QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS: QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS: DEVELOPMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS AND

CHALLENGES FORCHALLENGES FOR PROFESSIONAL HIGHER PROFESSIONAL HIGHER

EDUCATIONEDUCATION

EURASHEEURASHE

Budapest, March 10, 2010Budapest, March 10, 2010

Sjur Bergan, Council of EuropeSjur Bergan, Council of Europe

WHAT IS A WHAT IS A QUALIFICATION?QUALIFICATION?

QualityQualityEffort required (credits)Effort required (credits)LevelLevelProfileProfileLearning outcomesLearning outcomes

QUALIFICATIONS QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKFRAMEWORK

How qualifications fit together within and between How qualifications fit together within and between systemssystems

Description of all qualifications in a given (higher) Description of all qualifications in a given (higher) education systemeducation system

Description of how these qualifications articulateDescription of how these qualifications articulate Description of how learners can move between Description of how learners can move between

qualifications within a systemqualifications within a system Description understandable to informed foreignersDescription understandable to informed foreigners Description of learning outcomesDescription of learning outcomes

An instrument to describe and make sense An instrument to describe and make sense of diversityof diversity

MINISTERS IN BERGEN 2005, MINISTERS IN BERGEN 2005, LONDON 2007 AND LEUVEN LONDON 2007 AND LEUVEN

20092009We have an overarching framework We have an overarching framework

(adopted in Bergen 2005)(adopted in Bergen 2005)We will develop national frameworks We will develop national frameworks

compatible with the EHEA framework compatible with the EHEA framework and prepared for self certification by and prepared for self certification by 2012 (2012 (Leuven changed deadlineLeuven changed deadline))

This is a steep challenge and we This is a steep challenge and we need continued coordination even if need continued coordination even if QFs are ultimately a national QFs are ultimately a national responsibilityresponsibility

FRAMEWORKS AND FRAMEWORKS AND FRAMEWORKFRAMEWORK

National frameworkNational framework closest to the closest to the

operational realityoperational reality owned by national owned by national

systemsystem ultimately determines ultimately determines

what qualifications what qualifications learners will earn learners will earn

describe the describe the qualifications within a qualifications within a given education given education system and how they system and how they interlink interlink

Overarching Overarching frameworkframework

facilitates movement facilitates movement between systems between systems

face of “Bologna face of “Bologna qualifications” to the qualifications” to the rest of the world rest of the world

provides the broad provides the broad structure within which structure within which national qualifications national qualifications frameworks will be frameworks will be developed (“outer developed (“outer limits” for diversity)limits” for diversity)

OVERACHING OVERACHING FRAMEWORKSFRAMEWORKS

Bologna (QF-EHEA)Bologna (QF-EHEA) Adopted 2005Adopted 2005 46 countries46 countries Higher education onlyHigher education only 3 levels with 3 levels with

possibility for possibility for intermediate intermediate qualifications in qualifications in national frameworksnational frameworks

Overseen by BFUG Overseen by BFUG and WG QFsand WG QFs

EQF Lifelong learningEQF Lifelong learning Adopted 2008Adopted 2008 32 countries32 countries All levels of education All levels of education

in a lifelong learning in a lifelong learning perspectiveperspective

8 levels8 levels Overseen by EQF Overseen by EQF

Advisory Board and Advisory Board and the European the European CommissionCommission

TWO EUROPEAN TWO EUROPEAN FRAMEWORKS, BUT…FRAMEWORKS, BUT…

Close cooperation between the two Close cooperation between the two overarching frameworksoverarching frameworks

The two frameworks are compatible The two frameworks are compatible even if the wording is not identicaleven if the wording is not identical

Most importantly: it is entirely Most importantly: it is entirely possible to develop national possible to develop national frameworks compatible with both frameworks compatible with both overarching frameworksoverarching frameworks

CHALLENGESCHALLENGES

Learning outcomesLearning outcomesQualifications frameworks and quality Qualifications frameworks and quality

assuranceassuranceQualifications frameworks and Qualifications frameworks and

recognitionrecognitionStakeholder involvementStakeholder involvementSelf certificationSelf certificationFurther regional cooperation in Central Further regional cooperation in Central

Europe?Europe?

PARTICULAR CHALLENGES PARTICULAR CHALLENGES FOR PROFESSIONAL HE?FOR PROFESSIONAL HE?

Articulation higher education Articulation higher education framework/VET/general frameworkframework/VET/general framework

Academic and professional HE Academic and professional HE degrees: common or separate paths?degrees: common or separate paths?

What are the specific competences What are the specific competences of professional HE?of professional HE?

WEB SITESWEB SITES

Bologna QF web siteBologna QF web sitehttp://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogerhttp://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hoger

onderwijs/bologna/qf/qf.asponderwijs/bologna/qf/qf.asp

Council of Europe HE siteCouncil of Europe HE sitehttp://www.coe.int/t/dg4/highereducahttp://www.coe.int/t/dg4/highereduca

tion/Default_en.asption/Default_en.asp

EQF siteEQF sitehttp://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelonghttp://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong

-learning-policy/doc44_en.htm-learning-policy/doc44_en.htm