European experience of national qualifications frameworks: implementation

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the analysis of national qualifications frameworks, which became in the last decade the key instrument of modernizing and reforming the vocational education and training in Europe. The European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (2008) adoption by the European Parliament and European Council was a significant impulse for the development of this process.

The dynamics of a new generation of national qualifications frameworks development in EU member states is revealed and their general characteristics are presented: a key priority of the frameworks is to support European and international comparability; national frameworks are designed according to principles of the European qualifications framework and the Framework of qualifications in the European higher education area; the comprehensive character of national frameworks indicates that they are seen as key instruments supporting lifelong learning strategies implementation; frameworks implementation is an contribution to support the successive reforming in the spheres of vocational education and employment; frameworks are characterized by a pragmatic approach to learning outcomes; frameworks mainly meet the needs of education and training sector and partly the needs of employees and employers.

Common trends are enlightened and development peculiarities of a new generation of national qualifications frameworks in EU member states are characterized based on comparative analysis of the EU member states annual national reports, which were generalized and after some expert processing and analysis published by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012-2013). It is emphasized that national qualifications frameworks in the EU do not copy the European qualifications framework, but become parts of national qualifications systems reflecting the national contexts, values and traditions.