QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA) IN FINLAND: OVERVIEWCurrent situation with the Finnish NQF

Dr. Carita BlomqvistHead of UnitRecognition and International Comparability of QualificationsPrague 21-22 October 2010

Elements of the QA system

• National steering system for education policy• Evaluation systems of education providers

(institutions)• External evaluation activities• QA system is largely based on legislation• International policies on QA are being

increasingly reflected in the national QA system• Influence of international co-operation

Legislation on education

• Basis of QA and evaluation• Lays down provisions on education providers’

obligation to evaluate education• Legislation is based on trust and gives education

providers and other institutions extensive powers in matters pertaining to the evaluation of education and QA

• The actors determine their own QA systems and set the QA criteria within the guidelines and framework provided by educational policy

Legislation on education

• In self-evaluation processes, the most popular methods and frameworks include evaluation for development, for example multiple constituency or peer review, frameworks of comprehensive QA or self-developed models and indicators

• Self-evaluation must be systematic and regular

Quality assurance systems of education providers• Internal evaluation and feedback systems• Indicators• Quality criteria• Internal steering of activities• Utilisation of feedback information e.g. from

students, labour market, alumni

External evaluation• Organised by the Finnish Education Evaluation Council

and the Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council• In addition, evaluations and monitoring activities are

performed by numerous other bodies, such as the Finnish National Board of Education, the State Provincial Offices, the Academy of Finland and international bodies, and to some extent also the National Audit Office of Finland

• National education evaluation plan 2009-2011: aim to increase the impact, stability and predictability of the external evaluation of education

External evaluation• Status, theme and system evaluations• External evaluation of quality assurance systems• Supporting education providers in matters

pertaining to quality assurance• Trust!

External evaluation: Publications by the Finnish Education Evaluation Council, some examples • How vocational skills demonstrations have been

implemented in practice• Evaluation of pedagogy in Finnish upper secondary

education• Social and communicative competencies in vocational basic

education. • Working together round the table. The regional

development impact of vocational education and training• ESF funding and the organization of learning at work• Co-operation for organizing education in upper secondary

education and vocational education and training• Apprenticeship Training in Vocational Education

Finnish National Framework for Qualifications and Other Learning (NQF), background• Development Plan for Education and Research 2007-2012:

A national qualifications framework based on the description of learning outcomes will be prepared by the end of 2010.

• The Ministry of Education appointed a Committee in August 2008. The report was submitted in August 2009.

• Public consultation 8 – 10/2009 (comments and feedback from stakeholders). 86 statements were received.

• National seminars, information meetings • Based on Committee proposal and feedback received,

some changes were made to the proposal (e.g. descriptors)

Finnish National Framework for Qualifications and Other Learning (NQF), current situation• Government proposal for national legislation was

prepared by the Ministry of Education and Culture, with the support from the National Committee

• Proposal was sent for public consultation 5-6/2010• Based on consultation, small further changes were

made• Proposal for the Parliament in September 2010• Legal basis for the NQF in force in January 2011?• The NQF is based on the European Qualifications

Framework and has eight levels.

The Government proposal: descriptors

• The EQF level descriptors have been clarified and further developed based on a national perspective.

• The Finnish NQF describes the learning outcomes as knowledge, skills and competence, but does not distinguish between different dimensions of learning outcomes.

• The following dimensions of learning outcomes are described: knowledge, skills, responsibility, management, entrepreneurship, evaluation and the key skills of lifelong learning.

• The NQF includes the qualifications specified in the legislation of the education authorities and other administrative sectors.

The Committee’s Proposal on the levels (1 - 5)NQF/EQFLevel

Qualification

123 Basic Education Syllabus4 Upper Secondary School syllabus and Matriculation

Examination, Vocational Upper Secondary Qualifications, Further Vocational Qualifications, Basic Examination in Prison Services, Certificate in Police Studies, Fire Fighter Examination, Emergency Response Centre Operator Examination

5 Specialist Vocational Qualifications, Finnish PoliceSergeant’s Examination, Sub-Officer Examination (rescue services)

The Government Proposal on the levels (6 - 8)

NQF/EQFLevel

Qualification

6 Bachelor’s Degrees in Polytechnics, Bachelor’s Degrees in Universities

7 Master Degrees in Polytechnics, Master Degrees in Universities

8 Pre-doctoral Licentiate Degrees, Specialist Degree in Medicine, Specialist Degree in Dentistry, Specialist Degree in Veterinary Medicine, General Staff Officer’s Degree, Doctorates

Further measures

Ministry of Education: coordination of follow-up workCoordination of the implementation together with other ministries and stakeholdersSpecial emphasis in expansion of the framework towards a competence framework

National Board of Education has been nominated as the National Coordination Point in 2008: the NBE will prepare a plan for dissemination and implementation of the NQF

Some notions on the process this farPreparing NQF has been fairly easy because• There is a clear structure of qualifications• Predominantly learning outcomes approach already

exists in education• There are no problems in access to next level of

education (safeguarded by legislation)• E.g. Finnish vocational qualifications have given

access to all higher education already for a long time

• Recognition of prior learning has been an emphasis for at least 5 years, possible at all levels

Some notions on the process this farPreparing NQF has been fairly easy because• Proposal for Higher Education Qualifications

Framework exists since 2005 • Feed-back from public consultations has been

positive• NQF has aroused interest among stakeholders

(and led to intensified discussion on education)

More information

• www.minedu.fi• www.oph.fi/recognition• www.edev.fi• www.kka.fi• recognition@oph.fi