At last! Now we have published the full Global NQF Inventory 2019. Some of you know it – you may even have contributed to it. If so, thank you.

This is the fourth edition of the Inventory, the first was published in 2013. It is a biennial co-production, assembled by ETF, Cedefop and Unesco Headquarters in Paris and UNESCO-Institute for Lifelong Learning in Hamburg together. ETF coordinated this edition.

Earlier versions of the publication were presented at the Asia-Europe Ministers Meeting in Bucharest in May.

There are two parts: Volume One comprises transversal analyses of the most important issues in qualifications frameworks such as validation of non-formal learning, impacts of digitisation, and new global tools in qualification systems.
Volume Two consists of 100 country chapters, which describe progress of the country’s NQF against common criteria. This volume also covers 7 world-regional qualifications frameworks, for example the European Qualifications Framework and the ASEAN regional framework which links Asian countries’ NQFs.

Vol. 1: www.etf.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/global-inv…

Vol. 2: www.etf.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/global-inv…

The Inventory’s function is to share knowledge with experts and officials and inform decision-makers and bodies implementing national and regional frameworks.Some findings include that worldwide, most NQFs are now comprehensive i.e. lifelong learning in scope, covering VET, higher education, rather than one of these sectors exclusively. That applies from Malta to Moldova to Malaysia.

We also found that NQFs have been the principal means by which learning outcomes have been established in learning systems, in teaching and learning, beyond qualifications. Again, a global trend.

Another current is the growth of validation of non-formal learning or recognition of prior learning (VNFIL or RPL). RPL allows for recognition of people’s skills, not only their formal qualifications and is cost-efficient, avoiding repeat learning. It reduces barriers between learning and working. And it is popular with learners e.g. surveys in France show this satisfaction. India is developing a major VNFIL system to qualify workers, moving them into formal labour markets.

But VNFIL needs scaling up in most countries – in many cases, there are laws or plans but not much on the ground. While widespread internationally, take-up by learners in most countries is small. It needs guidance, especially to less advantaged groups such as migrants.

We also cover digitisation of qualifications, the fastest-moving change we report on. We have NQFs and RQFs, but we see also new ways of accreditation and credentialing, which capture outcomes via e.g. open badges issued by companies such as Microsoft or the UN etc.

Countries or regions are responding. Australia, for example, is considering inclusion of its NQF micro-credentials, gained via Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS). There is a co-existence of traditional qualifications, formally certified by national authorities and following quality assurance guidelines, but now accompanied by digital credentials. The challenge is ensuring these new qualifications are trusted.

For the 5th edition, UNESCO HQ in Paris will coordinate. Significantly, UNESCO chairs the World Reference Levels Group, an expert group whose work is part of the qualification system agenda. UNESCO contributed a chapter in Volume One on this Group’s work.

The Group, mandated by the UN TVTET Shanghai Conference 2012, is seeking to develop a global tool to facilitate understanding and recognition of skills and qualifications. It comprises experts from the EU, from the UN family including UNESCO and the ILO, different regional groupings such as the African Union, the Asian countries in ASEAN, Oceania, the Caribbean Framework and the Southern African Development Community and some individual experts.

A key open question is how NQFs and RQFs will relate to the World Reference Levels (WRLs). Piloting of the WRLs tool is ongoing.

The Global NQF Inventory consortium is also looking at a digital format to replace the current, admittedly analogue, PDFs.