European Common Principles for the Accreditation of Non-formal and Informal Learning in Lifelong Learning

In Europe, the access to education for adults, especially with lower or no qualification, is still very complex. Entire study programmes must be passed even though participants have authentic, recent and relevant evidence of non-formal and informal learning. It is therefore necessary to extend and develop ways for entry into formal education, especially post-secondary vocational education. 

In order to achieve the Common objectives for Education and Training until 2010 every country will have to open upthe access to education and training and use the Common European Principles for the validation of learning. 

The implementation of Common European Principles is an important new part of the contribution of VET to the Lisbon Objectives (2000). 

One of the major problems facing Europe within the next decade is the aging population issue. Because of massive retirement the labour market will experience a lack of an appropriately qualified work force. The level of expertise in business and industry will suffer immensely unless steps are taken to deal with the problem now. Mobility is only part of the answer. Lifelong learning, the recognition of all types of learning for qualifications, the opening up of access to training and education for all at all ages must be an obligation. Many of unemployed do not have sufficient education and training and formal qualifications to participate in the labour market. Therefore new pathways for education and training must be developed to enable this target group to embark upon further education at post-secondary level.

Aims

The proposed project aims at improving the quality of and access to continuing vocational training by valuing learning as an experience throughout life and by referring to the identified needs of the Moravian-Silesian Region in the Czech Republic, the Province of Upper Silesia in Poland as well as the Nitra Region in Slovakia. 

Specific aims of the project are:

1. Extension of access to continuing vocational education for adults through the identification and validation of their non-formal and informal learning (by creating further pathways leading to further education)
2. Reduction of the duration of studies for adults through improved recognition of their acquired skills and competencies
3. Contribution to the development of Lifelong Learning (LLL) by using Accreditation of Non-formal and Informal Learning.
4. Implementing the European Common Principles for the Validation of Non-formal and Informal Learning in participating EU countries (especially in Central and Eastern European Countries).

The objectives will be:

• Validation of Non-formal and Informal Learning
• Identification of target groups which can be defined as groups at risk of  unemployment or disadvantaged persons (especially disadvantaged women) and providing validation for their improvement of qualifications
• Ensuring equal access for men and women into target groups
• Encouragement of State investments (by proposing appropriate methodology and training instruments for the accreditation of Non-formal and Informal Learning at the end of the project)
• Encouragement of self-investment into Validation of Non-formal and Informal Learning

The following Power Point presentations relate to the accreditation and implementation of identification and validation of non-formal and informal learning within a strongly structured ("corporatistic") VET-system with Germany as an example.