National Qualification Frameworks (NQFs) allow to link existing qualifications of different levens and types in a coherent and consistent way, based on a common set of criteria.

Why are national qualifications frameworks important?

Putting this superstructure into place allows to see what different qualifications really mean and how they compare. They also help trace learning pathways people can follow throughout their lives. No matter how far you get, the process of discussing NQFs inevitably leads to review all the key elements in a country's education and training sytem - how they relate to other parts of the sytem and how they feed into the labour market.

Thus, regardless of whether a country finally develops an NQF, the process of thinking about one can be used as a strategic tool for guiding the overall modernisation of the education and training system. NQFs can be particularly useful for easing the transition from traditional systems based on inputs - number of students, teachers, years of study - to ones that are managed and funded according to the quality of the learning process and its outcomes.


What is the aim of this project?

The project aims to build on previous experience of developing a pilot qualification framework in the tourism sector to draw out the lessons learnt and make them available to project participants and policymakers. With the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine, we are examining how non-formal and informal learning could be validated and what mechanisms would be needed to do so. With the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, we are developing competence-based modular curricula for the tourism sector.


How are we doing this?

The project has progressed from technical work on defining progress and learning outcomes based qualifications to discussing the key policy issues and lessons learnt. Due to major differences between countries in terms of policy awareness, technical capacities and institutionalised social dialogue, different approaches are being taken.

during 2008, draft policy papers and pilot frameworks for tourism were finalised in all countries, although, for the above reasons, the finished product was uneven.

This year we are consolidating and disseminating the results through activities to promote sharing of experience and know-how between countries through peer reviews, dissemination publications and seminars. We are also continuing development work in Central Asia, with the accent on using learning outcomes as a basis for curriculum development and assessment.

We are working with ENP countries to develop ways of validating non-formal and informal learning by means of a study tour. The follow-up seminar in Russia will be linked to a new Russian and Ukrainian project on the recognition of prior learning, financed by the Finnish government and the ETF.