DevelopingorganisationalandfinancialmodelsforincludingnonformalsectorqualificationsinNationalQualificationsFrameworks:2015-2018

AnErasmus+Project

TheNQF-INProjectpartnermeetings

FirstpartnermeetinginWarsaw

SecondpartnermeetinginDublin

ThirdpartnermeetinginSplit

OnNovember 24-25, 2015, theNQF-IN Project Kick-offMeeting took place inWarsaw at theEducationalResearch Institute.Themeeting initiated implementationof theErasmus+project“Developingorganisationalandfinancialmodelsforincludingnon-formalsectorqualificationsinNationalQualificationsFrameworks”.

GOAL

The main goal of the NQF-IN project is to provide evidence-based support to nationalgovernments,EUagenciesandkeystakeholdersindevelopingpoliciesforincludingnon-formalVETqualificationintoNQFs.Thiswillbedoneby:

(1)analysingsystemicsolutionsimplementedin7EUcountriesand;

(2) developing organisational and financial models related to the inclusion of non-formalqualificationstoNQFs.

Eachanalysedcountrycasewillincludeadescriptionof:

(a)themainelementsofthequalificationssystemandtheroleoftheNQF;

(b)institutionalarrangements–whichinstitutionsareresponsibleforNQFmanagementandthequalityassuranceofnon-formalqualifications;

(c)costsofincludingqualificationsintotheNQF,indicatingwhocoversthesecosts;

(d)thestrengthsandweaknessesofparticularsystemicsolutions.

Eachdevelopedmodelwillincludeadescriptionof:

(a) institutionalarrangements– itsprosandconsdependingonthegoalsset fortheNQFandthebroadinstitutionalcontext,

(b)costintensity–howcostintensivearethesystemicsolutionsenvisagedbythemodel,

(c)recommendationsonitsfinancing,

(d)“conditionsofsuccess”,i.e.whichconditionshavetobemetinorderforaparticularmodeltoworkeffectivelywithinanationalqualificationssystem.

The project partners expect that better evidence-based support for decision makers andstakeholderswill providemore impetus and greater efficiency inNQF implementation and itsopeninguptothenon-formalsector,resultinginbetterVETandLLLpolicieswithinEUcountriesandattheEUlevel.

Representatives of all seven project Partners participated in the kick-off meeting: DublinInstitute of Technology, Ireland (represented by Dr. Anne Murphy), Educational Authority,Hungary (Ms. Erzsébet Szlamka andMr. Zoltán Loboda), University of Split,Croatia (Ms. TeaReić),CentreforResearchonQualifications(CÉREQ),France(representedbyMr.MatteoSgarziand Ms. Josiane Paddeu), National Institute for Education, Czech Republic (Mr. Jan Brůha),ScottishCreditandQualificationsPartnership,UnitedKingdom(Ms.SheilaDunn)andleaderoftheproject:EducationalResearch Institute,Poland (Dr.AgnieszkaChłoń-Domińczak,Prof.EwaChmielecka,Dr.StanisławSławiński,Mr.HoracyDębowski,Ms.AgataPoczmańska,Ms.BarbaraPrzybylska, Ms. Sylwia Walicka). Additionally, the project will involve the following silentpartners: German Federal Institute of VET (BIBB), Dutch National Agency NCP NLQF andLuxembourgMinistryofEducation.

SincethenpartnermeetingshavebeenheldinDublinandinSplit,Croatia.

COUNTRYREPORTS

Each partner country produced a County Report regarding how non-formal qualifications areincludedintheirnationalframeworkofqualifications.

FirstdraftCountryReportswerecompletedbyFebruary2017.

Eachreportwillbepeer-reviewedbypartnersandsubsequentlyexternallyreviewedby‘silent’partnersuptoSeptember2017.

A conference will be held in Prague in Autumn 2017 to present the findings of the CountryReports.

FINDINGSANDRECOMMENDATIONS

Thereafter comparative analysis will be done to identify models of inclusion of non-formalqualificationsinnationalframeworkstogetherwithoperationalandfinancialmodelswhichmaybe useful in informing both NQF policies and operational arrangements. The findings of thisanalysiswillbepresentedatafinalconferenceinSpring2018.

Furtherinformation

All informationandnewsrelatedtotheNQF-INprojectcanbefoundattheproject’swebsite:www.nqf-in.eu.