THE CERTIFICATION SYSTEMOF COMPETENCE IN ITALY

In Italy, the birth of a certification system in line with the objectives of Lisbon and the Bruges process-Copenhagen has progressively assumed concrete dimensions, through the realisation of formative channels like the IFTS courses or the Adult Education Courses and through the foundation of the Citizen’s Training Logbook (Libretto formativo del cittadino), as laid out in the decree no.276, 2003.

The logbook constitutes an instrument to document the acquired competencies of the citizen and to certify the training credits achieved in:

• Formal contexts (traditional ways of learning)

• Non-formal contexts (training experience)

• Informal contexts(life experience)

The above decree defines this instrument in the following way: “[…] personal worker’s logbook (according to the State-Regions Agreement of the 18th February 2000)…….in which the competencies acquired during apprenticeship are registered; training during insertion contract, specialist training and continual training taking place during the entire working life and carried out by individuals accredited by the Regions, as well as the competencies acquired in non-formal and informal ways as outlined in the policies of the European Union in permanent ways of learning provided that they are recognised and certified.

It was highlighted within a national ambit, the importance of the role of the social parties, in addition to that of the trainers, teachers and of the business sector, in the achievement of the documents and useful devices for the legitimization of a model of validation of such training processes.

The ageing of the Italian population means a constant revision of knowledge and competence is necessary and that Italy must maintain its work force in the labour market with up-to-date knowledge.The lifelong learning represents the cornerstone of this process and leaves the learning process fundamentally adapted to this need, and above all the certification of the training process.

National education certificates system

The educational system issues educational qualifications having a value usable within the educational system itself (prosecution of studies) and in the world of work.

All the final certificates of the 5 years Upper Secondary Education pathways allow both access to the university and participation in public examinations or job applications requiring an upper secondary education certificate. In the case of some professions subject to regulations, the educational qualification (certificate) is one of the requisites for access to the procedures for authorisation and registration in professional associations and registers.

The certificate concluding secondary-education studies, distinguished according to the educational streams involved, is awarded after passing the State examination.Since 1999, the certificate is accompanied by a supplementary certificate specifying the characteristics of the curriculum followed by the student.

The Qualification Certificate and the Maestro d'Arte (Master of Applied Arts) Certificate are educational qualifications issued after 3 years pathways; they allow the prosecution of studies respectively in the vocational education and art education pathways.

Regional vocational training certificates system

The vocational training system issues certificates (qualification certificates and licences) organised at regional level. Since 2001 (see decree No.174/2001) certain principles of certification apply at national level.The unified qualification certificate and the Citizen's Training Booklet are the current models of certification at national level.

Education and learning

In education, portfolio refers to a personal collection of information describing and documenting a person’s achievements and learning. There is a variety of portfolios ranging from learning logs to extended collections of achievement evidence. Portfolios are used for many different purposes such as accreditation of prior experience, job search, continuing professional development, certification of competences.

The recent explosion of knowledge, information and learning technologies has led to the development of digital portfolios or electronic portfolios, commonly referred as ePortfolios.

3 PARTS OF A LANGUAGE PORTFOLIO

Language Passport

The Passport section provides an overview of the individual's proficiency in different languages at a given point in time; the overview is defined in terms of skills and the common reference levels in the Common European Framework.

It records formal qualifications and describes language competencies and significant language and intercultural learning experiences; it includes information on partial and specific competence; it allows for self-assessment, teacher assessment and assessment by educational institutions and examinations boards; it requires that information entered in the Passport states on what basis, when and by whom the assessment was carried out.

To facilitate pan-European recognition and mobility a standard presentation of a Passport Summary is promoted by the Council of Europe for ELPs for adults.

The electronic version of the standard Language Passport for adults is one of the Europass documents, a European Union initiative to 

• Make your skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood in Europe (European Union, EFTA/EEA and candidate countries);

• Move anywhere in Europe.

Language Biography

The Language Biography facilitates the learner's involvement in planning, reflecting upon and assessing his or her learning process and progress; it encourages the learner to state what he/she can do in each language and to include information on linguistic and cultural experiences gained in and outside formal educational contexts; it is organised to promote plurilingualism i.e. the development of competencies in a number of languages.

Dossier

The Dossier offers the learner the opportunity to select materials to document and illustrate achievements or experiences recorded in the Language Biography or Passport.

Link

• www.indire.it

• http://culture2.coe.int

• http//europass.cedefop.eu.int