Vocational Assessor Requirements in Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Vocational Assessor Requirements in Europe

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Quality Assurance; Recognition, transparency, certification

Project Summary

The “VARE” project aims to identify the requirements for assessment and assessors in vocational training programmes across the European Union to support the development of partnership working for the purposes of mobility in VET.

At present, research has identified a lack of transparency in quality assurance in VET, especially in assessment and validation. Little attention has so far been paid to the roles and competences of people who carry out assessment, yet this can present barriers to recognition when crediting learning abroad. Understanding more about these issues would help to develop trust between education and training systems across Member States which in turn would help to underpin the transnational recognition of qualifications in general, and the implementation of ECVET for transnational mobility in specific.

Focusing on IVET qualifications at EQF levels 3 and 4, the project would therefore seek to address the following questions:

–Who carries out assessments for VET programmes and how?

–To what extent are assessors required to hold specific qualifications, be members of a recognised profession, and be subject to regulation and meet specific standards of professional conduct?

–What (occupational) standards, qualifications and learning outcomes exist for those who carry out assessments?

–Are the requirements for assessors comparable between countries, and between parts of the vocational system within the same country?

–Are there differences based on the type of system, the sector, or the country setting the requirements?

The project will engage stakeholders involved in the assessment of VET, including further education colleges, VET colleges and appropriate regulatory authorities. The stakeholders will have the opportunity to report on the status quo regarding assessment and assessor requirements in their countries, it will also be possible for them to express their views concerning the current conditions and requirements, highlighting any issues and identifying the potential for improvement and change.

The project outcomes are to include a comparative analysis of current requirements, as well as an online catalogue of the different member states’ requirements with specific case studies highlighted to give examples of good practice. It is envisioned that the project results will lead to an enhanced understanding of assessor training and requirements in order to support increased mutual trust between VET systems. Ultimately, this should improve the standards of assessment in VET and the ability of competent bodies to validate and recognise assessment carried out outside the ‘home’ system and support the increased implementation of ECVET and mobility of VET learners in the EU.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 214273,26 Eur

Project Coordinator

ECCTIS LIMITED & Country: UK

Project Partners

• CENTER REPUBLIKE SLOVENIJE ZA POKLICNO IZOBRAZEVANJE
• Proskills UK
• 3S RESEARCH LABORATORY – FORSCHUNGSVEREIN
• Fundacja “Fundusz Wspolpracy”
• Vocational Training Charitable Trust