European Approaches to Enhance Permeability between Vocational and Higher Education through Accreditation of Learning Outcomes

Author(s):

Roland TutschnerJustin RamiMarja-Leena StenströmM'Hamed DifWolfgang MüskensKarin Luomi-Messerer

Conference:

ECER 2009

Network:

2. Vocational Education and Training (VETNET)

Format:

Symposium

Session Information

02 SES 07 A, European Approaches to Enhance Permeability between Vocational and Higher Education through Accreditation of Learning Outcomes

Symposium

Time:

2009-09-29

15:30-17:00

Room:

HG, HS 23

Chair:

Roland Tutschner

Discussant:

John Lalor

Contribution

The improvement of education and training is a key priority within the EU’s Lisbon strategy (2000), and the implementation of this goal in the domain of vocational education has been specified by the Copenhagen declaration of 2002. Its primary objectives are the establishment of a European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and a European Credit Transfer System for VET (ECVET), as well as common principles for the accreditation of informal and non-formal learning. With regard to vocational education and training this leads to the question of how vocational learning outcomes (i.e. knowledge, skills and competences acquired in VET and other learning settings related to occupations and skilled work) can be accredited for higher education. In some European countries we can observe different concepts of accreditation of vocational learning outcomes for higher education. These concepts and instruments are in the focus of the CREDIVOC (“Transparency and Mobility through Accreditation of Vocational Learning Outcomes”) project. In the partner countries we can identify different systems, strategies and instruments of accreditation. In France and Ireland there are well-established procedures of accreditation, namely VAE (Validation of Acquired Experiences) and AP(E)L (Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning). In Austria, Germany and Finland, on the other hand, no commonly accepted procedures are in place yet. In Germany the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) initiated a cluster of pilot projects on “Learning pathways from Vocational Education to Higher Education” (ANKOM Initiative) in 2005. In this initiative different instruments for the accreditation of vocational learning outcomes to higher education have been developed. One example is the “Module Level Indicator” (MLI) developed by the University of Oldenburg. In Austria there exists an informal practice of accreditation of vocational learning to study programmes on a university of applied sciences in Vienna. The aim of the symposium is to present und discuss innovative accreditation systems, instruments and examples of good practice for the accreditation of vocational learning outcomes to higher education from Austria, Finland, France, Germany and Ireland. The presentations are based on a common analytical framework which has been developed by the CREDIVOC partners.

Method

The papers are based on the case studies and piloting activities carried out within the CREDIVOC project. In the first project phase (2007-2008) a state of the art report on the situation in the partner countries concerning the accreditation of prior learning has been prepared (Tutschner, Wittig & Rami, forthcoming). In the second phase (2008-2009) national in-depth case studies on selected instruments, e.g. an exemplary equivalence check by means of the Module Level Indicator between two study programmes at a technical college and a university of applied sciences in Germany, are carried out. The preliminary results of these national case studies are presented in the papers.

Expected Outcomes

The purpose of the symposium is to present key findings of the second phase of the CREDIVOC project, which is concerned with the identification of good practice and the examination and evaluation of selected instruments and procedures. The papers will present empirical evidence concerning the performance of the accreditation procedures investigated, and will discuss possible implications and perspectives for a European transfer of these instruments. These conclusions are expected to contribute to the overall debate on the transparency and recognition of learning outcomes as well as to the formulation of policy recommendations.

References

BOUDER, A. & KIRSCH, J.-L. (2007): “The French Vocational Education and Training System: like an unrecognised prototype?”, In the “European Journal of Education”, Vol.42, N°. 4, 2007, pp.503-521. CENTRTE INFFO (2002): « Vers une nouvelle culture de la reconnaissance du travail et des activités », Supplément à INFFO FLASH N° 588-589, avril-mai. DIF, M. (2008): “On the Validation of Acquired Experiential Learning within the French VET System: Its functioning and role in promoting professionalisation and LLL”, ”, in L. Deitmer, P. Kämäräinen and S. Manning (Eds.): Proceedings of the ECER-VETNET Conference 2008, "From Teaching to Learning" in Gothenburg - Sweden (10 -12 September 2008). DIF, M. (2007): “Accreditation of experiential learning in vocational education to foster professionalisation”, in Bernd Baumgartl, Fatma Mizikaci and Dean Owen (Eds.): “from here to there: Mileposts of European higher education”, Naverme/Publications, Vol.7B, March, pp.151-159. Dif, M. (2002): “Accreditation for Experiential Learning in France: Evaluation and perspectives”, In S.Manning, T. Griffiths & M.T. Oliveira (eds.), VETNET ECER 2002 Proceedings: “Current research in European vocational education and human resource development” (http://www.b.shuttle.de/wifo/abstract/!ecer02a.htm#Dif). DIF, M. (2001): ”Competence assessment and accreditation for an integrated formal and non-formal learning: a French perspective, paper presented at JVET Fourth International Conference, 16-18 July 2001, University of Wolverhampton, UK. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00001784.htm. EC (2007): “The European Qualifications Framework (EQF)”., European Communities, 2007 HAWLEY, J. & ROY, S. (2007): “European inventory on validation of informal and non-formal learning: France”, CEDEFOP. KIRSCH, E. (1999) : « Evaluer les acquis de l’expérience : Entre normes de certification et singularité des parcours professionnels », Céreq Bref, n° 159, décembre , pp.1-4. KNOCK B., PADDEU J., SAVOYANT A., TESSIER J. & RIVOIRE B. (2002) : « Validation des acquis par l’éducation nationale : Dix ans d’expérience », in Supplément à INFFO FLASH, N°588-589, avril - mai, pp.4-5 LABRUYERE, CH. (2005) : « La VAE, quels candidats, pour quels diplômes ? », Céreq Bref ,n° 230, May 2006. http://www.cereq.fr/cereq/b230.pdf . LABRUYERE, CH. et al (2002) : « La validation des acquis professionnels : Bilan des pratiques actuels, enjeux pour les dispositifs futurs », Céreq Bref n° 185, avril , pp.1-4. http://www.cereq.fr/cereq/b185.pdf . M.E.N.R.T., (2000): « Validation des acquis professionnels par le système éducatif : une nouvelle composantes de l’activité de certification », Note d’ Information, N° 41, octobre. M.E.N.R.T., (1998): Validation des acquis professionnels (1994-1997): bilan et perspectives, Publication du Ministère de l'Education Nationale, de la Recherche et de la Technologie (M.E.N.R.T.). TERROT, N. (1997): Histoire de l’éducation des adultes en France, L’Harmattan, Paris Tutschner, R., Wittig, W., Rami, J. (eds.), forthcoming: Accreditation of Vocational Learning Outcomes: Perspectives for a European Transfer, Bremen.

Author Information

Roland Tutschner

University of Bremen

ITB

Bremen

Justin Rami

Dublin City University

School of Education Studies

Dublin

Marja-Leena Stenström

University of Jyväskylä

Institutute for Educational Research

Jyväskylä

M'Hamed Dif

University of Strasbourg (UdS)

BETA/Céreq Alsace

Strasbourg

Wolfgang Müskens

Universität Oldenburg

Fakultät I, Arbeitsbereich Weiterbildung und Bildungsmanagement

Oldenburg

Karin Luomi-Messerer

3s research laboratory

Vienna

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