A Nordplus mapping project 2015-2015

1. Nordic Competence Profiles of Validation
Practitioners
and Competence Development
A mapping project 2014 - 15
Conference Copenhagen June 16, 2015
Camilla Alfsen NO, Anni Karttunen FI, Haukur Harðarson
IS, Pär Sellberg SE, Kirsten Aagaard DK

2. Project objectives
To contribute to the development and strengthening of
validation of prior learning (VPL) in the Nordic countries
by mapping competence profiles and focusing on
professionalization of the validation practitioners in
their work with validation in all steps of the validation
process.
Mapping project 2014 - 2015  followed by a
development project 2015 - 16

3. Essential activities
• Mapping of tasks, roles and competence
profiles of validation practitioners in the
validation process.
• Identifying the need for competence develop-
ment for the validation practitioners and outlining
challenges and recommendations for compe-
tence development activities at a national and
Nordic level.

4. Frameworks
• Linked to the identified challenges in VPL by the
Expert Network on Validation. Competence
devlopement one of the main challenges to
promote and strengthen VPL
• Linked to European strategies for validation of
prior learning ( policy papers, guidelines etc).

5. Frameworks (b)
Nordic approach:
Tradition of strong adult education, strong labor
unions and political focus on social inclusion.
A strong third sector
Education is structured, almost public and
regulated

6. The roles of VPL practitioners
Counsellors/
guiders
offer information, advice and guidance
Assessors carry out assessment processes
Managers manage assessment centers/procedures
External observers external observers of the process
Other stakeholders have an important but less direct role in the
validation process without being directly involved
in the process

7. The validation process
Factors that need to be in place, for VPL to fulfill demands for quality in the
process delivered and for meeting the needs of the individual.

8. Nordic competence profiles of
VPL practitioners
• A generic Nordic description and overview
– Built on experience from the Nordic countries,
research and projects.
• A clearer overview of competence development
and profiles
– It is not certain that all factors identified suit all VPL
systems, but it may be a case of consideration if
some of them are missing…
• Inspiration for improving quality

11. Main conclusions / Key competences
• To be able to promote an motivate for the
validation process
• To recognize and be able to validate
competences from a vast range of learning
arenas
• To be able to analyze and make use of learning
outcome descriptions
• To be able to provide necessary and relevant
guidance in the different phases of validation

12. Challenges
The process of validation:
involves many different roles
includes many different phases with
different competence requirements
involves practitioners with no formal
competence requirements in VPL
procedures

13. Recommendations
A variety of training activities are needed to match
the different needs for competence development
for VPL practitioners as
•Courses
•Education in the formal system
•Peer learning activities / networking
•Development projects /research

14. The next project 2015 - 16
• Competence profiles – learning outcomes / NQF
• Description of learning activities
• Knowledge platform for VPL practitioners