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VALIDATION OF INFORMAL
AND NON-FORMAL EDUCATION RESULTS
AND LIFELONG EDUCATION
E. Kula
M. Penkowska
Economic crisis, which revealed the structural weaknesses of European economy, has become the key factor for actions undertaken by the European Union in relation to lifelong education. At the same time, such long-term issues as globalization, increasing demand for limited resources, demographic depression, and ageing population are becoming more essential. To some extent, an attempt to solve these issues comes in the“Europe Strategy 2020” adopted by Member States and including 3 interrelated aspects: (a) “smart” development to develop knowledge and innovation economies; (b) balanced development to support more resource-efficient, environmentally friendly and competitive economies; (c) development for facilitating social inclusiveness to support economies with high employment levels and provide social and geographical integrity. In this document, the European Commission stated the need for raising the appeal of European higher education internationally and improving the quality of EU education at all levels by supporting student and intern mobility, as well as by improving labor market conditions for youth. Measures to be taken include: integration and improvement of European academic mobility programs within scientific cooperation; modernization of higher education (learning, administration and financial programs) by comparing HEIs and their educational results internationally, as well as by taking actions to validate informal and non-formal education. These provisions maintained by Member States and social partners shall encourage youth to join the labor market due to internships and other methods of gaining professional experience1.
Lifelong education as well as the validation of informal and non-formal education is of great significance for the EU higher education development. The ministers recognized the importance of lifelong education in their Ministerial Communiques in Prague and Berlin as one of the basic methods to extend access to higher education and balance the possibilities in the field, and stressed the need for HEIs to participate in the related common action strategy.
Lifelong education involves activities that are different from a traditional higher education in its stationary forms, where high school graduates are enrolled. HEIs develop learning programs for people of various age and learning needs and abilities. On one hand, this is due to growing demand for such education, while on the other hand, it is due to current demographic processes. Within the framework, an offer for educational services which enables lifelong education will serve as the
1 Komisja Europejska. EUROPA 2020. Strategia na rzecz inteligentnego i zrownowazonego rozwoju sprzyjaj^cego wt^czeniu spotecznemu. Bruksela, 3.3.2010.
http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/pdf/1_PL_ACT_part1_v1 .pdf [15.03.2013]
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essential development strategy for HEIs and the connecting factor for reforms carried out by HEIs within the Bologna process1.
Validation of informal and non-formal education is increasingly considered to be lifelong and lifewide education enhancement. In May, 2004, understanding the signicance of education beyond formal learning, the European Council adopted the package of common European principles on validation of informal and non-formal education results. The documents define the principal issues for development and implementation of validation methods and systems2. Further regular work on the principles made it possible to create the “Education and Learning Program 2010” in 2006, and then the “Education and Learning Program 2020” which determines a strategic framework for European cooperation in building knowledge-based Europe and implementing the education strategy for all levels and situations, i. e. informal and non-formal education3. Validation is an estimation of a person’s learning results, and may lead to the issue of a certificate or diploma. “Validation of learning results” is understood as learning outcomes (knowledge, skills and competences) acquired by a person within formal, informal or non-formal education, which are evaluated by a relevant body or agency with regard to previously established criteria and correspond to the validation standard requirements. Validation commonly results in certification, i. e. a certificate or diploma issued.
As many countries and the European Commission participate through OECD in the field, validation is considered essential for national economies in the spheres of education, learning and employment. Validation in Europe is organized in various ways. Validation can be understood as an integral part of existing formal education and learning. Then it is regarded as another nationally approved educational route which leads to achievement of learning results and possible certification. In other countries, validation functions in parallel with formal education. The system is managed differently, yet it uses infrastructural elements of formal education such as educational reference criteria and standards for formal qualifications. Also, it can be treated as an independent process which leads to specific forms of approval and is not connected to formal education either through institutions or through standards or certification4.
There are also other European policy instruments which are essentially associated with validation. The “European Qualifications Framework” (EQF) supports validation through implementation of European reference criteria for alllevel qualifications across Europe, and is focused on validation to be included into
1 A. Krasniewski, Proces Bolonski. Warszawa 2009, s. 45-47.
2 European Council, Conclusions of the Council and representatives of the governments of
Member States meeting within the Council on common European principles for the identification and validation of non-formal and informal learning (EDuC 118 SOC 253, 18 мая 2004).
http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/doc/validation2004 _en.pdf [10.03.2013]
3 Konkluzje Rady z dnia 12 maja 2009 r. w sprawie strategicznych ram europejskiej wspotpracy
w dziedzinie ksztatcenia i szkolenia (ET 2020)
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/education_training_youth/general_framework/ef0016_pl.htm
[15.03.2013]
4 Europejskie wskazowki dotyczqce walidacji uczenia siq pozaformalnego i nieformalnego. Luksemburg 2009, s. 13-15. http://biblioteka-krk.ibe.edu.pl/opac_css/doc_num.php?explnum_id=63
[16.03.2013]
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formal qualifications. Due to qualification levels and descriptors which define knowledge, skills and competences according to learning results, maintenance of transparency for qualification levels as well as comparability for all countries and regions is significantly simplified1. Furthermore, in 2004, the Europass system which includes the Europass CV and a document package for better representation of qualifications and competences across Europe, was created. Another tool which documents learning results is the Youthpass within the “Youth in Action” program, as well as qualification passports for various sectors developed within the framework of European social dialogue on sectors2. In 2009, the European Commission and European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) published the European Directives on validation of informal and nonformal education, which serve as a technical validation standard for people professionally dealing with and making decisions on the issues. In the Directives, much attention is directed to validation regarded from different positions (individual, organizational, national, European). These documents are a practical tool applied voluntarily. Scores and achievements based on learning results are a tool which potentially enables “transferring” informal and non-formal education. With respect to higher schools, it is known as the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) which was developed within the Bologna process to facilitate academic mobility between higher education institutions. In relation to vocational education and training, there is a European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET)3.
Establishment of national qualifications frameworks is significant for validation. The transition to learning results can be important for further validation development, and the national qualifications frameworks appearing now simplify the introduction of national standards for learning results (competences), ensure the interrelation between qualifications, and encourage the transfer of education and its availability. The qualifications frameworks are most importantly advantageous for simplification of validation, since qualification levels are commonly classified and represented as learning results. These levels do not depend on a particular qualification type, and enable the use of informal and nonformal education results, subject to validation at a certain level, as a reason to fully or particularly approve a qualification.
The current work maintained in Europe to validate informal and non-formal education results as well as establish national qualifications frameworks has a common purpose. These elements allow particular individuals to achieve educational progress thanks to learning results and competences, regardless of the duration and location of a particular training program4.
1 European Parliament, European Council, Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 on the establishment of the European qualifications framework for lifelong learning (Official diary of the European Council, 2008, C 111, s. 1-7). http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/ LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2008:111:0001:0007:EN:PDF [10.03.2013]
Komisja Europejska. Zalecenia Rady w sprawie walidacji uczenia si§ pozaformalnego i nieformalnego. Bruksela 2012.2012/0234(NlE). http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-
learningpolicy/doc/informal/proposal2012_pl.pdf [15.03.2013]
3 Ksztatcenie i szkolenie zawodowe w Polsce. Charakterystyka ogolna. Raport. Luksemburg 2011. http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/4105_pl.pdf [15.03.2013]
4 Europejskie wskazowki, s. 26.
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It is too soon to estimate the results from validation of informal and nonformal education since the procedure is in statu nascendi'. However, we believe validation to be of significant importance for balancing the possibilities for approval of particular persons’ skills and competences. It is primarily essential for underserved groups such as immigrants and individuals with disabilities. Validation will aid practicing lifelong education and improving availability and mobility in education as well as in the labor market. Moreover, validation will increase chances for approving knowledge gained throughout life, thus enhancing the integrity of European countries.
Translated from Russian by Znanije Central Translations Bureau 1
1 In Poland, there is no validation and approval system for qualifications obtained through informal education. Individual sectors make their own decisions. E. g.: external examinations led by District examination commissions, allow an adult to get a certificate of II degree (for a gymnasium) or III degree (for a lyceum) without obligatory school attendance. At the same time, external examinations which validate vocational qualifications are only available for persons who graduated from certain vocational training institution. Ksztafcenie i szkolenie zawodowe w Polsce, s. 40.
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