assessment of knowledge and competences in relation to pre-set knowledge requirements in course syllabi

Question 2:

Trends in policy regarding Adult Learning and the three European instruments

Policy trends in Adult Education

New Curriculum for AE (Lvux 12)• Based on regulations in the Education

Act• Adult education policy objectives: the

individual’s goals and needs • Downplay the normative and regulating

parts• Focus on working life and labour

market• Individual study plans and career

guidance

Policy trends in AE

• Validation (not in the curriculum of Upper secondary school)

• Entrepreneurship education• European Key competences• Combination of studies at different AE levels• Cooperation: Higher vocational education,

Liberal AE, universities• PES, and other stakeholders on the labour

market

Policy goal for adult learning in Sweden

• Give all adults the opportunity to extend their knowledge and develop their competence in order to promote personal development, democracy, gender equality, economic growth, employment and participate in an equitable society.

New Education Act and Ordinance on Adult Education

• Based on the needs and requirements of the individual (all three types of AE)

• Accessibility and flexibility (time, location)• Validation and individual study plans

regulated in the Act for all three types of AE• The right to adult education at upper

secondary level in order to achieve basic eligibility for higher education institutions for pupils who have attended a vocational programme at upper secondary level. (proposal to extend this right)

• Limitation of re-taking courses

Policy

• Adult education should be conducted continuously during the whole year. (Ordinance of Adult Education, 3 Ch. 25 §)

• Stronger focus on the individual• New ordinance on adult education focusing

on adapting AE to the individual’s needs

Question 3:

Is there any experience in showing the benefits of connecting the three instruments, for example reducing costs and time;

• Module-based system works well with the European tools

• Traditionally generous view on exchange periods

Question 4:

Involvement of employers

Involvement of employers

• Employers new target group of the National Agency for Education

• National skills and competence provision in relation to VET and apprenticeship training

• A number of national VET initiatives (workplace and apprenticeship learning, focus age 16-19, but also AE)

• Organising and supporting the connection between the apprentice and the employer

• Mentorship training

Involvement of employers

• National Programme Councils advise and influence national upper-secondary VET programmes (social partners)

• Local Programme Council mandatory for upper-secondary VET

• The National Agency for Higher Vocational Education programmes strong link to employers in designing and conducting education programmes

Question 6:

Results achieved and obstacles encountered.

Results achieved and obstacles encountered

• Five government commissions• Formal decision in the near future?• Cooperation between government

agencies for EQF-EQAVET-ECVET-Europass

• Skolverket coordinate the implementation of ECVET in Sweden

• Information material and examples of good practice

Results achieved and obstacles encountered

• Validation needs momentum• EQF and ECVET: pedagogic challenge to

explain the benefits in Sweden to all stakeholders

• At the same time: Great interest from employers and private stakeholders

Thank you for your attention!

sara.petersson@skolverket.se