Croatian Qualifications Framework Law on the CROQF

Prof. Dr. Mile DželalijaUniversity of Split

President of the MB of the Agency for Science and Higher Education

(CROQF Committee; Nacional Bologna Experts)

Ljubljana, Univerzi v Ljubljani, 20.3.2013.

Croatian Qualifications frameworksMotivation

Implementation of the EQF and QF-EHEA

Purpose

Law on the CROQF, and implementation

Changes in society:• Average aging• Accession to the EU• Technological development:

• new knowledge• new skills

Need to adapt to changes

• Promoting citizens’ mobility• Facilitating their lifelong learning• Quality assurance• ?

How ?

• Promoting citizens’ mobility

• Facilitating their lifelong learning

• Quality assurance

• ?

This ( ) includes:

• Better integration of all stakeholders, and• Coordination of all activities

What is needed?• Entirely understanding, as basis for integration and

coordination,• Access, progression and award of qualifications adjust to:

• Labour market needs, • Further education, • Other needs of individuals and society

• Quality (fit to purpose, assessment, awarding/certification).

Croatian Qualifications Framework (CROQF):• Means an instrument for the classification of qualifications

according to a set of criteria for specified levels of learning achieved, which aims:• to integrate and coordinate national qualifications

subsystems, and• to improve:

• the transparency, access, progression, and quality of qualifications in relation to the labour market and civil society

• (implicitly: awarding/certification, assessment and recognition – included)

Implementation of two regional or meta-frameworks:

• European Qualifications Framework for LLL

• Qualifications Framework of the EHEA

QF-EHEA

Caribbean

European

Southest Asia

Arab World

PacificSouthern

Africa

Regional frameworks:

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

10

1

2

3

4

6

7

8

5

9

NQF-1

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

NQF-2 EQF /QF-EHEA

NQF-1 Referencing / Self-

certification ?

(for now: MT, IE, UK, FR, ..., HR, D, ...

Feb 2013: 16 countries)

NQF-2 Referencing / Self-

certification ?

Referencing and self-certification

criteria and procedures

Common principles for QA

Fulfilment of:• QF-EHEA Criteria (7) and Procedures (6)• EQF-LLL Criteria and procedures (10)• Common Principles for QA (9)

Referencing and Self-certification processes

Irish Presidency Conference: QA in QFs, Dublin, March 2013:

1.We encourage the Commission, the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) Advisory Group and the Bologna Follow Up Group (BFUG) to look at ways of facilitating greater dialogue between the main actors in Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Higher Education (HE) on the topic of quality assurance and qualifications frameworks. The EQF Advisory Group and the BFUG working group on structural reforms, in cooperation with ENQA and EQAVET, should review and make proposals to strengthen the common principles of quality assurance to be applied across HE and VET, such as found in Annexe 3 to the EQF Recommendation.

... 11. ...

Regional qualifications frameworks

(QF-EHEA + EQF-LLL)

QF-EHEA and EQF-LLL criteria and procedures

Common principles for QA

National aspect: stakeholder involvement – fit to local context

Croatian qualifications framework

Modernising universities and entire education system:• QA – Mutual trust on international and national level• Partnership with relevant stakeholders (LM, ...)• Expected and achieved learning outcomes• Fit to purpose (relevance), assessment, certification• Recognition and validation of NF and IF learning• Relevant PhDs (new jobs by research and innovation)

Croatian Qualifications Framework12 (sub)levels 10 (sub)levels 8 levels

One report:• Self-certification – QF-EHEA• Referencing – EQF

PRESCHOOL EDUCATION AND CARE PROGRAMMES

AGE

6

PRIMARY EDUCATION

89

7

1011121314

15161718

19202122232425

26/27

GENERAL EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOL

(GYMNASIUM)

4-Y VET

3-3,5-YVET

2-Y VET 1-Y

5-Y VET

POST-SECONDARY VET

STATE MATURA EXAMS

19

UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY STUDY

GRADUATE UNIVERSITY STUDY

POSTGRADUATE UNIVERSITY STUDY

UNDERGRADUATE PROFESSIONAL STUDY

GRADUATE UN. STUDY – SPEC.

SHORT

PROGRAMMES

GRADUATE SPEC. PROFESSIONAL STUDY

1

2

3

4.1

4.2

5.1

5.2

6

7.1

7.2

8.28.1

CROQF

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

EQF

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

4.1

4.2

5.1

5.2

7.1

7.2

8.28.1

Levels/sublevels

proposal in 2006-2011

PRESCHOOL EDUCATION AND CARE PROGRAMMES

AGE

6

PRIMARY EDUCATION

89

7

1011121314

15161718

19202122232425

26/27

GENERAL EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOL

(GYMNASIUM)

4-Y VET

3-3,5-YVET

2-Y VET 1-Y

5-Y VET

POST-SECONDARY VET

STATE MATURA EXAMS

19

UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY STUDY

GRADUATE UNIVERSITY STUDY

POSTGRADUATE UNIVERSITY STUDY

UNDERGRADUATE PROFESSIONAL STUDY

GRADUATE UN. STUDY – SPEC.

SHORT

PROGRAMMES

GRADUATE SPEC. PROFESSIONAL STUDY

1

2

3

4.1

4.2

5.1

5.2

6

7.1

7.2

8.28.1

CROQF

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

EQF

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

4.1

4.2

8.28.1

One report:• Self-certification – QF-EHEA• Referencing – EQF

? April 2013

CROQF: One common NQF:

Partnership of all relevant stakeholders, Reflecting education system in Croatia, Reforming the system (LO, QA, RPL);

Learning outcomes, credits and unit based NQF; Descriptors – (domains similar as in the EQF) dynamic

combination of: Knowledge; Skills (cognitive, practical, social); Associated autonomy and responsibility;

Levels (and sub-levels): Levels – stable structure (8); Sub-levels (+2; national interests) – descriptors as for levels;

Additional requirements (entry and volume).

CROQF and Qualifications:

All types: HE (academic and professional); VET; General (state

examination, ...);

All classes: Complete / full Partial “small” (supplementary, special purpose, ...)

All types of learning: formal, non-formal, informal – equal value – validation/assessment

“Old”, existing and new qualifications

Quality Assured – competent authority – QA agency(-ies)

CROQF – Quality Assurance

OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS

QUALIFICATION

CURRICULA /PROGRAMMES

(including ASSESSMENT and CERTIFICATION)

LM NEEDS(and other needs of

individuals and society)

EMPLOYABILITYSOCIAL INCLUSION

NON-FORMAL and INFORMAL

LEARNING

QUALIFICATIONS

STANDARDS

Qualifications standards

Units of Learning outcomes Occupational

standards

Programmes for assessment of LO

Programmes for certification of qualifications

Validation of non-formal and informal learning (equal value)

Quality assurance

Role of the CROQF Register:

Quality assurance Standards for assessment and certification of qualifications Link to the EQF

Relevance of qualifications Labour market, further education, ... (similar in the ESCO)

Validation of (knowledge, skills and competence achieved by) non-formal and informal learning Equal value

ESCO

ESCO

Units of LO

Units of LO

Benefits for individuals and society

Students: Transparent access and progression; Quality and relevance of their learning; Internationally and nationally recognised qualifications – easier to

get a job or further education; Employees:

Promotion and LLL; RPL; Employers:

Study programmes linked to LM needs (occupational standards) Competent work force; New technology to new jobs (PhDs)

HEIs: Coherent education system; Competent teachers and assessors; institutions; RPL;

Society as a whole: A proud, learning nation with the ability to adapt to change;

social inclusion

Challenges and opportunities

Stakeholders involvement from the beginning; Very slow, but transparent process; Reforming framework

– not easy to implement; Law on the CROQF (Feb 14, 2013.; by-laws) Reforms and modernisation (LO Unit-based framework):

Link between qualifications and occupations; Common QA system; RPL – with an equal value as to formal learning; Improve access and progression of individuals; Set no formal dead ends and barriers for further learning; Open higher level qualifications for adults; Open vocationally and professionally oriented

qualifications at higher level – depending on labour market needs;

Opportunities Individual, institutional, national and international

Law on the CROQF

1. General (concepts, aims, principles,)

2. Classification of qualifications (qualifications, learning outcomes, workload/volume, levels, ...)

3. Implementation (coordination, National council, Ministries, sectoral councils)

4. Quality assurance of the implementation (Register, ...)

5. Recognition and validation of NF-IF

6. Link to the EQF/QF-EHEA

7. Descriptors

Pravilnik o Registru (quality assurance) Pravilnik o priznavanju neformalnog i informalnog

učenja

AZVO (Agency for Science and HE), ...

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !

Prof. Dr. Mile Dželalija

mile@pmfst.hr