You need an online Register of qualifications - and this is why

Most of ETF partner countries have some sort of national databases or registers of qualifications. Many consider the possibilities of establishing new ones or have plans for their further development. Why is the focus on Qualifications Registers?

New concept of qualification

The focus of qualifications shifts towards the assessment of learning outcomes acquired by an individual. Qualifications are seen as the result of a certification process, rather than of a taught course.

Thus, the EQF Recommendation defines qualification as a formal outcome of an assessment and validation process by a competent authority. A similar definition is used in ISCED 2011 that states that an educational qualification is the official confirmation of the successful completion of an educational programme or its stage, and that qualifications can be obtained independent of participation in an educational programme.

On the other hand, a common understanding of qualification as a special skill or knowledge that makes someone suitable to do a particular job or activity is changing as well. Technical skills might be outdated quickly. And to catch up with the changes in the labour market we think of a qualification as the sort of structure, that have units, parts that can be measured and have their own currency for lifelong learning and employment.

This makes ISCED educational attainment levels and ISCO skills levels difficult to measure qualifications. New instruments for the classification of qualifications emerge – the regional and national qualifications frameworks.

EQF/NQF implementation

Bringing qualifications frameworks closer to individuals and organisations plays a key role in making them operational. It is important that qualification frameworks support individuals in their learning and career development. And qualifications databases and registers support this objective by making qualifications visible and transparent.

In this context, EU member states and countries seeking closer links between their qualifications frameworks and the EQF are invited to ensure that information on qualifications and their learning outcomes is accessible and published, using the data fields in accordance with Annex VI of the EQF recommendation.

Interoperability at European level

The national databases or registers of qualifications can be connected at the European level and integrated into the new Europass. This will facilitate comparison and recognition of qualifications.

The aim is to create explicit connections between qualifications and learning opportunities to guide individuals in their search for courses in Europe. Europass will also encompass the information on institutional or programme/qualification accreditation to support verification of qualification awards.

European skills, competences and occupations

ESCO (European skills, competences and occupations) provides classification and descriptions of occupations and skills linked to these occupations, offering a “common language” which can be understood by electronic systems.  This will allow qualifications registers to use ESCO for linking learning outcomes of qualifications with skills profiles of occupations.

Emergence of micro-credentials

Qualifications frameworks can include parts or units of qualifications, which can come in many formats. They can complement the full qualification, act as a standalone unit of learning, or be structural parts of larger qualifications. They may certify a specific skill or competence, or be awarded for successful completion of individual modules or subjects.

Such partial qualifications, or micro-credentials, can enable learners to mix and match their school and work experiences, as well as to move flexibly between different sectors of education. Micro-credentials do not replace full qualifications, but can be stackable to allow individuals get larger qualifications.

They need to be combined in an intelligent way to become portable and have value. The registers of qualifications can reflect this comprehensive character of qualifications frameworks and support the integration of partial qualifications or micro-credentials into NQFs[1].

One obvious argument is that NQF without qualifications has no impact. Qualifications frameworks have to be populated with qualifications to become frameworks of qualifications. And these qualifications are accessible through a register. You need a register for the NQF to become operational and function as a critical part of a qualification system.

When you decide to develop a register of qualifications, you would probably like to compare and link it with other databases. In our overview of national qualifications registers and databases in ETF partner countries we have identified more than 90 national databases that provide information related to qualifications. We have found that they vary significantly in functionality and coverage of qualifications of different types. Would you be interested to know more?

[1] For example, recognition and inclusion of micro-credentials in the qualifications framework is part of the reform in Australia https://openspace.etf.europa.eu/post/346