EQF-SPREAD. Proposals for the implementation and development of the Sectorial and National Qualifications Frameworks

According to CEDEFOP , most countries of the EU are currently in a stage for the implementation and development of their National Qualifications Frameworks (NQF) and Sectorial Qualifications Frameworks (SQF); however, few of them have a NQF which will allow for the convergence with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in 2010 and 2012 . The main obstacles that hinder the implementation of the EQF in the EU countries are the lack of trust and the lack of a common approach among the public administrations, social partners, universities, companies and training centres.

The main objective of the EQF-SPREAD project is to propose, from the point of view of the labour market –represented by public administrations, social partners, companies and training centres-, a methodology and a tool-set for the implementation and development of the EQF into the national and sectorial frameworks, taking into account the following aspects: the experience from the countries which already have established a NQF and a SQF, the learning outcomes from the 8 EQF levels, the main occupations from the most relevant economic sectors (agriculture, industry, services), the education and VET systems, and the formal, non-formal and informal learning.

The specific aims are the following:

• To define the consortium’s working organisation for the EQF-SPREAD project, and to establish a quality plan for its development.
• To design a specific methodology for the identification of the learning outcomes from the point of view of the labour market and employment.
• To identify the key occupations of the agricultural, industrial and services economic sectors, and to describe qualifications corresponding to those qualifications in terms of learning outcomes: knowledge, skills and competences, in the 8 qualifications levels from EQF.
•  To analyse results, and to carry out an exchange of experiences regarding the current situation of NQF and SQF.
•  To develop a web site as well as a computer tool-set for the purpose of guidance, VET and promotion of EQF.
•  To elaborate a dissemination guide for representative bodies of the sectors: public administrations, social partners, companies and training centres.
•  To assess and disseminate results along with stakeholders: public administrations, social partners, universities, training centres and companies.

Expected results:

• Elaboration of a quality plan for the development of the project’s work.
• Elaboration of national reports about their current situation and the cases of best practices.
• Establishment of a specific methodology and carrying out of an inventory of key occupations in the agricultural, industrial and services economic sectors, described in terms of knowledge, skills and competences (EQF).
• Design of a web page for facilitating the implementation and development of EQF in the NQF and SQF.
• Proposal of a tool-set for vocational guidance: application for self-diagnosis, elaboration of the Europass CV, guidance in training paths.
• Design of a guide for the applying of EQF in the NQF and SQF, addressed to public administrations, social partners, training centres and companies.
• Presentation of reports regarding the national validation of the project’s results.
• International dissemination seminar report.

The project will be implemented in countries having a NQF: Malta and United Kingdom, and also in countries developing their NQF: Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Netherlands and Poland.