Non-formal qualifications and validation arrangements in the Nordic countries Erasmus Project

Project Title

Non-formal qualifications and validation arrangements in the Nordic countries

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Recognition, transparency, certification; Recognition (non-formal and informal learning/credits)

Project Summary

The aim of this project is to examine if and how non-formal qualifications are placed on the National Qualifications Frameworks (NQF) in the Nordic countries as well as a few Central European countries. Non-formal education produces a substantial amount of competences crucial from the viewpoint of the labor market. However, according to the European Inventory 2018, it appears that there is little development in Europe of placing non-formal qualifications to NQFs, validation procedures designed for non-formal learning and development of learning outcome -based non qualifications.

The main questions addressed by the NOVA -project:
• How and by who are non-formal qualifications developed and how are they included in the NQFs?
• How are learning outcomes designed and used for qualification development as well as validation arrangements?
• How are NQFs and validation arrangements linked?

This project is based on specific needs derived from the non-formal sector in the partner countries (branch organisations in Sweden; Lifelong Learning Centers and working life in Iceland; Community College network in Finland). National developments are occurring in the Nordic countries, but support and competence development is needed.
During the current COVID-19 crisis, it has become evident that all economies need to develop their learning systems in an ever more flexible direction. Millions of jobs are lost, and fiscal and monetary policies are shattered. For proper revival of European economies, flexible labour markets are required, which in turn means development and implementation of high-quality competence development and validation procedures that aid in mobility both within economies as well as across borders.

Against this background, the project will develop a methodology, including indicators, on how to canvass the EQF/NQF policy approaches in different countries as well as good practices in terms of how non-formal qualifications are placed on NQF levels. Based on the canvassing, the project will produce a comparative report of the policy approaches including policy recommendations as well as a set of minimum 14 best practices from different countries. The ultimate output is a set of digital tools, which aim at helping policymakers as well as developers to produce high-quality learning outcome-based qualifications and link or refer the developed non-formal qualifications to NQF-levels.

• IO 1. Framework and methodology for comparing National Qualifications Framework – A comparative methodology with indicators that can be used to benchmark different countries level of implementation of NQFs, including the procedures for including non-formal qualifications in the frameworks and links with validation arrangements including indicators for identifying good practices.

• IO 2. Comparative report and policy recommendations – A comparative study/report on the NQFs, their status of implementation and inclusion of non-formal qualifications as well as how NQFs are linked with validation arrangements. The results of the study will be used to formulate policy recommendations for future developments.

• IO 3. Mapping non-formal learning to NQFs – Identified best practices on procedures for developing and levelling non-formal qualifications and their links with validation arrangements.

• IO 4. Digital support for procedures and tools for developing non-formal qualifications and learning outcomes suitable for validation.

As a result of this project, both policy makers as well as non-formal education and training providers will get practical examples of different approaches. Policy makers draw inspiration from the policy recommendations and the good practice examples on how to further open the NQF framework and how it can be better utilized in terms of Lifelong Learning. The learning providers will have access to tools that steer the process of describing qualifications in terms of learning outcomes and how the validation procedures can be carried out within the non-formal learning framework. NOVA provides capacity building for all target groups.

As the project partnership has wide national, Nordic and European networks dealing with validation, qualifications development, EQF/NQF development as well as other Lifelong Learning issues, and as all the partners are engaged with the same issues in their daily work, the long term impacts are easily detectable and further development of the tools designed in this project is foreseen. In all partner countries, there are national development projects emerging which aim at validation of non-formal learning, NQFs as well as a learning outcome-based approach within the sector.

This project will enhance and support the national developments as well as overall European aspirations to strengthen the role of non-formal learning, validation and their link to NQFs.

Project Website

http://novanordic.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 239186 Eur

Project Coordinator

MYNDIGHETEN FOR YRKESHOGSKOLAN & Country: SE

Project Partners

• Globedu
• FRAEDSLUMIDSTOD ATVINNULIFS EHF