a brief update on credit '' and LLNs

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a brief update on credit .. and LLNs

• credit and qualifications frameworks
  developments
• LLL and credit
• different LLN approaches
• quality and standards

Nick Harris QAA Director Development and
Enhancement Group
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• credit and qualifications frameworks
  developments
• Burgess credit arrangements for HE in England
• HE in the rest of UK (SCQF and CQFW)
• HE framework and credits in Europe
• QCA / LSC Framework for Achievement ..
• EQF for LLL
• Joint Forum for Higher Levels

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• credit and qualifications frameworks developments
• a) Burgess credit arrangements for HE in
  England
• 3 stage consultation process
• agreement on principles (autumn 2005)
• recommendations (spring 2006)
• report on proposals including implementation
  timescales (late 2006 for 2010 )
• b) HE credit in the UK .. learning from
  experience
• SCQF and CQFW (up and running)
• c) HE framework and credit in Europe
• Framework for HE qualifications of the EHEA
  (Bologna)
• the Dublin descriptors
• guidelines on ECTS

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QCA / LSC Framework for Achievement ..
the framework

• Aims to provide national specifications and
  regulation to support systems to recognise
  learner achievements.
• In the long term will replace the
• National Qualifications Framework (NQF)
• FfA also aims to rationalise and simplify
  systems so that qualifications and other
  achievements are
• more responsive to employer and learner needs
• inclusive of a range of achievements
• clear and accessible for learners and providers
• unitised and credit based
• Specification and prospectus published May 2006

Vocational education and training
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EQF a LLL / VQ framework for Europe for
transparency and mobility

• Aims to provide meta qualification framework for
  guidance of NQFs of nation states
• to promote mobility, recognition of learning /
• qualifications etc
• voluntary ..
• first draft VERY detailed
• 8 level framework .. with boxes describing
• generic skills, competencies etc
• expected that
• sectors will supply specific examples of the
  generic
• will have a credit system (not ECTS?)
• will it replace Bologna ?!

Vocational education and training
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Joint Forum for Higher Levels
.. effective collaboration,, to ensure
appropriate articulation between the two
qualification frameworks (1), . establish
quickly a set of overarching principles for a
common approach to credit (2), ..and then
work to reach agreement on shared operational
criteria (3) .. . .with both principles
and criteria to be tested out via trialling .(4)
.. Bill Rammell, to Dick Coldwell, November
2005
Higher Education
and
Vocational education and training
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Joint Forum for Higher Levels

• High level draft overarching principles
• relationship between credit and learning,
• credit awarded by bodies approved to do so,
• determination of credit value of units of
  learning, awards, qualifications according to
  consistent criteria,
• description of qualifications, and their
  component units or modules include a credit
  value,
• accumulation, and transfer of credit towards a
  qualification or award

Higher Education
and
Vocational education and training

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a set of overarching principles for a common
approach to credit (2) and work to reach
agreement on shared operational criteria (3) ..
FHEQ (Eng)
NQF (FfA)
Programmes set nationally QA by
external regulator Detail of credit
practice at national level (FfA specification
and prospectus)
Programmes set locally QA by provider Detai
l of credit practice at Institutional
level (MRSASG for HE)
Overarching Principles
Operational Criteria
Common approach to credit
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• Lifelong Learning and credit

• real opportunities for (demand side)
• flexible learning patterns/paths
• focus on student / learner / ..
• interests of employers
• but ..
• not entirely simple or straightforward for
  supply side
• progression accords
• quality assurance and standards
• cultures and regulations
• sustainability

Higher Education
and
Vocational education and training
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• different LLN approaches
• in summary ..
• Sussex Learning Network
• Sussexlearningnetwork.org.uk
• GMSA Greater Manchester Strategic Alliance
• gmsa.ac.uk
• in detail
• Lifelong Learning for Greater Merseyside West
  Lancashire

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• quality and standards
• is focus on the qualification or the credit ?
• what is (understood by) a qualification ?
• are HE and VQ qualifications the same ?
• skills training / education
• whose qualification ? whose responsibility ?
• HE awarding powers cannot be delegated
• dual / joint awards ..
• collaborative provision etc
• does it do what it says on the tin?

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Contact details
Further information
Jayne Mitchell j.mitchell_at_qaa.ac.uk Nick
Harris n.harris_at_qaa.ac.uk Southgate
House, Southgate Street, Gloucester GL1
1UB Telephone [phone]