This is to keep you up to date with outcomes of projects addressing issues of developing a European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET). The objective of ECVET is to create a European device which will facilitate the transfer, validation and recognition of learning outcomes acquired by individuals moving from one learning context to another or from one qualification system to another, in particular during a mobility period, and who wish to obtain a qualification. ECVET, which is being developed alongside the European Qualifications Framework, will be used on a voluntary basis.

Below you can find an invitation to an ECVET conference, complemented by further references to ECVET related projects and activities.

ECVET: Practical Approaches and Experiences
International Conference in Vienna, Austria, 7 February 2008

The conference will be organised within the context of the ESO-CERT project. In this project, the method for the assessment and certification of professional competences, which was developed in a Leonardo da Vinci project (CEMES), has been transferred to credit point systems for vocational training.

The conference is an opportunity to gain more information about the ESO-CERT project and the other four projects funded in the context of the call for proposals EAC/33/2006 "Award of grants for the promotion and coordination of projects to develop credit systems for vocational education and training (ECVET)". Information about the latest developments concerning the ECVET process will be provided, and presentations will be made concerning current developments related to ECVET on national levels.

The deadline for registration is 14 January 2008. Please follow the links below to download the draft programme and the registration form. In case of any open questions please contact: eso-cert@cemes.eu 
http://www.3s.co.at/download/Programme_Conference_ECVET_08.pdf
http://www.3s.co.at/download/Anmeldeformular_ECVET_08.doc
 

Projects related to the ECVET call for proposals (EAC/33/2006):

Baltic Education project (2007-2008),
developing and implementing a system of mutual recognition of vocational education and training, using the profession of painter as a test case.
http://www.baltic-education.eu/

ECVET-Fitness project (2007),
developing and implementing  a European credit system for qualifications in the fitness sector.
http://www.ehfa.eu/ECV/index.php

Echo-Net-Train project (2007),
developing a credit transfer platform between transnational vocational education and training consortia of ECHONET (training staff working in Cultural Heritage Organisations) and NET-TRAINERS (training staff in web-based learning).
http://www.echonet.info/ent.html

ESO-CERT project (2007-2008),
transferring the method for the assessment and certification of professional competences, which was developed in the project CEMES (CErtification Method for European Specialists), to credit point systems for vocational training.
http://www.eso-csa.com/

S-M-E Master project - 'Skilled-Mobile-European' (2007),
applying ECVET to the master craftsperson qualification in bakery, based on learning outcomes, taking into consideration formal, non-formal and informal learning contexts.
http://www.sme-master.eu/
 

Project contributing to ECVET:

VQTS - Vocational qualification transfer system
A model for the structured description of work-related competences and their acquisition
(completed in 2006, especially recognised as a contribution towards developing ECVET)
http://www.vocationalqualification.net/
 

Reference to the ECVET consultation process:

Consultation on a European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (October 2006)
http://ec.europa.eu/education/ecvt/index_en.html

Summary of responses received to the European Commission's consultation on ECVET (June 2007):
http://www.trainingvillage.gr/etv/news/default.asp?idnews=2585
 

Initial project studies on ECVET (carried out in 2006):

• A study on the main obstacles to mobility to clearly identify them and propose solutions (ECVET Move-it);
• A study on the implementation of an ECVET system on validation of learning outcomes, certification, accumulation and transfer of units (ECVET Reflector);
• A study on the operational feasibility of an ECVET system for apprentices and learners in initial vocational training (ECVET Connexion).

Kind regards
Sabine Manning

PS 25.2.08: Documentation of the ECVET conference: www.cemes.eu/cemes/
PS 2.6.08: ECVET home page