Thematic group 4 Background Report
The background report aims to present the members, the objectives, the planned activities, the relevant policy issues of the Thematic Group on Transparency of qualifications, Validation of non-formal and informal learning and Credit transfer, in the framework of the Leonardo da Vinci Programme 2000-2006 and the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013.
After an introduction on the Leonardo Thematic Monitoring initiative and a short description of the Thematic Group’s past achievements and current activities, the document mainly focuses on the state of the art and the perspectives for the future of European policy developments in the fields of transparency of qualifications and credit transfer, as well as of validation of non-formal and informal learning. Furthermore, it outlines how these themes are dealt with in the context of the former two phases of the Leonardo da Vinci Programme and in the new Lifelong Learning Programme.
A relevant bibliography, some interesting Websites, the contact details of the Thematic Group members and some examples of relevant Leonardo da Vinci projects under the themes complete the document.
The report is addressed to:
- Decision makers, at European, national and regional level, in the field of education and vocational training and, in particular, in the area of transparency of qualifications, validation of non-formal and informal learning and credit transfer;
- VET experts and members of the technical working groups established at European level to support policy developments;
- Project promoters within the Leonardo Programme, but also, in the wider perspective of the integrated Programme on lifelong learning, within any other arrangement supporting education and vocational training initiatives, who are working on these themes;
- Final beneficiaries and end-users targeted by the projects;
- Any other relevant stakeholder, also at sectoral level (for instance, VET providers, social partners, professional associations, enterprises associations, SMEs, etc.) who might be interested in knowing and exploiting projects outcomes and products;
- Technical assistance structures, and namely the national agencies, who can facilitate integration and cross-fertilisation among all these actors.
The background report has been realised by the Italian Leonardo da Vinci National Agency – ISFOL and the Agence Europe Education Formation France, with contributions from all the members of the Leonardo da Vinci Thematic Group on “Transparency of qualifications, Validation of non-formal and informal learning, Credit transfer”.