Brussels, 12 December 2013
EQF Advisory Group, 16-17 December 2013, Brussels
Note AG22-3
Proposal for exploring the role of the EQF in cooperating with third countries
The aim of this note is to provide a first input for discussions in the EQF Advisory Group
on the role of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning in cooperation
with third countries and make a proposal for practical follow-up. Based on the reflections
in the EQF Advisory Group meeting on 16-17 December and written comments from
delegations following the meeting, the proposal will further be developed and the revised
version presented to the EQF Advisory Group in its next meeting in 2014.
Growing interest in the EQF
Since the development of the EQF and the adoption of the EQF recommendation1, there
has been an increasing interest towards the EQF as a transparency tool for qualifications
across systems and borders and as an instrument for regional cooperation. Many countries
and regions have taken inspiration from the EQF developments for reforms of education
and training systems, or are interested to link to the EQF for various reasons.
This interest is further increasing with the acknowledgement of the high political
commitment to the EQF across Europe and the progress in linking European national
qualifications systems to the EQF. Global developments in the area of qualifications also
draw attention towards the EQF. According to the latest survey carried out jointly by
Cedefop, the European Training Foundation and UNESCO, more than 140 countries are
developing or implementing national qualifications worldwide and many regions have
entered into dialogue to establish regional qualifications cooperation with the intention of
making qualifications more transparent in the region, but also to better communicate with
other regions. These developments are seen by many countries in UNESCO as an
opportunity to foster global dialogue on the transparency of qualifications as signalled by
the conclusions of the 2012 UNESCO conference on technical VET in Shanghai.2
1
See also note AG1-5, AG6-9
2
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002176/217683e.pdf
In June 2013, in the framework of the Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC), 50
countries (28 EU Member States, candidate countries, NO, LI, CH, 11 European
countries participating only in the Bologna process and USA, CA, AUS, NZ, ISR)
adopted a recommendation on the use of qualifications frameworks in the recognition of
qualifications in or access to higher education3. This recommendation explicitly refers to
the EQF. The EQF level to which a qualification is related gives an indication of the level
of knowledge, skills and competences acquired, and should not be contested. This
implies that the EQF may become a reference tool between the 50 countries of the LRC,
in particular in the context of the recognition of foreign qualifications to access higher
education from other education and training sub-sectors.
Recent discussions in the context of EU cooperation with third countries also refer to the
EQF as a tool for external cooperation. In July 2013, the European Commission adopted
a Communication "European higher education in the world", which emphasizes that the
EQF – together with other tools - has an important role in increasing the transparency and
quality of European higher education and making it more attractive.
Linking international qualifications – whether these are based on international standards
defined by international agreements or awarded by multinational companies - to national
qualifications frameworks in Europe and relating these to the EQF also calls for
international cooperation reaching beyond the borders of the 36 countries currently
participating in the EQF.
In the context of policy dialogue in education and training between the EU and third
countries, cooperation between the EQF and national qualifications frameworks have
been on the agenda of policy exchanges with Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand in
the last few years.
These countries are the first to formally approach the EU and seek for cooperation
between the EQF and their national qualifications frameworks. All three have wellestablished national qualifications frameworks and participate in regional cooperation
projects on qualifications. Exchange of experiences and cooperation could be beneficial
for all parties in better understanding the dynamics of qualifications frameworks in a
global context.
Follow-up by the EQF Advisory Group – need for a systematic approach
These three formal initiatives provide an important opportunity to the EQF Advisory
Group to develop a systematic approach to using the EQF in the context of cooperation
with third countries and test solutions. Such a systematic approach should build on three
elements:
1. European criteria for cooperation/alignment between the EQF and third country or
regional qualifications frameworks
2. an exploratory process leading to such cooperation/alignment
3
http://www.enic-naric.net/documents/DGIIEDUHE_2012_14_Rev09_FINAL__LRC_Supplementary_Text_on_the_Use_of_QFs_ENGLISH.pdf
2
3. a roadmap of the EQF Advisory Group with main milestones for the development
of a systematic approach
1) European criteria for cooperation/alignment between the EQF and third country
or regional qualifications frameworks
The EQF Advisory Group should develop explicit criteria for establishing and
maintaining cooperation with third countries when identifying the relationship between
third countries' qualifications frameworks and the EQF. Such criteria will aim to ensure
that the countries participating in the EQF and the EQF Advisory Group itself follow a
coherent and consistent approach in cooperation with all interested third countries; and
that such cooperation is transparent and is trusted by all parties involved.
The output of this strand of activity will be a set of criteria that needs to be taken into
account when explaining the relationship between the EQF and third country national
qualifications frameworks. Accompanying guidance on the use of the criteria may also be
envisaged.
When developing such criteria the EQF Advisory Group should consider the following
questions:

Does the EQF Advisory Group agree that the EQF should be used as a European
tool for promoting the transparency of European qualifications systems beyond
ET2020 cooperation and for the better understanding, comparison and recognition
of qualifications systems between ET2020 cooperation and third countries?

What is required from the EQF to be trusted by third countries and regions? What
conditions does the EQF need to meet?

What is required from third countries’ qualifications systems to be trusted? What
conditions need to be met as basis for alignment with the EQF?

What kinds of procedures are needed for alignment between the EQF and third
countries’ national qualifications levels?

What documentation needs to be prepared by the parties involved?

What are the possible implications of linking a regional framework (the EQF)
with third country national qualifications frameworks
o i) at national level for ET2020 countries;
o
ii) at European level – for the EQF AG, the Commission and its services;
o iii) in third countries (AUS, HK, NZ, etc.)?
2) An exploratory process leading to formal cooperation/alignment
In parallel to developing its criteria for cooperation, the EQF Advisory Group should also
start exchange of views with the three countries that have formally showed interest in the
EQF. These exchanges should explore the countries' motivations for cooperation, test the
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possible ways of linking qualifications frameworks and explore the implications of
aligning the EQF with national or regional qualifications frameworks outside Europe.
This exploratory process could be launched with inviting Australia, Hong-Kong and New
Zealand to the meeting of the EQF Advisory Group to present their national
qualifications frameworks and their motivations to cooperate with the EQF.
Following this introductory presentation and exchanges, a piloting exercise could be
launched. This could include the following activities and steps:
A) A feasibility study on the role and potential of using qualifications frameworks
to facilitate the understanding, comparison and recognition of qualifications
Before formal engagement in a cooperation process using qualifications frameworks, it
would beneficial for all parties involved to better overview of the scale and nature of
mobility and other exchange that concerns qualifications between Europe and third
countries, the role of the national qualifications framework of the third country at
national level and its external dimensions, policy cooperation between the EU and the
third country in the field of education and training as well as ET2020 countries and the
third country concerned; the role of qualifications and qualifications frameworks in
mobility policy; what works well and what the obstacles to the recognition of
qualifications are; similarities and differences in QFs and how possible linkage could be
realised.
For this purpose, the Commission could carry out a joint study with each interested third
country. A study examining the above questions was carried out with Australia in the
context of the EU-Australia policy dialogue in 2011. Similar studies could be launched
with Hong Kong and New Zealand in 2014.
B) Analysis of the results of the feasibility studies in the EQF Advisory Group
The EQF Advisory Group would discuss the results of each studiy and analysed possible
implications of aligning the national qualifications framework of the concerned to the
EQF. Such discussions could also provide useful input into the development of the
European criteria for alignment to the EQF (see point 1))
C) Technical alignment
Based on the feasibility studies and analysis, and if the EQF Advisory Group and the
country concerned agree, technical work on the alignment between the EQF and the third
country qualification framework could take place.
This technical work would be carried out by experts and would not entail formal political
engagement from either party. Nevertheless, it would provide input to possible future
formal cooperation agreements.
In this expert work, the criteria developed under point 1, and accepted by both parties,
could be used to explain in a report the relationship between the EQF and the third
country NQF. Such a technical alignment and the resulting report could be carried out
with the involvement of experts from Europe and the third country. European
representatives in the technical project would be nominated by the EQF Advisory Group.
The resulting technical report would be discussed in the EQF Advisory Group.
4
D) Formal memorandum of understanding/cooperation agreement
Once the EQF Advisory Group agrees on the European criteria for alignment and the
technical alignment work has been finalised, European countries or the EU (to be defined
according to future decisions) could sign a memorandum of understanding or cooperation
agreement on the use of the EQF and the third country NQF and their relationship in the
context of cooperation to support mobility, in particular in education and training.
3) Roadmap
This sub-chapter makes a proposal for a roadmap leading to establishing a systematic
European approach to using the EQF in the context of cooperation with third countries.
Such systematic approach, currently absent from the EQF recommendation and if agreed,
could necessitate a reflection on the opportunity of mirroring such systematic approach in
a potential revision of the EQF recommendation to formally confirm the role of the EQF
in cooperation with third countries.
Q1 2014 - Presentation of and discussion with AUS, HK, NZ in the EQF Advisory Group
European criteria and procedures for identifying the relationship between third
countries' qualifications frameworks and the EQF
Q1 – Q2 2014 – development of draft European criteria
Q3-Q4 2014 – Testing of criteria and procedures for identifying the relationship
between third countries' qualifications frameworks and the EQF; Adoption in Q4
2014
Piloting exercise/exploratory process with Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand
Q1-Q2 2014 – Feasibility study on the role and potential of using qualifications
frameworks to facilitate the understanding, comparison and recognition of
qualifications
Q3-Q4 2014 – Analysis of the results of the feasibility studies in the EQF
Advisory Group
Q1-Q2 2015 – Technical alignment
Proposal for the revision of the EQF Recommendation taking into account the EQF AG
discussion and the piloting – Q2 2015
Formal memorandum of understanding/cooperation agreement – Q3 2015
This roadmap is visually presented in a table in annex.
The EQF Advisory Group is invited to discuss
5
– is the development of a systematic approach to using the EQF in the context of
cooperation with third countries desirable;
– to what extent can the proposed approach for the development of the criteria and
procedures for identifying the relationship between third countries' qualifications
frameworks and the EQF be followed; what should be considered in this context?
– is the proposed piloting approach relevant? Does the EQF Advisory Group agree with
the proposed stages of the pilot?
– does the proposed roadmap contain all necessary stages of development? What should
be included? Is the timetable relevant and realistic?
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Annex to AG22-3 Overview roadmap
ACTION
Q1 2014
Q2 2014
Q3 2014
Q4 2014
Q1 2015
Q2 215
Q3 2015
Development of proposal for criteria for
identifying the relationship between third
countries' qualifications frameworks and
the EQF
Testing of criteria and procedures for
identifying the relationship between third
countries' qualifications frameworks and
the EQF and adoption
adoption
Presentation of and discussion with AUS,
HK, NZ in the EQF Advisory Group
Feasibility study on the role and potential
of using qualifications frameworks to
facilitate the understanding, comparison
and recognition of qualifications, with
Hong Kong and New Zealand
A similar EU-Australia was already carried
out in 2011
Analysis of the results of the feasibility
studies of Hong Kong and New Zealand in
the EQF Advisory Group; Discussion of
developments since the 2011 EU-Australia
study with Australia
Technical alignment with Australia, Hong
Kong and New Zealand
Reflection on the opportunity of mirroring
such systematic approach in a potential
revision of the EQF recommendation to
formally confirm the role of the EQF in
cooperation with third countries
Formal
memorandum
of
understanding/cooperation agreement
agreements