The Copenhagen Process

EC-VET

Credit transfer for qualifications on VET and Continuing VET level is the crucial instrument in order to achieve the objectives of the declaration. General issues and concepts of Credit Transfer are involved that are similar to the ECTS instrument. Equally, specification as to level descriptors for

proficiency/qualification must be made. The special challenge is – in contrast to describing outcomes of higher education – provide a system for the accumulation and transfer of credits that explicitly focuses on professional qualification: i.e. on knowledge, skills, and competences. Results of informal and nonformal learning must be validated.

The guideline is – in analogy to the focus on learning outcomes with the ECTS – to focus on cognitive, functional, and wider competences within given fields of professional activity. Standards are laid out by defined statements of competence that describe performance outputs!

Classification of occupations, typologies of knowledge, skills, and competences, issues of certification and quality assurance are at the core of this process. All these points are lively discussed at a CEDEFOP workgroup. A practical implementation of these concepts has been delivered in the context of the Advanced IT Training System in Germany in cooperation with the Federal Institute for Vocational Training.