The Conference was organized by the newly established Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and gathered over 150 participants from 35 European and other regions’ countries.  The main goal of the conference was to study how qualification frameworks and quality assurance arrangements can best work together at national and European levels facilitating the overall reformation of education.

The main priority of the Irish Presidency  of the Council of EU is the provision of high quality education and training for all Europe’s citizens which is essential if Europe is to tackle its unemployment crisis, strengthen its economic growth and create sustainable jobs.

Two days of intensive discussions of a wide range of issues were followed by important conclusions. One of the conclusions emphasized the need for the European Commission, the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) Advisory Group and the BFUG to look at ways of facilitating greater  dialogue between the main actors  in  VET and  HE on the topic of quality and qualifications frameworks. Providers in both sectors were  urged to make their quality assurance arrangements  mutually intelligible, share good practice in implementation of learning outcomes. The participants expressed concern on the disconnection between what employers required as skills  for employees and the obtained qualifications.

Read more on the Irish EU Presidency website.

Qualifications Frameworks and Quality Assurance systems are now key features of the education and training landscape in both higher and vocational education and training. This conference explores how policy and its implementation can be coordinated within national systems and at European level to support educational reform, the creation of jobs and growth and citizen mobility.

Four key themes are explored:

• integrating frameworks and quality assurance,
• using quality assurance to improve the labour market relevance of qualifications,
• facilitating the validation of formal and non-formal learning,
• and promoting confidence in Europe’s qualifications on a global scale.