ECVET - Application to mobility projects

CQAF represents a cooperation platform. The "quality principles" characterising the framework can be described as follows:
- encouraging policy makers to set up clear and measurable goals regarding policies aiming at implementing the quality assurance
- establishing key-principles enabling the training offer matching with the needs of the users and the territory
- planning and checking the training processes for a continuous improvement through a formalization of key-processes
- fostering the dialogue and the participation allowing for the active participation of the different actors in the management and improvement of training processes and products
- promoting, developing and fostering the improvement through the lifelong learning. Self-assessment will be an important method in quality assurance but it should be combined with periodic external monitoring

Operational features
The CQAF comprises:
- a model to facilitate planning, implementation, evaluation and review of systems at the appropriate levels in Member States
- a methodology for assessment and review of systems; the emphasis has been given to self-assessment combined with external evaluation
- a monitoring systems to be identified as appropriate at national or regional level and possibly combined with voluntary peer review at European level
- a measurement tool: a set of reference indicators aiming at facilitating Member States to monitor and evaluate their own systems at national or regional levels.

The model
This includes the following interrelated elements:
1. planning
2. implementation
3. evaluation and assessment
4. review.
Considering the variety of choices made by Member States to deal with quality assurance, for each one of these elements core quality criteria have been identified.

DIAGRAM QUALITY ASSURANCE MODEL

1. The planning relates to the setting up of:

• clear and measurable goals regarding policies, procedures, tasks and human resources
• input and output standards linked with goals to support the design and implementation of the quality assurance
• reference points for certification of individuals or the accreditation of VET institutions and /or programmes
• modalities to involve relevant national, regional and local stakeholders taking part in the decision making process on goals and objectives concerning the quality of VET.

2. To establish key principles that underpin the implementation of the planned actions in order to ensure effectiveness in achieving the goals and objectives which have been planned. These principles have to be coherent with the goals that have been set. Such coherence can be achieved in many ways, for example through regulations, funding incentives, provision of guidelines, building capacity of key actors, combination of internal quality systems at provider level with external inspections, etc.

3. It covers evaluation of programme provision by objectives and learning outcomes. It implies the design and setting up of:

• context indicators
• frequency and scope of evaluations
• evidence of the findings of the evaluation
• strengths and areas for improvement

In general the assessment and evaluation phase consists of two parts:

• the collection and processing of data
• discussions on the results.

4. Constant review combining self-assessment with evaluation by an external body, processing feedback and organising procedures for change. A key factor in this process is to make available publicly the results of the quality assessment procedure and to foster an open debate with the relevant stakeholders on the factors which might have contributed to certain results. Furthermore the organisation of benchmarking processes between comparable settings can strengthen mutual learning.

Methodology
It is an important transversal dimension which is present throughout all the elements of the model. It includes

• decisions about actors and indicators
• design of assessment and evaluation tools
• procedures for change
• ways of combining all elements in order to create a unified systems.

Self-assessment
Self-assessment is a relevant method to assess and develop quality at system and provider levels; it may cover one, several or all of the factors that have an impact on the quality of the VET provision including the organisation, the resources, the pedagogical expertise as well as relations with external environments. The TWG has devised sample self-assessment guidelines.
In self-assessment one can distinguish two main approaches

• one can be used by national bodies to pilot and support quality in VET provision: in this case self-assessment refers primarily to national VET goals and is implemented accordingly to country specific regulatory frameworks
• in the second case the use of self-assessment is made voluntarily by VET providers as a means to rationalise the training offer and to cope with the challenges of a demanding and competitive market.

• Monitoring system

Self-assessment needs to be combined with periodic external monitoring by an independent and appropriate third party body at national, regional or sectoral levels. It is a pre-condition to ensure the credibility, legitimacy and recognition of the evaluation of VET results.
Monitoring systems are part of the regulation function in governance and they can be as diverse as the national systems, sub-systems and institutions are:

• inspection is a common external monitoring measure in publicly supported VET systems. It helps to ensure that internal assessments provide a clear and comparable analysis of the quality of VET through a grading system and published reports. Together with the controlling function the work of inspection bodies deals with support and counselling of VET providers. This function is being developed in most countries
• the accreditation is a specific measure to compelling VET providers to meet a set of fixed minimum standards in order to be incorporated in a VET system. This is particularly important for continuing vocational education and training in which there was often little regulation and review of quality. Such initiatives have been taken mostly by public authorities
• third part verifications of quality systems like ISO 9000 certifications and the EFQM model are fairly widespread in several countries.

Measurement tools
The CQAF proposes a first common set of indicators to measure and assess the quality of VET.
The aim is to help Member States to ensure adequate and consistent follow-up and evaluation of quality development of their own systems based on common qualitative and quantitative references.
The set of indicators devised by the Technical Working Group can also be used as "spot lights" to draw attention to the VET process at national level and as a basis for exchanges of experiences and good practices.
Two rationales have guided the selection of adequate reference indicators:
- to support the application of quality management systems at both VET provider and systems level
- to link quality management activities to policy objectives agreed at European level
- to include contextual information relating to input, process, output and outcome.



Annex 1

Annex 2


Annex 3


Annex 4


Annex 5