Currently vocational teachers do not have opportunities to choose the part of study programmes according to their learning needs, since there is no system for recognizing their achievements of non-formal and informal learning. Research problem is: current formal vocational teacher education does not include the system for assessment vocational teachers' didactical achievements, acquired during their non-formal and informal learning.Research object: assessment of vocational teachers' didactical achievements, acquired during their non-formal and informal learning. Purpose: to frame the system for assessment of vocational teachers' didactical achievements acquired during their non-formal and informal learning, and, to substantiate its parameters. Research objectives areo To reveal the conception of formal, non-formal and informal learning in a context of lifelong learning, and to describe the forms of vocational teachers' learning as well as the factors, that stimulate their learning; o To analyze the needs and presumptions of assessment of vocational teachers' didactical achievements, gained during their non-formal and informal learning; o To explore the process of assessment and recognition of vocational teachers' non-formal and informal learning basing on systematic approach, as well as to distinguish and substantiate the parameters, characterizing the system for assessment and recognition of vocational teachers' didactical achievements (acquired during their non-formal and informal learning); o To verify the relevance of system parameters empirically, according to expertise of vocational teachers, vocational teacher educators and heads of vocational schools.Statements to be defended:1. vocational teachers participate in the processes of formal education, as well as non-formal and informal learning, however their didactical competencies acquired during non-formal and informal learning are not recognized. There is a need to recognize these competencies, to be able to choose the part of educational programme, according to the individual learning needs;2. the conditions for assessment and recognition of non-formal and informal learning of vocational teachers are the following: relevance to the context (i.e. the needs of vocational teachers education system), legal base, occupational standard of vocational teacher, methodology of assessment, assessing institutions and the specialists of assessment; 3. the system for assessment and recognition of vocational teachers' didactical achievements (acquired during their non-formal and informal learning) is characterized by the following parameters:o principals (of occupational standards; of assessors' competence assurance; of practical adaptability of assessment results; of accessibility) and goals (to improve the quality of vocational teacher education; to estimate the value of prior learning; to increase the accessibility of education according individual learning needs; to examine which competencies need to be acquired or developed),o functions (improvement of vocational teacher education system; assessment and recognition of didactical learning achievements; supporting the information for the interested parties; updating the assessment system),o structure (sub-systems of influence and implementation) and processes (the main ones: identification of competencies to be recognized, assessment of learning achievements, recognition and certification of competencies, preparation of personal learning plan; and the maintaining ones: defining assessment criteria and methods, periodical need analyses, development of assessors' qualification, improvement of assessment methodology).- Analysis of scientific literature and documents - Systematical analysis - Expert survey - Statistical analysis1. The results of literature review as well as empirical research revealed that vocational teachers acquire their didactical competencies not only participating in formal vocational teacher education programmes, but also taking part in the processes of lifelong learning (searching for information in specialized literature, Internet, delivering their own and observing colleague teaching, participating in seminars and various development projects). 2. Recognition of vocational teachers non-formal and informal learning achievements is the underlying issue in vocational teacher education context, but no practice has jet appeared neither in Lithuania, nor in other EU countries. The results of empirical research have approved the need for recognition of vocational teachers' non-formal and informal learning achievements.3. Basing on systematic approach, the main parameters, characterizing the system for assessment and recognition of vocational teachers' didactical achievements, are: principles and goals (as the needs of the surrounding system and guidelines for the activity of the assessment and recognition system - as input), functions (as output), structure, and processes (as throughput). The research results allowed justifying these parameters.3.1. System for assessment and recognition of vocational teachers didactical competencies (acquired during their non-formal and informal learning) belongs to surrounding - vocational teacher education system, therefore its expedience and way of activity depend on its abilities to provide the surrounding system with required functions, according to its needs, which are formulated as principles and goals. Principles and goals are formulated by the participants of the surrounding system - vocational teachers, vocational teacher educators and heads of vocational schools.3.2. System for assessment and recognition of vocational teachers didactical achievements, acquired during their non-formal and informal learning includes the Influencing sub-system (directly interrelating with vocational teacher formal education system) and the Implementing sub-system. The Influencing sub-system includes interrelated elements, such as legal base, occupational standard of vocational teacher, assessment methodology, assessment institutions as well as the assessors. The Implementing sub-system includes the direct (identification of competencies to be recognized, assessment of learning outcomes, certification of competencies), and the maintaining (periodical needs analyses, improving assessors qualification, development of assessment methodology) processes. 4. Didactical achievements of vocational teachers may be assessed and recognized in that case if there is an occupational standard, assessment methodology, specially educated assessors (possessing didactical as well as assessor qualification), accredited assessment institutions, modular study programmes, and the legal base, regulating the above mentioned factors. Having examined the context in Lithuania, the conclusion can be made, that the legal base is insufficient and not covering the assessment and recognition of vocational teachers' learning achievements; the occupational standard has been created, but it is not jet approved by state; there is no reasoned methodology of assessment; the qualification of assessor as well as the activity of assessing institutions is not determined. 5. There are three main steps in the process of recognizing competencies, and each of these steps requires complex activity of assessor. 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