Inclusion of qualifications in the NQF in Poland

Peer Learning Activity:

Inclusion of qualifications from outside formal education and training sector into NQFs

Horacy Dębowski, Central Examination Board (CKE)

Paweł Szymborski, Educational Research Institute (IBE)

Vienna, 18 October 2018

Plan of the presentation*

1.The rationale for the NQF implementation in Poland and integration of the qualifications system (IQS)

2.Types of qualifications

3.Inclusion of qualifications in the IQS:

a. Procedure of inclusion

b. Role of stakeholders

c. Quality assurnace

4.Implementation and development of the IQS

*For more details about Polish NQF and Integrated Qualifications System (IQS) please see the country report produced within the NQF-IN Project: http://www.nqf-in.eu/downloads/NQF-

IN%20Country%20Reports.pdf (pages 389-448) + annex to this report: http://www.nqf-in.eu/downloads/NQF-IN%20Country%20Reports_Annexes.pdf (pages 167-178).

Part 1.

The rationale for the NQF implementation in Poland

Lifelong learning in Poland

Comparing to other European countries Poland has good results in primary, secondary and HE education, however not satisfactory results in the adult learning sector.

National Qualifications Framework – as a reforming tool in Poland

- Tool to reform the adult education sector and not to reform general, VET, HE – these sectors were reformed earlier

- Tool for integration of the national qualifiations system (NQS)

- Transparency of qualifications in the country and internationally

- One of the most important lifelong learnig policy tools to enhancedevelopment of human capital in Poland

National Qualifications Framework – as a reforming tool in Poland

- Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF) was introduced by the legal act on the integrated qualifications system (IQS) adopted at the end of 2015

Act on the Integrated Qualifications System in Poland

(Act of 22 December 2015 on the IQS)

The IQS Act establishes:

1. Polish Qualifications Framework

Structure of the PQF and sectoral frameworks

The IQS Act establishes:

2. Integrated Qualifications Register

3. Coordination of the IQS

4. Stakeholders’ role in the IQS

5. Typology of qualifications and terminology

6. Principles of including qualifications

7. Principles of quality assurance

IQS has to be open for all types of qualifications (school and outside the school sectors)

All qualifications included in the to IQS have assigned PQF level

Part 2. Types of qualifications included in the IQS

Types of qualifications:

- Two criteria distinguish different types of qualifications in the IQS (although not stated explicitly):

- whether qualification relates to a level of formal education (poziom wykształcenia) or not

- legal basis that governs the process of awarding the qualification

Full qualifications Partial (minor) qualifications

Formal education qualification (GE,

VET, HE)

Regulated

qualifications

Market

qualifications

State regulated outside

formal education

system (type B)

State regulated within the formal

education system (type A)

Non regulated

qualifications (type C)

Examples of full qualifications:

- Certificate of completing primary school (GE)

- Matura certificate (GE)

- Vocational diploma (VET)

- Diploma certifying the master’s degree (HE)

Examples of partial qualifications

Formal education qualifications:

- VET certificates

- Postgradute diplomas

Examples of partial qualifications:

Regulated qualifications:

- Examiner of the national exams(in general education and VET)

- Diver’s license

- Tax advisor

- Installation of electrical systems

Examples of partial qualifications

Market qualifications:

Installation of joinery

Real estate management

Computer skills certificate

Carpentry assembly in construction

Providing group fitness classes

Tiler – Master’s diploma

https://rejestr.kwalifikacje.

gov.pl/en/

Part 3. Procedure for inclusion qualifications awarded outsideformal education in the Integrated Qualifications System

Integrated Qualifications System in Poland

Inclusion by law Inclusion by request

Qualifications awarded outside

formal education system

Every qualification included in the IQS has to follow the rules regarding:

- Description of qualifications

- Quality assurance (external and internal)

- Quality of validation/examination

- Quality of leveling process(formal general and formal VET qualificationslevelled one by one)

Qualifications awarded outside formal

education system

need to be described

according to the same description template

VET diplomas: NQF level 3-5

Including market qualifications in the NQF

Submitting (e.g. branch organization/training provider) submits the e-form through the IQS portal

The submission form goes to the entity operation Integrated QualificationsRegister (IBE – Educational Research Institute), which assesses the formal aspects of the submitted qualification (14 days)

Formally approved submission form is sent by IBE electronically to the relevant minister.

Step 1.

Relevant minister:

sends the proposal of the qualification to the relevant stakeholders and announceson the IQS portal about starting the consultation process and informs about the possibility to express opinions on the proposed qualification.

Step 2.

Relevant minister:

asks for opinion of specialists regarding the purposefulness of inclusion to the IQS.

Specialists prepare formal opinion on socio-economic need regarding inclusionof the proposed qualification.

Specialists’ opinion is not binding for the ministry

Step 3.

Relevant minister:

Assess the qualification proposal submitted by the branch organisation –

assessment includes: purposfuleness of inclusion the qualification in the IQS,

learning outcomes and appropriateness of the validation procedures

Makes a decision regarding the inclusion of the qualifcation in the IQR

(or refusal)

Step 3.

In case of:

the negative decision – the ministry informs the submitting body giving the

explanation of the decision. No right to appeal.

positive decision – ministry takes measures in order to assign the PQF level.

Step 4.

Relevant minister:

appoints the team of experts in order to assign the PQF levelThe team of experts: prepares recommendation on the PQF level

Ministry sends expert’s team recommendation to the IQS Council for their opinion.

The IQS Council prepares the opinion regarding the experts‘ recommendation on the PQF level.

The opinion of experts is binding for the ministry

Step 5.

Relevant minister:

assigns the PQF level to the qualification according to the expert team recommendation.

Includes qualification in the NQS in the form of Ministerial notice (formalannouncement)

After the announcement the Ministry sends relevant information to IBE (entityopertaing the Integrated Qualifications Register)

Step 6.

After the announcement the Minister starts the procedure of appointing the awarding bodies for the submitted qualification

Having appointed awarding bodies and the external qualify assurance body the submitted qualification begins to function as the qualificationincluded in the IQS.

Including regulated qualifications (type B, from the outside of formaleducation system) in the IQS:

The main difference between the procedure of including market qualifications and regulated qualifications is that the ministry – no other body – initiates the inclusion of a regulated qualification in the NQF

Within 5 years, all ministers are obliged to:

- review the regulated qualifications within their sphere of competence- decide which of them should be included in the IQS

Including qualification – institutional summary

submittng body (e.g. training provider, branch organisation, trade union), IBE, relevant minister, stakeholders, specialists, expertgroup, IQS Stakeholders Council are involved in the process

Including qualifications in the NQF – the role of stakeholders

- Involved in assessing the need for a qualification to be included in the IQS

- Involved in determining the NQF level – special role of the Stakeholders Council

Type of payment Cost in € (PLN) Who covers the cost?

Application to the relevant minister via the

IQS Portal to have a market qualification

included in the IQS

468 (2 000) Applicant institution active in the

area of economy, labour market,

education or training

Application to the relevant minister via the

IQS Portal for authorization to award a

market qualification

2340 (10 000)

1170* (5 000)

Applicant awarding body

Quarterly payment from fees earned from

validation and certification

3%** Awarding body

Application to the minister-coordinator to be

listed as an External Quality Assurance Entity

(EQAE)

468 (2 000) Applicant institution active in the

area of economy, labour market,

education or training

* If this is the same entity that applied to have a qualification included in the IQS

** But not less than 1 PLN for each document issued that certifies an awarded market qualification

Question:

Who is responsible for the quality assurance of the process of inclusion to the NQF?

Answer:

Relevant minister

Question

Who is responsible for the process of quality assurance of qualification awarded outside

the formal system (quality of examination)?

Answer:

Awarding body is reponsible for the quality of validation and quality of certification. The relevant minister

supervises awarding body by internal (providing by awarding body) and external qualisty system (in which the

External Quality Assurance Entity is assigned by relevant minister from list of the minister coordinator of IQS).*

The teaching/education institution is responsible for the quality of teaching/education (awarding body has to

implement own internal quality assurance system for, among others, dividing the teching/education processes

from validation and certification processes).

*External quality assurance consists of:

• monitoring the internal quality assurance system used by the awarding body,

• regularly verifying that the awarding body is complying with the requirements of the IQS Act,

• conducting regular external evaluations of validation and certification of the awarding body and its internal quality assurance system,

and is provided by External Quality Assurance Entity (EQAE).

External Quality Assurance Entity (EQAE)

Institution, which want to be the EQAE, must have at least 10 years of experience in conducting organised

activities in a field relating to the economy, labour market, education or training. The EQAE can be an entity

conducting business activity or an individual. The EQAE cannot be an awarding body for the groups of

qualifications that it would like to quality assure. It must have an internal quality assurance system in place

to ensure the quality of the processes performed.

The EQAE should have adequately trained personnel, who, as a team, will have knowledge about:

• the integrated qualifications system,

• the principles of validation,

• experience in the validation of learning outcomes acquired through formal and non-formal education and

informal learning,

• knowledge of the principles of the internal and external quality assurance of awarding qualifications,

• experience in conducting evaluations or audits.

Question

How will it be known that the qualifications and programmes are delivered as they were submitted?

Answer:

- In the IQS the awarding bodies are subject to internal and external quality assurancesystem.

- Every three years the awarding body has to conduct the internal quality assuranceprocedure ending with the report.

- Not less frequently than every five years the external quality assuranceprocedure will have to be conducted (by External Quality Assurance Entity).

- The IQS legal act gave relevant ministers right to control the awarding bodies. Ministry might withdraw the right given to the institution to be an awarding body

Part 4. Implementation and development of the IQS

Poland is in the first stage of the functioning of the IQS:

- Development of implementing regulations and organisational infrastructure

(more than 13 regulations were adopted), e.g.:

Regulation of the Minister of Education of 19 August 2016 on

the conditions to be met by experts appointed to the team of experts, the

procedure of appointing experts and the procedure of comparing the learning

outcomes required for a qualification with the level descriptors of the Polish

Qualifications Framework (Journal of Laws of 2016, item 1204),

Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 10 October 2016 on the

bylaws of the work of the commission assessing applications for inclusion in

the list of entities authorised to perform external quality assurance […]

(Journal of Laws of 2016, item 1594),

- Implementing ministerial regulations enabled Poland to achieve a fully functional Integrated

Qualifications System.

- Preparing governmental institutions involved in the IQS(see the NQF-IN project report)

- Preparing entities involved in the IQS, role of the Educational Research Institute)(see the NQF-IN report project)

- Qualifications awarded in the formal education system (general, VET, HE) were included in 2016

- 9625 full and 285 partial qualifications are listed

Qualifications awarded outside the formal education system

(October 2018):

- 11 qualifications included

- 8 qualifications are „waiting” for the Ministerial announcement- 102 qualifications submitted for inclusion in the proces of inclusion

Characteristics of the national qualifications system in

Poland related to inclusion of qualifications in the IQS

Characteristic of a

qualifications system

Basic Variants

1. Types of qualifications that may be

included in an NQF-based

qualifications system, according to

proposed typology of qualifications in

the NQF-in project

Variant 1.1

All types of qualification may be included

in the qualifications system

Variant 1.2

Only some types of qualifications may be

included in the qualifications system

Characteristic of a

qualifications system

Basic Variants

2. Ownership of a qualification in an

NQF-based qualifications system

Variant 2.1

Qualifications included in the system

remain the property of the submitting

institution

Variant 2.2

Qualifications included in the system

become a public good

Characteristic of a

qualifications system

Basic Variants

3. A llowable level of sim ilarity o f the

qualifications included in an NQ F-

based qualifications system

Variant 3.1

S im ilarity to qualifications included earlier

in the qualifications system precludes the

ability to include the subm itted

qualification in the system

Variant 3.2

S im ilarity to qualifications included earlier

in the qualifications system does not

preclude the ability to include the new

qualifications

Characteristic of a

qualifications system

Basic Variants

4. Character of the legal regulations

on including qualifications in an NQF-

based qualifications system

Variant 4.1

Specific regulations on inclusion have the

character of required legal norms

Variant 4.2

Specific regulations on inclusion do not

have the character of required legal norms

Characteristic of a

qualifications system

Basic Variants

5. Scope of the regulations on

including qualifications in an NQF-

based qualifications system

Variant 5.1

Specific regulations govern all significant

elements in the process of including

qualifications

Variant 5.2

Only general guidelines are provided,

leaving a wide margin of discretion for

specific stakeholders

Characteristic of a

qualifications system

Basic Variants

6. Degree of centralization of the

decisions taken on including

qualifications in an NQF-based

qualifications system

Variant 6.1

One institution decides on including

qualifications (as well as determines their

level)

Variant 6.2

Many institutions can decide on including

qualifications (as well as determine their

level)

Characteristics of a qualifications system

Basic Variants

7. Role of different stakeholder groups in

activities relating to the inclusion of

qualifications in an NQF-based qualifications

system

Variant 7.1

The roles of public authorities and social partners

are balanced in the process of including non-

formal qualifications in NQF-based qualifications

systems.

Variant 7.2

Social partners have a weak role in the process of

including non-formal qualifications in NQF-based

qualifications systems

Variant 7.3

Social partners play no role in the process of

including qualifications.

Characteristic of a

qualifications system

Basic Variants

8. Fees for including qualifications in

an NQF-based qualifications system

Variant 8.1: Fees are incurred when

including a qualification in the system

Variant 8.2

No fees are incurred when including a

qualification in the system

Characteristic of a

qualifications system

Basic Variants

9. The formal, legal and financial

benefits of having a qualification

included in an NQF-based

qualifications system

Variant 9.2

Including qualifications in the system

provides no practical formal or financial

benefits for various stakeholder groups

Variant 9.1

Including qualifications in the system

provides various types of formal and

financial benefits to learners, training

institutions and awarding bodies

(scholarships, discounts, the right to seek

financing or refunds)

Closing remarks (1):

Solutions in Poland:

- support coherency (tight framework),

- protect against proliferation,

- affects incentives (ownership issue),

- does not promote large organisations (awarding bodies)

- emphasis on state regulated qualifications out

Closing remarks (2):

- Introducing solutions to include qualifications from the outside of formaleducation requires substantial human, organisational, and financialresources

- Involvement of stakeholders is crucial: design, implementation, politicalprocesses even if it takes longer time

- Informing about solutions to institutions and awarding bodies which mightbe interested in submitting qualifications

Closing remarks (3):

- Trade-off: coherency of the system and quality assuranceversus incentives to include qualifications in the qualifications system

- How to open NQFs and populate them with qualifications without losing coherencyand quality

- Process of inclusion turned longer than estimated – in order not to decreasequality and coherency. Debate in the IQS Council

- Coordination between ministries is crucial and not always easy

Closing remarks (4):

- Policy learning between countries very supportive:

- European Social Funds

- EU programmes (Erasmus+, Horizon 2020)

- The role of supportive institutions providing expertise to stakeholders, including decisionmakers, the role of the Educational Research Institute

- Challenge to respond to skills shortages (Unemployment rate = 3,7%)

Thank you for your attention

horacy.debowski@cke.gov.pl

p.szymborski@ibe.edu.pl