What is worth a qualification? Ways of recognizing vocational qualifications and competences acquired abroad

Author(s):

Christiane Eberhardt(presenting / submitting)Silvia Annen(presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2015

Network:

02. Vocational Education and Training (VETNET)

Format:

Paper

Session Information

02 SES 11 B, Transitions: Reflections on VET Programs and Practice

Paper Session

Time:

2015-09-10

17:15-18:45

Room:

324. [Main]

Chair:

Christof Nägele

Contribution

In April 2012 the “Federal Recognition Act” entered into force in order to improve the assessment and recognition of vocational qualifications achieved abroad. The research project MoVA reflects the implementation of this act by analyzing the strategies, concepts and practices of other countries regarding recognition of vocational competences and qualifications. The research is aimed at making available experiences from selected countries which have existing models and statutory regulations for the recognition of foreign vocational qualifications and competences (Norway, Canada, Denmark, Australia and Switzerland); the recognition regulations and procedures that exist in those countries will be examined in more depth. To this end, the principles underlying the models in the respective countries, their design and institutional embedding will be presented with reference to country studies and investigated by means of qualitative interviews. Alongside this monitoring approach addressed to the education-system level, the procedures in use – and hence consideration of the concrete implementation level – constitute a secondary focal point of the project.

The research questions are geared towards the following headings:
Principles: What were the guiding principles and driving forces for the recognition regulations?
Design: On which methodological and conceptual foundations is recognition constructed in the different countries? Is there any legally binding basis, and what is its nature? What function is ascribed to recognition? What legal effects are associated with recognition?
(Institutional) framework conditions: How were the models/procedures introduced? What preparation period was necessary for this? What resistances and problems arose in the process?
Stakeholder constellations: Which stakeholders are involved in implementation? How do the stakeholders work together in the field? Which constellations of stakeholders prove to be favourable, and which do not? Where do tensions occur between them? In which institutional context do which stakeholder constellations develop? Are these comparable across the countries studied?
Procedures/examination criteria: Which procedures are in use? Which measures, if any, are in place before or after the procedures? Which cooperation exists with relevant stakeholders? Which rights/obligations for the applicants are associated with recognition procedures? How (and with whom) were the procedures developed? How is the success of procedures assessed? What do recognition procedures cost and who bears the costs? Are there individual support structures for the applicant?
Implementation: Which factors have proved to be beneficial in the operative implementation? How do the various stakeholders rate the success of the models? What are the motives of those seeking recognition (who seeks recognition and for what reason?)
Within the context of the various approaches actor-centred institutionalism and governance forms a theoretical basis for the analysis of the underlying coordination processes as well as for their implementation and institutional integration.
Ir is expected that the collation of the results leads to the identification, systematisation and classification of the models and procedures deployed for the recognition of professional and vocational qualifications acquired abroad and of their methodological conceptual principles, the prevailing institutional conditions and of their de facto use.

Method

The MoVA Project is implemented via several research phases. In the first project phase, existing regulations in at least four European countries and four non-European countries are to be monitored and defined in specific terms. This will form the basis for the stipulation of four countries, the models of which will be subjected to a more detailed analysis. “Detailed case studies” will be drawn up for the four selected countries. The case studies will be backed up by interviews with “key persons” from the fields of policymaking, practice and research. The interviews will be coded and evaluated. In methodological terms, our approach will be aligned towards the qualitative content analysis in accordance with Mayring (2002). The research approach is multi-perspective as different perspectives which are linked to the topic of recognition are perceived. This comprises the perspectives of the stakeholders operating the recognition procedures, the ones steering them politically and taking responsibility for them, the ones who provide advice and consulting on them as well as the persons who pass through them.

Expected Outcomes

In all selected countries, the recognition of qualifications acquired abroad is originally linked with a shortage of skilled workers. Against this background, recognition and assessment serve the purpose of formalising within the host country the occupational skills and competences that someone has acquired in another country and which can be demonstrated by qualifications and certificates with reference to the host country’s existing occupational standards or to the labour markets. The pathways and underlying principles via which this takes place differ. In Europe, the aims of the recognition of professional and vocational qualifications are to secure freedom of movement of labour, support the creation of the European common market, and drive forwards skills competition and dynamise the European labour market in overall terms . Regulated occupations are subject to a European Directive that is implemented into national law and is thus recognised de jure in all EU member states. In addition to this, Denmark and Germany have laws in place that give the holders of qualifications that are non-regulated in the respective countries the right to recognition or assessment. The laws perform a double function: they exert an external effect by appealing to persons intending to migrate (recruitment function). To the same extent, they also target people who already live in the countries and who have not as yet been adequately able to exploit their qualifications on the respective labour markets (integration function). In Canada and Australia, the recognition of professional and vocational qualifications is an essential criterion for the receipt of a work and residence permit. To this extent, the recognition of foreign professional and vocational qualifications is the instrument of an “active immigration policy with an integrated selection mechanism”.

References

[1] BERLIN-INSTITUT FÜR BEVÖLKERUNG UND ENTWICKLUNG (2012): Nach Punkten vorn. Was Deutschland von der Zuwanderungs- und Integrationspolitik Kanadas lernen kann, Berlin [2] BEYER PAULSEN, M. (2008): Freedom of movement: from right to possibility. Recognition of qualifications through legislation or information, in: European Journal of Vocational Training No 42/43-2007/2003. 2008/1, p. 19-32, URL: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/etv/Upload/Information_resources/Bookshop/491/42_en_BeyerPaulsen.pdf (access: 02.05.2012) [3] BUNDESMINISTERIUM FÜR BILDUNG UND FORSCHUNG (2014): Bericht zum Anerkennungsgesetz. Beschluss des Bundeskabinetts vom 2. April 2014, Berlin. URL: http://www.bmbf.de/pub/bericht_anerkennungsgesetz_2014.pdf (access: 14.04.2014) [4] DANISH MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION: A visionary and innovative law, URL: http://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/en/danish_ministry_of_education.php (access: 17.04.2014) [5] GERMAN CONFEDERATION of Skilled Crafts, URL: http://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/en/german_confederation_of_skilled_crafts.php (access: 14.04.2014) [6] GUO, S.; SHAN, H. (2013): Canada. In: International Organization for Migration: Recognition of qualifications and competences of migrants, p. 229-253, Brussels [7] LARSEN, J. O. (2012): Recognition of foreign qualifications in Denmark, Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis (BWP) 5, p. 40-43, URL: http://www.bibb.de/veroeffentlichungen/de/bwp/show/id/6949 (access: 02.05.2013) [8] MAYRING, P. (2002): Einführung in die qualitative Sozialforschung, Weinheim. [9] MCKENNA, M. (2012): Brain Gain, Waste, and Drain: Canadian Foreign Credential Recognition. A comparison with Australia and New Zealand, Ottawa [10] OECD: International Migration Outlook. Paris 2012. [11] PEDERSEN, A. B. (2010): Stellungnahme. Öffentliches Fachgespräch „Verbesserte Anerkennung ausländischer Abschlüsse und Berufsqualifikationen am 5. Juli 2010 (deutsche Übersetzung), Deutscher Bundestag, Ausschuss für Bildung, Forschung und Technikfolgenabschätzung, A – Drs 17(18)82 h (01.07.2010). URL: http://www.bundestag.de/bundestag/ausschuesse17/a18/anhoerungen/auslaendische_abschluesse/ADrs_17-82_h.pdf (access 20.05.2012)

Author Information

Christiane Eberhardt (presenting / submitting)

Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training BIBB

Basic Issues of Internationalisation/Monitoring of VET systems

Bonn

Silvia Annen (presenting)

Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training

Division 4.2 Commercial, Media and Logistics Occupations