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Recognition and validation of qualifications and skills for refugees: selected practices from Europe

People that flee from their home country seeking shelter in another country have a history; they have gone to schoo... Show more
People that flee from their home country seeking shelter in another country have a history; they have gone to school, many have worked, they have acquired qualifications and skills. If host countries could make use of the qualifications and skills of refugees this would contribute to economic and social inclusion of refugees, which would benefit both the host country, and the refugee. Turkey hosts around three million registered Syrian refugees. This poses enormous challenges to the country, finding the economic resources to ensure refugees' living conditions, as well as the social and cultural difficulties of their integration into the Turkish society. Early entry into the labour market helps refugees become self-sufficient and gives them the time, energy and resources to actively engage with their host community. Many refugees in Turkey are working but almost all of them are employed in informal, low paid jobs. In areas where Syrian refugees are residing in big numbers, this informal employment pushes the wages down and causes an unfair competition for local people.
This report explores procedures for recognition and validation of qualifications and skills for refugees in a number of European countries. Recognition and validation are important elements of qualification systems that can contribute to labour market integration of refugees, migrants and local citizens. Qualifications Frameworks can serve as a useful tool for the assessment of qualifications and skills in relation to qualification framework levels, learning outcomes and workload. Local authorities can develop procedures for recognition and validation as part of National Qualifications Frameworks tools and instruments. This report does not provide an exhaustive overview of initiatives but presents a selection of practices in Europe that might inspire authorities and stakeholders in Turkey and contribute to their debate about improving skills and labour market integration of refugees and host communities.
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Corporate authors: European Training Foundation (ETF)

Conference name: Improving skills and labour market integration for refugees and host communities

Date: 2017

Geographic subjects: Turkey; Asia; Norway ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Qualifications; Migration; Skills and knowledge ... [+] Show more
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Learning outcomes in professional contexts in higher education

With the policy of developing a transparent and competitive European higher education sector, learning outcomes (LO... Show more
With the policy of developing a transparent and competitive European higher education sector, learning outcomes (LOs) are attributed a foundation stone role in policy and curriculum development. A premise for their implementation is that they bear fundamental similarities across national, institutional or professional/disciplinary contexts. In contrast, detractors suggest that LOs cannot communicate precisely across programmes or national boundaries. With this as a backdrop, this article analyses how LOs are used to communicate what students are to learn and the extent to which their use drives standardisation. The analysis is based on a case study of how LOs are formulated in study programme documents in two professional education programmes in Norway and the UK.
The findings indicate that LOs can be considered to drive standardisation through the same presentation using bullet points. The study also finds that LOs are framed in different ways in the two countries and within the different study programmes and in a web of interconnected documents. This 'local' structural use of LOs disrupts their 'foundation stone' role as a vehicle for standardisation and weakens the establishment of sameness across institutions and nations.
Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Authors: Proitz, Tine S.; Havnes, Anton; Briggs, Mary; Scott, Ian

Date: 2017

Geographic subjects: Europe; Great Britain; Norway

Resource type: Article

Journal title: European journal of education: research, development and policy

Subjects: Higher education; Qualifications; Outcomes ... [+] Show more
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National qualifications framework developments in Europe 2017

Cedefop has been working on transparency and recognition of qualifications since the 1980s and has helped shape the... Show more
Cedefop has been working on transparency and recognition of qualifications since the 1980s and has helped shape the European qualifications framework (EQF), adopted in 2008 and revised in 2017. The long-term priority of the EQF is to strengthen transparency and comparability of European qualifications, to support mobility and progression of students and workers across national and institutional borders. The EQF has triggered development of national qualifications frameworks (NQFs) across Europe. This publication on the latest NQF developments aims to share how 43 NQFs in 39 countries participating in the EQF implementation (28 EU Member States as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Kosovo, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey) are structured, and how national qualifications have been allocated to NQF levels and linked to the EQF.
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Corporate authors: European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)

Date: 2018

Geographic subjects: Europe; Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: Cedefop information series

Subjects: Qualifications; Governance
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Feasibility Study VET-LSA: a comparative analysis of occupational profiles and VET programmes in 8 European countries: international report

This final international report summarises the results of the Feasibility Study VET-LSA. The major aim of the study... Show more
This final international report summarises the results of the Feasibility Study VET-LSA. The major aim of the study is to find out whether there is a common basis for comparison in selected vocational areas in all participating countries, which is the precondition for a large-scale assessment of vocational education and training (VET-LSA). The study focused on identifying comparable occupational profiles in selected occupational fields and learning outcomes at the end of respective VET programmes. The comparison was focused on selected vocational areas (carmechatronics, electricians craft/industry, business and administration, social and health care) in eight European countries (Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland). The report concludes with recommendations to the Steering Group (government representatives of participating countries). The results will provide a basis for both the construction of frameworks in each vocational area and the definition of measurement dimensions for subsequent test development in a possible future VET-LSA. Show less

Authors: Baethge, Martin; Arends, Lena; Schelten, Andreas; Barke, Antonia ... [+] Show more

Date: 2009

Geographic subjects: Europe; Austria; Denmark ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Government report or paper

Series name: Vocational training research (Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany)

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Research; Assessment ... [+] Show more
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Analysis and overview of NQF developments in European countries

Cedefop's fourth annual report on developments in national qualification frameworks (NQFs) in Europe confirms that ... Show more
Cedefop's fourth annual report on developments in national qualification frameworks (NQFs) in Europe confirms that these frameworks are considered a key way of making qualifications easier to understand and compare within and between countries. It has also found that such frameworks are increasingly used to encourage changes in education and training. For instance, during 2012 some national qualifications frameworks opened up to include qualifications awarded outside the formal public system. Most of the 36 countries working together on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) - the 27 EU Member States, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey - have now agreed on the overall structure of their national frameworks. In addition to the fully operational frameworks in France, Ireland, Malta and the UK, 10 more countries are now entering an early operational phase. The 2012 overview shows that NQFs increasingly interact with and link to arrangements for validating non-formal and informal learning. The recent (December) Council recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning invites Member States to put in place validation arrangements which are linked to NQFs and in line with the EQF, by 2018. The progress made on NQFs has made it possible for more countries to complete their link to the EQF; 16 countries had linked their national qualifications levels to EQF levels by December 2012.
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Corporate authors: European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)

Date: 2013

Geographic subjects: Europe; Austria; Belgium ... [+] Show more Republic">Czech Republic; Britain">Great Britain; Liechtenstein; for Macedonia (Republic)">Macedonia (Republic); Macedonia">North Macedonia; [-] Show less

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: Cedefop working paper

Subjects: Qualifications; Governance; Vocational education and training ... [+] Show more
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Analysis and overview of national qualifications framework developments in European countries: annual report 2014

In 2014, political commitment and technical work towards developing and implementing national qualifications framew... Show more
In 2014, political commitment and technical work towards developing and implementing national qualifications frameworks (NQFs) across Europe was strengthened. Cedefop's fifth annual report and analysis on European NQF developments confirms that qualifications frameworks are a key tool for improving transparency and comparability of qualifications at national and international levels. Evidence shows that frameworks increasingly trigger reforms and are used to support incremental changes in education and training. Although still uneven across countries and sectors, NQFs have strengthened the implementation of learning outcomes approaches and have brought together stakeholders from different sectors of education, training and employment in renewal and development of new qualifications, for example at [European qualification framework] EQF level 5. More countries are opening up their NQFs to qualifications outside the formal, public system of qualifications, such as those awarded by non-formal and private institutions, and strengthening the links to arrangements for validating non-formal and informal learning. The progress made on NQFs has made it possible for more countries to complete their linking to the EQF; 23 countries had linked their national qualifications levels to EQF levels by December 2014.
Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Corporate authors: European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)

Date: 2015

Geographic subjects: Europe; Austria; Belgium ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: Cedefop working paper

Subjects: Qualifications; Governance; Vocational education and training
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National qualifications frameworks developments in Europe 2019: qualifications frameworks: transparency and added value for end users

The European qualifications framework (EQF) for lifelong learning has existed for more than a decade and is conside... Show more
The European qualifications framework (EQF) for lifelong learning has existed for more than a decade and is considered the most advanced regional qualifications framework in the world. Entering into force in 2008 and revised in 2017, the EQF has become a common reference point for comparing qualifications across institutional and national borders, aiming to increase the overall transparency, comparability, quality and portability of qualifications throughout Europe. The core of the EQF is its eight reference levels defined in learning outcomes: knowledge, skills and autonomy and responsibility. Currently, 39 countries cooperate on the EQF on a voluntary basis: 27 EU Member States, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland), EU candidate countries (Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey), potential candidate countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo), and UK. The purpose of this publication is to provide a brief overview and update on these frameworks, their purposes, structures and implementation.
Part I of the report offers a general overview of implementation of European NQF developments, with a brief discussion on the contribution and impact these frameworks are having. Part II briefly presents each national framework and the way it has been designed and structured. This description is supported by detailed NQF tables showing not only how qualifications and qualification types have been allocated to the national learning-outcomes-based levels, but also their reference to the EQF levels.
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Authors: Grm, Slava Pevec; Bjornavold, Jens; Rusu, Andreea

Date: 2020

Geographic subjects: Albania; Austria; Belgium ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Qualifications; Teaching and learning; Vocational education and training ... [+] Show more
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National qualifications framework developments in European countries: analysis and overview 2015-16

This Cedefop national qualifications framework (NQF) monitoring report confirms that NQFs play a key role in the Eu... Show more
This Cedefop national qualifications framework (NQF) monitoring report confirms that NQFs play a key role in the European qualifications framework (EQF) implementation and in improving transparency and comparability of qualifications nationally and internationally. The 39 countries monitored (28 EU Member States, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Kosovo, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey) are developing and implementing 43 national qualifications frameworks. Most NQFs are comprehensive - covering all levels and types of formal education and training qualifications and promoting learning outcomes perspectives and triggering reform. They have contributed to reinforced and more consistent use of learning outcomes in qualifications, made higher VET (EQF levels 5 to 8) more visible, and supported more systematic implementation of validation of non-formal and informal learning. However, their visibility and use by the labour market is still limited. Sustainability, visibility to end-users, stakeholder involvement, ownership of the process, and consensus-building are among the conditions critical to successful NQF use and impact.
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Corporate authors: European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)

Date: 2018

Geographic subjects: Europe; Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: Cedefop research paper

Subjects: Qualifications; Pathways; Labour market ... [+] Show more
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Foreign diploma versus immigrant background: determinants of labour market success or failure?

This article compares the labour market situation of graduates with different types of international background. Th... Show more
This article compares the labour market situation of graduates with different types of international background. The authors look at four groups of graduates: immigrants and ethnic Norwegians graduated in Norway and immigrants and ethnic Norwegians graduated abroad. By employing multinomial logistic regression analyses the authors find that ethnic Norwegians educated abroad face a higher risk of labour market mismatch in terms of unemployment and overqualification than Norwegians graduated domestically. Non-Western immigrants had an even higher risk of unemployment and skills mismatch, regardless of the origin of their education. The results indicate that education from abroad is not fully transferable to a domestic labour market and, in addition, that forms of discrimination against non-Western immigrants exist.
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Authors: Storen, Liv Anne; Wiers-Jenssen, Jannecke

Date: 2010

Geographic subjects: Norway; Europe

Resource type: Article

Journal title: Journal of studies in international education

Subjects: Labour market; Migration; Students ... [+] Show more
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Country education profiles

The country education profiles (CEPs) are a guide to the education systems of over 115 countries and their comparab... Show more
The country education profiles (CEPs) are a guide to the education systems of over 115 countries and their comparability with Australian qualifications. CEPs contain information about the structure and qualifications of all sectors of a country’s education system, including key points of comparison for assessment purposes i.e. quality indicators, and assessment guidelines for comparing qualifications from the overseas country with qualifications on the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The CEPs are used to inform decisions for a wide variety of purposes including: admission to an educational institution such as a university; employment; migration; and registration with a professional or regulatory body. CEPs are widely used by education institutions, professional bodies, government departments, state and territory Overseas Qualifications Units (OQUs), migration agents, employers, and individuals both in Australia and overseas. The information provided is generally structured around three main sections: (1) Assessment guidelines: what the assessment guidelines mean (contains information that you need to know before using the assessment guidelines); assessment guidelines by sector and their respective institution list; and quality indicators; (2) List of institutions: consolidated list of recognised institutions for the CEP; links to the relevant assessment guidelines page; and where applicable, lists of institutional directories; and (3) Education system: description of the education system by sector, including: admission requirements, courses and qualifications, types of institutions, diagram of education system, grading systems, and teacher education.
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Corporate authors: Australian Education International (AEI)

Date: 2009

Geographic subjects: Asia; Central Asia; Middle East ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Country information

Subjects: Assessment; Secondary education; Quality ... [+] Show more