New study finds most NQFs already operational

More than 70% of NQFs are in use, according to a new survey. The Global NQF Inventory, just published, used machine-reading technology to analyse and compare how countries’ NQFs are progressing.

First published in 2013, the Inventory is a co-production of UNESCO, ETF and Cedefop, and a standard reference work for experts, projects, ministries, and authorities developing qualification systems.  It provides both data on individual countries’ developments and highlights emerging themes common to qualification systems worldwide.  

For the first time, the inter-agency expert team used software to process 93 NQF country reports from around the world against pre-coded themes in NQF development e.g., their structure, the range of qualifications they include, use of tools such as databases of qualifications, what hinders NQF implementation and what enables it, and so on.  The result is a cross country analysis.

I was in the expert team. Our big finding was that most NQFs are progressing well - 70% already contain qualifications accessible to users, such as learners and providers.  Not one has been abandoned, incidentally. Where they stall, this is usually due to lack of resource or wider political issues in the country.

Other findings from that analysis are:

• 90% of the frameworks included are open to all types of qualifications, so can be considered lifelong learning in scope.
• every NQF examined uses outcomes. New qualifications use outcomes, and outcomes are also used for curricula, learning modules, and assessment standards.
• there are three common forms of NQF governance: those coordinated by ministries; those managed by specialised agencies; and those led by inter-stakeholder platforms. 
• they do support learner progress where linked with wider education policies.
• the biggest challenges are mobilising stakeholders to support qualification system improvement (early stage NQFs) and visibility of NQFs (advanced stage).
• conversely, impact is enabled by government and stakeholder backing for the NQF.

We’d also like to hear from you.  What do you think?

• do these findings resonate with your experiences?
• what trends do you see in qualification systems?
• what issues should future editions of the Global Inventory cover?

Volume 1 contains the cross-country analysis, plus dedicated thematic chapters on micro-credentials, digitalisation of qualifications systems and validation of non-formal learning. Volume 2 contains the 93 country NQF reports.

Global inventory of national and regional qualifications frameworks 2022 – Volume I. Thematic chapters | ETF (europa.eu)Please circulate this latest Global Inventory to your colleagues and contacts.