Survey on the validation of non-formal and informal learning

Cedefop and the European Commission prepared a Survey on the revision of the European Guidelines for the validation of non-formal and informal learning (RPL)

You can access the survey here  It remains open until the end of June 2021.

Irish practice in RPL is longstanding if uneven. Nationally we are committed to implementing the 2012 European Recommendation, with significant initiatives underway across higher, further and community education and training. These will assist in up-qualifying, up-skilling and redirecting talent in line with personal, social, societal and economic needs, particularly in post COVID recovery. Consequently European lead materials, which inform national approaches are important and helpful.

The European Commission and Cedefop are currently updating the European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning. The purpose of the European guidelines is to support policy makers and practitioners in developing and implementing solutions to serve individuals in their validation process. The ambition of the guidelines is to clarify the conditions for implementation, highlighting the critical choices to be made by stakeholders at different stages of the process.

The European Guidelines were first adopted in 2009 and then updated in 2015. The 2021 update of the guidelines aims at at keeping the guidelines relevant in the context of current and future developments such the digital and green transitions and the Covid-19 pandemic, which require Member States to increasingly tap into the full potential of their citizens.  As we know, RPL- or the validation of non-formal and informal learning- is as an effective mechanism to deal with this need, already embedded in several national initiatives and funding programmes.

You can access the 2009 European Guidelines here

You can access the the Guidelines following the 2015 update here

You can access the evaluation of the 2012 Recommendation here