Key research questions – what are the research questions that are relevant to this area of policy development and implementation, especially the development of European Reference Levels and a European Qualifications Framework? How might the findings be triangulated to provide a theoretical paradigm for evaluating the contribution to the Objectives for 2010? Which strategies for Validating Non-formal and Informal Learning provide compelling evidence of increasing participation in lifelong learning by adults with traditionally low participation? Which strategies for Validating Non-formal and Informal Learning provide compelling evidence of helping employers to identify their skills and job requirements and employees’ training needs more accurately? Which strategies for Validating Non-formal and Informal Learning provide compelling evidence of improving the matching of people to jobs and facilitating further study by certifying peoples’ skills and emphasising these skills to themselves and employers? Which strategies for Validating Non-formal and Informal Learning provide compelling evidence of direct ways in which individuals lacking the necessary officially recognised diplomas are provided with access to formal qualifications or as “door openers” to higher education courses? Which strategies for Validating Non-formal and Informal Learning provide compelling evidence of improvement in the efficiency of the VET system by reducing the time taken by individuals to achieve a given qualification? Which strategies for Validating Non-formal and Informal Learning provide compelling evidence of helping the social inclusion of disadvantaged or disabled people? How and why do these strategies work in and/or between member states and sectors?