Recommendations on quality assurance and on the recognition of informal and non-formal learning in vocational education and training (05/18/2004)

The European Union prepares some recommendations on quality assurance in vocational education and training (VET) and on the recognition of informal and non-formal learning. The Flemish government is involved in this process and has asked the Vlor for advice.

On quality assurance

The Vlor supports the option of the Union to describe a good quality assurance and quality control by using a set of indicators. Good indicators incite education systems in the Member States to a meta- and self-evaluation. This way, the quality assurance remains linked to the education system in the Member States. The Vlor rejects the use of indicators which are too much output-based. It is also not desirable that the Union should promote one model of quality assurance. It is better to give key elements of quality assurance and control.

The quality assurance in VET has to be part of a system covering the whole education field in Flanders. A separate system for vocational training, which belongs to the quality assurance of courses outside education, is fundamentally wrong.

On the recognition of acquired competences

The Vlor appreciates the operating procedure of the Union to develop quality criteria for the recognition of acquired competences. The Member States can draw up a system of recognition of acquired competences with respect of the quality and the characteristics of their national education situation and labour market. The social partners and the educational organisations must develop this procedure together. We need a qualifications framework as a reference framework, but it should allow a regional filling-in.