EQF-FRAMEFlexible References and Methods of Evaluation

A Leonardo da Vinci project partly sponsored by DG Education and Culture of the European Commission.

Manual for Referencing Qualifications in Tourism Studies to the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning

Produced by the EQF-FRAME project partnership

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© Malta Qualifications Council (MQC) 2008

This publication is the result of research undertaken by six partners forming part of the EQF-FRAME project which is partly funded by the Directorate-General for Education and Culture – Lifelong Learning; Education and Training Policies – LE2-707EQF. The project is led by the Malta Qualifications council of the Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (Malta).

The officers involved in the research are; Karin Luomi-Messerer and Sonja Lengauer (Austria), Luciano Tusé and Marianna Caratelli (Italy), Vassilis Karavitis and Dimitrios Raftopoulos (Greece), Charles Mizzi and James Calleja (Malta), Bostjan Kosorok (Slovenia) and Soledad Iglesias, Rosario Esteban, Antonio Gil and Gema Cavada (Spain).

Special thanks go to Ms Karin Luomi-Messerer of 3s, Vienna who has coordinated and put together the text of this Manual and Ms Valerie Attard who has proof-read the document before printing.

The text is also available on the Malta Qualifications Council website www.mqc.gov.mt and on the project website http://eqf.oeek.gr

The contents of this publication may be reproduced in part, expect for commercial purposes, provided that the extract is preceded by a complete reference to the EQF-FRAME Project followed by the date of publication of this document.

Text completed on the 21st of July 2008.

Published by the Malta Qualifications Council, Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.

Design, layout and printing Salesian Press, Malta.

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ContentsIntroduction

Part One: Conceptual framework – European Qualifications Framework and its relationship to learning outcomes

Part Two: Descriptions of qualifications based on learning outcomes – Examples from partner countries Part Three: Commentary on how partner countries have designed the referencing process

Part Four: How to refer qualifications to the EQF – Conclusions

List of Acronyms used in this Manual

ISFOL Istituto per lo Sviluppo della Formazione professionale dei Lavoratori – Institute for the development of workers’ professional training

CEDEFOP European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training NOQ National Occupational QualificationEQF-FRAME EQF Flexible Reference and Methods of EvaluationELSFORM Europa Lavoro Servizi e FormazioneISCED International Standard Classification of EducationKSC Knowledge, Skills and CompetenceESSEEKA National System of Connecting Vocational Education and Training and EmploymentETF European Training FoundationEQF European Qualifications FrameworkMQC Malta Qualifications CouncilNQF National Qualifications Framework VET Vocational Education and Training

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Manual for Referencing Qualifications in Tourism Studies to EQF

IntroductionThe ‘Manual for Referencing Qualifications in Tourism Studies to EQF’ was prepared in the context of the project ‘EQF – Flexible References and Methods of Evaluation (EQF-FRAME)’, which is partly funded by the Directorate-General for Education and Culture – Lifelong Learning: Education and Training Policies – LE2-707EQF. The project is coordinated by the Malta Qualifications Council of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (Malta). The five partners involved in the project are (in alphabetical order):

_ 3s research laboratory, Vienna, AUSTRIA;_ Europa Lavoro Servizi e Formazione E.L.S. FORM. s.r.l., Chieti, ITALY;_ The Organisation for Vocational Education and Training, Ministry of

National Education and Religious Affairs, Athens ,GREECE;_ The National Institute for Vocational Education and Training, Ljubljana,

SLOVENIA;_ The Directorate-General for Vocational Education and Training of the

Ministry of Education and Science, Madrid, SPAIN.

This Manual seeks to illustrate how qualifications in tourism studies can be referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). This must be done through understanding the level descriptors of the EQF as well as the learning outcomes of the respective qualifications. The question will be addressed as to which evaluation principles and methods could or should be used to assess the level of qualifications in tourism studies. Processes and methods for referencing qualifications to the EQF will be presented and illustrated with examples from the partner countries.

This Manual links with the other products of the project namely:

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_ the EQF-FRAME compact disc which provides information and explanations for stakeholders to understand the principles and mechanisms of the EQF;

_ the publication (152 pgs) ‘The European Qualifications Framework and Tourism Studies – a Comparative Analysis of Tourism Systems of Qualification – Austria, Greece, Italy, Malta, Slovenia and Spain’;

_ the website of the project which can be accessed from http://eqf.oeek.gr

The procedures described in this Manual do not represent the official national views of the partner countries. The ideas and proposals presented in the Manual represent solely the view of the project partner responsible for that particular viewpoint..

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Part 1: Conceptual framework – The European Qualifications Framework and its relationship to learning outcomes

1. The EQF based on learning outcomes

A ‘qualifications framework’ is an instrument used to systematically classify qualifications according to a hierarchy of levels of achieved learning. Its main purposes are to enhance readability of qualifications, to promote mobility between systems and countries and to facilitate lifelong learning (European Commission 2008, 11).

The development of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) started in 2004 and was formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on 23 April 2008. The EQF seeks to link countries' qualifications systems and frameworks. By acting as a translation device that helps employers and individuals compare and better understand citizen' qualifications, the EQF supports geographical and labour market mobility as well as lifelong learning. Moreover, the EQF should foster the development of mutual trust through cooperation among the different stakeholders involved in education and training. In addition, stronger links should be built between the national qualifications systems and emerging international sectoral qualifications systems.

The EQF is designed as a meta-framework and neutral reference point for all European qualifications systems (with implicit levels), national or sectoral qualifications frameworks. It covers the entire range of qualifications from the basic level to the highest academic and professional qualifications. The EQF is based on eight common reference levels described through learning outcomes. The eight levels cover the entire span of qualifications from those achieved at the end of compulsory education to those awarded at the highest level of academic and professional or vocational education and training.

The EQF, as a meta-framework, follows the learning outcome approach because it introduces a common language and thus enables the comparability of qualifications according to their content and profile. The focus shifts from input orientation towards an orientation on learning outcomes. The most important difference from other approaches is that the orientation on learning outcomes does not consider methods and processes of teaching and learning in organised contexts or the duration of the respective programmes.

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The EQF levels illustrate the hierarchy of qualifications (vertical structure) and are defined by learners' final achievements completely independent of any formal education. Therefore, qualifications allocated to a particular level are equivalent in certain aspects even though they may vary in ‘scope’ (such as full qualification compared to partial qualification). They may also vary in the time necessary to acquire these qualifications (for example, many years compared to only a few weeks). Lastly, they may vary in intention (such as access to further education or work experience).

Comparisons of qualifications from different countries are facilitated by the level descriptors of the EQF. They characterise the different levels and therefore present the criteria for placing qualifications on these levels. Level descriptors give a clue about what holders of a particular qualification on a certain level have to be able to know, to understand and to do. They are formulated as simple and generic as possible, only positive statements are used and technical terms are avoided. They should clearly express the difference between levels and should make the increasing complexity and the increasing demand on the learners or workers transparent. The categories (dimensions) of learning outcomes that characterise the eight EQF levels are: `knowledge´ (factual and theoretical), `skills´ (cognitive and practical) and `competence´ (autonomy and responsibilities).

The following definitions are used in the EQF (European Commission 2008, 11):

_ ‘>knowledge< means the outcome of the assimilation of information through learning. Knowledge is the body of facts, principles, theories and practices that is related to a field of work or study. In the context of the European Qualifications Framework, knowledge is described as theoretical and/or factual;

_ >skills< means the ability to apply knowledge and use know-how to complete tasks and solve problems. In the context of the European Qualifications Framework, skills are described as cognitive (involving the use of logical, intuitive and creative thinking) or practical (involving manual dexterity and the use of methods, materials, tools and instruments);

_ >competence< means the proven ability to use knowledge, skills and personal, social and/ or methodological abilities, in work or study situations and in professional and personal development. In the context of the European Qualifications Framework, competence is described in terms of responsibility and autonomy.’

A copy of the EQF as adopted by the European Parliament and by the Council on the 23rd of April 2008 is reproduced in Appendix 1 for further reference. A version of the EQF can be accessed from:http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/eqf/eqf08_en.pdf - pp12-14

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2. Relating qualifications to the EQF based on a learning outcomes approach

Countries are asked to link their qualifications systems or qualifications frameworks to the EQF: National qualifications systems should be referred to the EQF until 2010 and references to the EQF levels should be introduced in all new certificates and Europass documents by 2012. Transparent procedures and methods have to be used to link national qualifications levels to the EQF and the principles of quality assurance (presented in Annex III of the EQF document - European Commission 2008, 15) should be applied.

To ensure a satisfying and successful linking process, it should be done in several stages (Coles, 2007, 9):_ Stage 1: Identifying the implicit levels of qualifications that are

commonly understood by stakeholders and the qualifications that exemplify each level.

_ Stage 2: Identifying the knowledge, skills and competence for these exemplary qualifications.

_ Stage 3: Use this information to match (as well as possible) these exemplary qualifications to the EQF levels by reading the EQF descriptors for each EQF level and associating the qualification with one of the given EQF levels.

_ Stage 4: Use the EQF descriptors to help build a learning outcome profile for national qualifications.

References

Coles, Mike (2007): Expertise. Qualifications frameworks in Europe: platforms for collaboration, integration and reform. A paper for the conference: Making the European Learning Area a Reality, 3-5 June 2007, Munich. Online: http://www2.vhs-bayern.de/contentserv/4.2/bvv.de/data/media/_stories/372/Expertise_1.pdf

European Commission (2008): The European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Online: http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/eqf/eqf08_en.pdf

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Part Two: Descriptions of qualifications based on learning outcomes – Examples from partner countries1. Introduction

‘Learning outcomes’ are currently quite high on the agenda in many EU countries and particularly in the context of lifelong learning. Despite some agreement about the meaning of learning outcomes, different definitions, typologies and concepts are used in varied contexts and are operationalised in rather distinct ways. The CEDEFOP (2008) study ‘The Shift to Learning Outcomes – Policies and Practices in Europe’ presents a comprehensive analysis of the concepts of learning outcomes, the differences and communalities existing in different European countries and contexts, their role in policy reforms and their impact on practical reforms at the levels of institutions and learners.

Although the concept of learning outcomes is not a new aspect in the teaching and learning context, sometimes the current developments are discussed as a ‘shift of paradigm’. This perception may have emerged because developing qualifications frameworks based on learning outcomes not only interests those involved in teaching or developing curricula but also a wider group of stakeholders on the national and European levels. Examples of broader interests include enhancing transparency of qualifications, improving comparability of qualifications between different countries, validating non-formal or informal learning and assuring quality.

In the teaching and learning context, there is a shifting focus towards specific outcomes and away from input factors (for example, number of teaching hours, duration of training programmes, location of teaching and learning). Many descriptions of learning programmes focus on the aims of teaching and learning. The paradigmatic shift means that learning outcomes are also now more visibile. However, the training programme’s learning outcomes should link back closely to and be consistent with the aims. The relationship between aims and learning outcomes (also including assessment criteria) could be seen as the heart of curriculum design. In the following table, these two elements are contrasted:

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Table 1: Comparison: Aims of a teaching and learning process – Learning outcomes

Aims Learning outcomesPurpose general or more specific

statements of the teaching intentions

clear statements of what the learner is expected to achieve and how he or she is expected to demonstrate that achievement (clarification of the teaching intentions)

Perspective written from the teacher’s perspective and presenting an idea about the content of the teaching process

written from the learner’s perspective and expressing a precise statement of what learners should know and be able to do after the completion of the learning process

Terms ‘to provide an overview over…’ or ‘to introduce students to…’

define, list, name, recall, analyse, calculate, design, etc

Focus input: definition of teaching hours and subjects, examination requirements, etc.

outcome: definition of achievements

However, what are the benefits of using a learning outcomes approach? Clearly stated learning outcomes can help guide learners because the expectations become transparent and clearly communicated. On the one hand, this helps the learners to better choose their learning pathway and, on the other hand, it helps them to prepare for their assessment and thus to learn successfully . The learning outcomes approach also helps teachers and trainers focus on exactly the knowledge, skills and competence they want learners to acquire. Furthermore, it provides potential employers a useful guide on the general learning outcomes that a graduate will have acquired.

2. Examples

In this section, some examples from partner countries are presented to illustrate how learning outcomes can be described and what concepts are used in this context in order to achieve a level of understanding between the content in the teaching process and the knowledge, skills and copmpetences to be achieved by the individual.

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GREECE – Development of “occupational profiles”The Greek education system and especially the vocational system is centralised and “objectives oriented” based on the specific educational curricula of each specialisation. A system based on “learning outcomes” has not been launched yet, although each course is accompanied by an outline of the professional profile described in terms of the skills and competence aimed by the programme. Even more, there is not yet a “modularised” approach of the vocational system; this is still a goal to be achieved.

Taking as an example the programme of study: “Reception and Hospitality Specialist” which is offered at a Post- Secondary level from the Vocational Training Institutes (IEK), the following remarks can be made:

The “Reception and Hospitality Specialist” obtains a “Vocational Training Diploma” after completing a four semesters programme and being certified (after an assessment process often an examination by OEEK). The level of the Qualification is 4 ISCED/4 EQF.

The profile of Skills and Competences for the holder of this certificate, as stated in the relevant Europass Certificate Supplement, consists in the following: He / she_ Organises the arrival of customers. Applies the procedures of

reservation and ensures customers’ registration and the opening of their account.

_ Receives customers and facilitates their setting, ensures their access to the accommodation and hospitality facilities.

_ Supervises the quality of customer service, provides advice and information of tourist, cultural and practical character and facilitates customers’ communication and their access to administration.

_ Meets requests or complaints regarding the services provided, suggests solutions and take measures for the security of customers and of their personal belongings.

_ Organises the departure of customers and is responsible for the follow up of customers’ files after their departure.

_ Cooperates with other departments, ensures the fulfillment of procedures regarding prevention, maintenance and repairs of materials and equipment. Conducts census in the sector of his or her responsibility.

_ Undertakes activities, participates in plans of commercial utilisation and marketing of the enterprise

_ Communicates in Greek and English and also comprehends technical manuals of English terminology.

_ Is IT literate.

The new approach of “learning outcomes” has been adopted in the current development of “occupational profiles”. This project aims at the development and accreditation of “occupational profiles”, in the framework

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of Lifelong Education and Training. The structure of each “occupational profile” is as follows:

Profession

Main Professional Activity 1

Main Professional Activity 2

Main Professional Activity 3

Specific Professional Activity 1

Specific Professional Activity 3

Specific Professional Activity 2

ProfessionalTask 1

ProfessionalTask 3

ProfessionalTask 2

Professional Objectives

ImplementationArea

Profession

Main Professional Activity 1

Main Professional Activity 2

Main Professional Activity 3

Specific Professional Activity 1

Specific Professional Activity 3

Specific Professional Activity 2

ProfessionalTask 1

ProfessionalTask 3

ProfessionalTask 2

Professional Objectives

ImplementationArea

One can take as an example the Occupational Profile of the “Front Office Employee” in the hospitality sector. His /her “Main professional activity” consists on “carrying out the room sales procedures by preparing the arrival and departure of the client, creating the most appropriate reception conditions focusing on the satisfaction of guests’ needs and wishes, preserving the quality standard policy of the enterprise”.

_ The first Specific Professional Activity is described as “making sales room under the policy to increase occupancy rates and improve the profitability of the Hotel”.

Professional Task 1 (or 2, or 3)

Knowledge Skills Competence

Professional Knowledge

Special ProfessionalKnowledge

GeneralKnowledge

Professional Task 1 (or 2, or 3)

Knowledge Skills Competence

Professional Knowledge

Special ProfessionalKnowledge

GeneralKnowledge

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_ The second Specific Professional Activity is described as “preserving the quality standards of reservation procedure, focusing on the increase in efficiency of Front Office functions.

_ The third Specific Professional Activity is described as “running all the appropriate procedures of guests arrival/departure”

The necessary skills and competences are as follows:

SKILLS COMPETENCES Understanding autonomous

control of the equipment Time management Precision and speed Computer skills Critical thought Culture of service Active hearing Speech Communication Social vision Flexibility and adaptability Responsibility Computational skill Occasion in the determination

of type of changes of reservations

Occasion in the handling of search engines in the internet

Time response Promptness Inductive thought Deductive thought Good memory Flexibility of focalisation Productive reasoning

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ITALY – Training Standards

In July 1995, ISFOL (Istituto per lo Sviluppo della Formazione professionale dei Lavoratori – Institute for the development of workers’ professional training) has set up the “Training Standard” System, indicating the guidelines for the development of the Credit Units.

General “Training Standards” SystemStructured in: TRAINING UNITS

that can be:- Capitalised- Certified- Divided

according to qualifications

Referred to: - Basic employment requirements- Area of activity, functions / working processes- Individuals’ behaviour on the job

Focussed on: COMPETENCES- Basic- Technical-

professional- Transversal

Characterised by:

Flexibility and personalisation

The Training Standard System was set up with a view to allow the development of compound training pathways, made of Credit Units (or else, “Training standards”) and single Training Credits.

“Credit Units” are groups of a certain number of credits and are to be considered as independent training units for the achievement of professional competences. They may vary according to the corresponding competence type:

- “Basic”: they include competences such as computer science, languages, economics, security, organisation, law, all crucial for the citizen/worker and usually considered as pre-requisites to guarantee the access to training or for a better job post and professional growth.

- “Technical-professional”: they include different knowledges and techniques coming from the analysis of operative activities characterising the process of reference.

- “Transversal”: they include competences on diagnosis, communication, decision making, problem solving, essential to achieve a professional behaviour that will allow an individual to transform technical ‘knowledge’ into an efficient job performance.

Training credit is the value attached to the competences acquired through a group of study/work experiences - which can be in the form of formal as well as informal “formative” activities – that can be capitalised for acquiring

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diplomas, certificates and other certifications. With reference to adult education, credits can be seen as the right to recuperate education/training, both on full or part time basis, in the form of cultural and/or educational activities.

The credit-based system aims at guaranteeing life-long training even for those who have previously lacked education/school and are now already in the labour market.

Sample of Credit Unit Development as designed by ISFOL

BASIC COMPETENCES:- English Language- Computer Science- Company Organisation

The Credit Unit is composed of the following elements: Company Organisation:

- Description of Organisation- Organisation Analysis at Macro Level - Organisation Analysis at Micro Level- How to analyze the organisation environment

of reference - How to analyze an organisation strategy

English Language: - Basic 1- Basic 2- Basic 3- Basic 4- Intermediate1- Intermediate2

Computer Science: - Personal Computer- Dos operating system- Windows operating system- Word processing- Spreadsheet- Database- Computer shared Intercommunication

Expected Outcome: Analysis of an organisation role and representation of an organisation process

Activity: - Define the concept of organisation role- Give examples of different organisation roles- Analyze and describe an organisation role using different kinds of

information- Give a definition for the concept of organisation role and develop an

analysis- Give examples of different organisation processes

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- Locate and describe a certain process in terms of: inputs, transformation, outputs, feedback functioning.

Competences:On completion of the activities, learners will be able to:- Know and use the concept of organisation role- Know and use the main categories of reference for the analysis and

description of an organisation role- Know, use and discuss the concept of organisation role- Know and use the typical description techniques applied to

organisation processes- Know and use the “input-output” model for the analysis and description

of an organisation process

TECHNICAL/PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCES (SECTOR ‘TOURISM-HOTEL’):

The Credit Unit is composed of the following elements:

Restaurant/Welcoming Division:

Typology: production/service provision Process – Reception

- Credit Unit: How to manage with the booking- Credit Unit: How to welcome and assist the client.- Credit Unit: How to keep the client’s accounts

Process – Kitchen- Credit Unit: First courses based on pasta and rice (basic

procedures) - Credit Unit: Grilled fish and meat (second courses)- Credit Unit: Boiled fish and meat (second courses)- Credit Unit: Roasted fish and meat (second courses)- Credit Unit: Fried fish and meat (second courses)

Process – Hall Service- Credit Unit: Mise-en-place for ordinary service- Credit Unit: Ordinary Hall service

Process – Bar Service- Credit Unit: How to serve at a hotel bar

Typology: organisation/service operationsProcess – Reception

- Credit Unit: Organisation and management for reception services- Credit Unit: Sale and Promotion Planning in the accommodation

sectorProcess – Accommodation

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- Credit Unit: Organisation and management for accommodation services

Process – Restaurant services- Credit Unit: How to plan and coordinate one’s activity under

peculiar circumstances- Credit Unit: How to plan development and sale in the field of

restaurant services

Process – Kitchen- Credit Unit: How to plan a menu for ordinary activity - Credit Unit: Organisation and management for kitchen

services/operations

Process – Hall service- Credit Unit: Organisation and management for hall services

Expected Result: to derive the maximum production of the work-site’s potential by getting acceptances/refusals to correspond to the Company Business Plan/ Optimisation Strategies.

Activities:- to record bookings/reservations with the use of a variety of

communication media- to provide information about the services offered - to make confirmations/refusals of reservations according to the

company strategies- to check mail/e-mail communications about reservations- to forward information and servicing orders to the different company

departments- to gather information about final results from the professional in

charge with the servicing operations once they have been carried out.

Competences:After completion of this session, the trainee shall be able to:

- gather different information by making proper interpretations and connections

- match reservation data with the company strategies- select critical situations and cope with them accordingly- set up effective work planning- perform a periodical check up of the various operation he/she has

carried out- set up enhancement strategies-

Technical Competences:- knowledge of travel agencies and their procedures for arranging

and selling their offers

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- knowledge of the procedures for setting up a sales optimisation plan

- knowledge of the procedure for collection and registration of reservations

- knowledge of the procedures for the internal communication- knowledge of the technical jargon in one’s mother tongue language

and two foreign languages.

TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES :

The Credit Unit is composed of the following elements:

Credit Unit ‘Diagnosis’:- How to diagnose one’s competences and aptitudes. - How to diagnose problems

Credit Unit ‘Relationship’:- Communication strategies- Team Work- Negotiations

Credit Unit ‘Coping with’:- How to improve self-learning- How to face and solve problems - How to develop creative solutions

Expected outcome: team working for problem solving and collective empowered results

Activities:- effective communication within the working team- effective communication with other work teams- diagnosis and coping with problems through a group cooperation- cooperation for a collective result- positive administration of personal conflicts - proper assessment of collective performances and set up of

enhancement strategies

Competences:- spontaneous expression of one’s feelings and opinions before other

people- communicative decentralisation ability- activation of a communication net in the team- recognition of the main group interaction phenomena- ability to use the work team as a verification context- ability to confront opinions with other individuals- ability to use problem-solving techniques

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- ability to adapt to different situations for the achievement of a given result

- cooperative behaviour for collective actions

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MALTA - Learning outcomes approach of the Institute of Tourism Studies of Malta

The Institute of Tourism Studies of Malta has adopted a learning outcomes approach to all its learning activities and in particular its full-time courses at Levels 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Malta Qualifications Framework. Malta has adopted the European Commission definition (2006) of learning outcomes: ‘Learning Outcomes are described as statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do on completion of a learning process’. In the case of the Institute of Tourism Studies, all qualifications are governed by:

(a) specific learning outcomes;(b) occupational standards in the tourism industry;(c) quality assurance mechanisms to ensure compatibility between (a)

and (b) and the methodological and structural processes used in the learning process.

Qualifications are designed in such a way as to respond to the following criteria:

1. the general level descriptors within the Malta Qualifications Framework;

2. the occupational standard/s that this particular qualification responds to;

3. the level of competence/s that the learner has at the initial stage of the learning process;

4. the acquired level of key competences to master the content and application of the learning process

5. the methodological approach to ensure that there is progression in the learning process such as the use of IT, simulated exercises, on the job experiences, seminars and one-to-one learning etc…

Such a process must always be in line with other important aspects in the formation of learners irrespective of the content being used. Such indicators are:

the preparation of learners for life as active citizens; the preparation of learners for their future career; personal development in a democratic and participatory society; the creation of a broad and advanced knowledge base; the stimulation for research, innovation and best practices in their

learning experiences.

Examples of these learning outcomes are presented in the following tables:

4A KNOWLEDGE OF ‘FOOD PREPARATION AND PRODUCTION’

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4A1 BASIC LEVELTopic 4A1.1Pastry and Baking Basic Theory

Learning OutcomeDuring this module the student will learn the basics of how the pastry and bakery departments operate, the commodities used and the products’ technical specifications.Upon completion of this module the student will have a good basic understanding of the commodities used in the pastry/bakery department including:

Classification of commodities (cereals, sugars, dairies, fruit and vegetables, herbs and spices, coffee, chocolate and convenience foods)

Purchasing storage Menu planning Catering equipment Kitchen organisation Food science Recipes and techniques used in the pastry

department

Topic 4A1.2Kitchen and Larder Basic Theory

Learning OutcomeThis module provides a context in which the student can develop an understanding of the theory underpinning practical food preparation competencies. Upon completion, the student should be able to demonstrate satisfactory performance in applying information relating to:

Safety at work Food safety at work Food preparation methods Cost control operations Storage and care of materials Nutrition and dietary requirements Methods of cooking (including boiling,

poaching, stewing, steaming, braising, deep frying, shallow frying, baking, roasting, grilling, microwave cooking)

Cold food preparation Commodities (including groceries, meat,

poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables, dairy goods)

4A2 INTERMEDIATE LEVELTopic 4A2.1Pastry and Baking Intermediate Theory

Learning OutcomeThis module helps the student develop further an understanding of the principles used in a modern pastry kitchen.

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Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate satisfactory performance in applying information relating to safety at work, methods of work, food safety and preparation methods. The student will learn about the different mixing methods, selection and preparation of equipment, commodities used for pastry, resting and recovering techniques, the function and purpose of baking, compilation of pastry products, hygienic and safe practices, logical working methods, recipe balance and common faults in baking.

The student will learn about:

Preparing and baking paste based products and desserts

Preparing and baking cakes and sponges Preparing meringue based products and

desserts Preparing gelatine set desserts Preparing egg set desserts Preparing and baking chemically aerated

products Preparing and cooking fruit based desserts Preparing simple frozen desserts Preparing and baking fermented products Preparing and using creams, fillings and

glazes Preparing hot and cold sauces Preparing and using decorative mediums

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SLOVENIA – Occupational Standards

Slovenia is pointing out the shift from "qualification approach" towards a "competence approach" in developing occupational standards:

The definition of learning outcomes for the purpose of this project derives from Occupational Standards. The ETF’s (European Training Foundation), defines occupational standards as statements that describe jobs within related skills, abilities and knowledge. They are the core instruments ensuring relevance, transparency and quality of VET and therefore are an important part of labour market and education.

Occupational Standards attach the context of a professional qualification to a certain level of work requirements and stipulate knowledge, skills and professional competences required. The main elements of an occupational standard are:

_ Name and code of an occupational standard _ Name and code of a profession_ Level of requirement_ Professional competences_ Description of an occupational standard_ Work area_ Key responsibilities of the job_ Required knowledge and skills_ Work group

Occupational Standards are the basics for the making of VET programmes, as well as the catalogues of standards of professional knowledge and skills stipulate the manner, criteria, knowledge and skills, and tasks of a proper qualification in order to apply for the National Professional Qualification. Groups of work tasks within the occupation and level of work requirement are also mentioned.

An "OCCUPATIONAL STANDARD" is a statement indicating among others, occupational competences, knowledge and skills (basic practical skills with related professional and theoretical knowledge, corresponding general knowledge, and key qualifications). An occupational standard is developed according to an occupational profile and is the basis for the development of programmes or programme modules as parts of programmes leading to the acquisition of vocational education.

An occupational profile is a detailed description of work activities carried out by workers in an occupation. Typical work activities included in a profile are grouped according to the agreed areas of work activities. The following features of an occupation are added to the description of work activities: the level of complexity, working conditions, means of work, services and/or products, personal and psychophysical characteristics,

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and the areas of employment. An occupational profile is drawn up on the basis of the initiative for the development of an occupational standard. The area of functional work activities is additionally categorised in each occupational profile. In this way, the work activities are categorised into groups of competences. The key work activities are developed by combining typical work activities from the occupational profile; they represent units of competence. The knowledge and skills required for carrying out the key work activities of an occupation shall be indicated. The knowledge and skills so described are also elements of competence, taking into account anticipated practices, relationships etc.

In accordance with the guidelines from the occupational standard, the occupational competences that are specific to an individual occupation and the key competences shall be defined in an occupational standard.

Competences specific to an occupation result from the description of an occupational standard and are described in terms of the ability for independent, effective, and quality performance of an occupation. Some competences are important for more occupations; some of them, however, represent the ability to carry out work activities required for the production of the most sophisticated products or services and are related to a unique occupation.

On the other hand, key competences, give shape to an individual's professional growth as well as to the performance of different social roles, which have to be acquired in order to perform a task professionally. Key competences are necessary not only for vocational life but also for personal growth, integration in a broader social environment, and for lifelong learning.

The occupational standard is therefore based on the occupational profile; it has to be discussed and verified by the regional committee on professional standards. The initiative has to contain the occupation (profession) and its code, based on: the Standard Occupational Classification, typical tasks, and the description of feasibilities for the National Occupational Qualification (NOQ), the assessment of labour market supply, legal frameworks and international comparability. Such a process contains a scrutinised work description of an exemplary occupation (job, profession) and it is prepared in collaboration with employers. Occupational standards, with their justifications (the assessment of labour market supply, legal presumptions and international comparability), have to be approved by the National Expert Council for VET. The committee also decides, whether an educational programme or the catalogue should be prepared, or both.

In brief, the occupational standard replaces the occupation classification in its capacity as the basis for educational programmes in vocational education and training, however, its role has been expanded, since it is also a key element in National Occupational Qualifications (NOQ) acquired through the NOQ certification system.

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The occupational standard represents a connecting link between the vocational education system and the certification system of national occupational qualifications. Occupational standards are drafted following the initiative put forward by the interested legal entities. The development of the occupational standard represents a demanding project, which calls for the cooperation of numerous partners: employers and employees organisations, competent Ministries and educational institutions. One also needs to bear in mind national and sectorial development documents, the data collected by the Employment Service of Slovenia and the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, as well as examples from the EU countries.

The learning outcomes described below are extracted from occupational standards which represent the basis for a specific educational programme:

Examples

Education programme: WAITERSchool leaving certificate: WAITERDuration: 3 years

"Learning outcomes" means statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do on completion of a learning process, which are defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

_ development of abilities for independent and responsible planning, critical judgment, analyzing of concrete expert problems and their solutions,

_ development of creativity, innovation, and following the life-long-learning directives,

_ adaptation of skills for proper self-image and towards others, as well as capability of team efforts,

_ training for proper communication, behaviour in different environment, presentation and counsel in Slovene and two other foreign languages,

_ to gain the abilities for assistance and independent, qualitative food and drink service and to prepare for their career,

_ how to serve guests in various manners and events,_ how to receive guests, recommends and taking orders in different types

of restaurants, _ independent work at the bar, preparation and serving simple mixed

drinks and beverages, conservation/storage of drinks,_ knowledge of serving bottled wine, _ preparation of simple food and snacks, carrying out simple chores in

the kitchen,_ knowledge and understanding of basic food preparation procedures,_ knowledge of catering,

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_ knowledge of keeping a regular service account as well as setting up a daily account,

_ development of skills and abilities for independent and qualitative preparation of less demanding meals, their service, preparation of places and tables on various occasions (excellent manners),

_ to gain knowledge on different styles of restaurant offers,_ to gain practical knowledge with a theoretical background,_ to gain knowledge on the biological, nutritive and energetic value of

food and drinks, their characteristics and usage, preparation and serving,

_ development of abilities for usage of communication technologies; to communicate, plan, organise independent, safe, economical work and procedures,

_ to evolve an ecological conscience, to inherit safety regulations and to implement them into their work.

_ development of abilities for organisation of safe, independent, economical work and procedures.

In addition, the learning outcome is also upgrading general knowledge (mathematics, mother tongue, foreign language, social sciences, natural sciences…) in line with national standards.

Education programme: CATERING AND TOURISM TECHNICIANSchool leaving certificate: CATERING – TOURISM TECHNICIANDuration: 4 years

"Learning outcomes" means statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do on completion of a learning process, which are defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

_ to customise catering and touristic offers according to specific target groups,

_ development of abilities for organisation of safe, independent, economical work and procedures as well as the well being of guests,

_ to gain knowledge on biological, nutritive and energetic value of food and drinks, their characteristics and of usage in correlation with serving different types of age groups,

_ distinguish basic preparations of meals and styles of service, _ how to work in the spirit of enterprise, and manage hotel trade in

accordance with legal acts, _ ability for public performance, business communication, management

of team work and self – presentation with vocational portfolio, _ to communicate in minimum two foreign languages,_ theoretical and practical knowledge of ICT in tourism,

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_ natural and cultural heritage knowledge, cuisine, national environment, and foreign nutrition habits knowledge,

_ ability to compare native tourist destinations and bind them into a actual tourist offer,

_ preparation as well as service and organisation of regular and non-regular daily meals, menus, taking orders, food and wine counsel,

_ ability to perform reception and hotel service,_ knowledge of information distribution and department interconnection,_ preparation of tourist offer. To perform basic economics and marketing

tasks, to run basic technical documentation,_ knowledge of different catering styles and organisation of work

distribution, _ ability to explore culinary history in Slovenia and abroad,_ preparation and service of traditional cuisine, _ ability to organise various events, parties, to prepare and distribute

information and informative material, to plan and promote activities in fairs, events,

_ to be able to analyze and evaluate and archive accomplished services,_ to be able to analyze and evaluate work of co-workers, _ to be able to organise various events, parties, congresses, _ ability to prepare accommodation programmes and free time activities

of the guests,_ knowledge of main domestic and foreign tourism organisations, to

cooperate with different organisations and fostering their links.

In addition, the learning outcome is also upgrading general knowledge (mathematics, mother tongue, foreign language, social sciences, natural sciences…) in line with national standards.

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SPAIN – Concept of learning outcomes within a training cycle

In Spain there are different definitions of Learning Outcomes as featured hereunder:_ Statements of expectation that articulate what students will know, do,

think or feel as a result of the teachers’ interaction with students. They specify how learning will be assessed and document the results of the assessment, and how the results will be used to improve learning.

_ Statements of what is expected that a student will be able to do as a result of a learning activity.

_ A statement of what a learner is expected to know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate at the end of a period of learning. In order to demonstrate that this learning has successfully been achieved. It must be assessed.

_ A learning outcome describes what a person will be able to do on completion of a learning process. It must be observable and verifiable.

_ According to the EQF, learning outcomes express what a person knows, understands and is able to do on completion of a learning process and are defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence.

Requirements for the identification and description of learning outcomes:

1. Learning outcomes are described in terms of ‘conceptualised competence’:_ competence closely relates to an activity performed at work;_ conceptualisation describes competence.

2. Learning outcomes must be achievements: _ feasible for students;_ possible to be performed within the learning field;_ observable; _ measurable.

Using learning outcomes

Educational training programmes should outline their intended learning outcomes that will help learners improve their employability by attaining the professional, social and personal competences necessary for access to the labour market.

Spanish VET programmes are organised in intermediate and higher education training cycles, and include all the necessary elements to guarantee equity and the possibility of acquiring the competences designed within a cycle. The above mentioned objectives are obtained through the competences described in the professional profile and through the associated training.

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The general objectives are formulated through four main components:

_ Actions express the skills that learners must acquire and, when mobilised, will turn into competence.

_ Object of the actions express the identified contents in terms of function, professional role, techniques and knowledge.

_ Learning situations express the general characteristics of the learning activities.

_ Purpose expresses the professional, personal and social competence intended to be achieved within the professional profile.

The professional modules describe the set of learning outcomes, which the students will have to achieve upon completion of the module. The learning outcomes will express, in terms of competence within a given context, the knowledge and skills acquired that, when mobilised, will permit reaching the modules objectives.

The learning outcomes include all the learning associated with a diploma: _ Knowledge about the aspects related to the diploma; _ The key competences which must be maintained and improved; _ Personal and social competences as defined in the professional

profile.

They are expressed through three main components:_ Achievement expresses the action associated to a function, technique,

process, etc._ Object expresses the content as the basis to attain the achievement._ Actions in a learning context express the most relevant concepts

associated to the learning context success.

Examples

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Programme of Study

Restaurant and bar services

Level of Qualification1

Level 3

Qualification Diploma Training Provider

IES / VET Schools

Module Learning OutcomesDrinks _ Give advice about any kind of

drink so that the final product can satisfy both the customer and the business economic targets.

_ Prepare and present drinks, following product definition and bar and service techniques.

Programme of Study

Travel agencies

Level of Qualification2

Level 5b

Qualification Diploma Training Provider

IES / VET Schools

Module Learning OutcomesProduction and sales of tourist services in a Travel Agent

_ Give advice to the customers on destinations, services and fares, valuing any implication that may improve the customer’s satisfaction.

_ Prepare and sell tickets, vouchers etc. for any kind of tourist product and service, relating the characteristics of the final product to the customer’s personal demands.

_ Service rendering management, identifying the needs and uses.

_ Issue invoices and bills related to the service, following the adequate operating process.

1 Level of Qualification reflects the reference level descriptors of the European Qualifications Framework and ISCED levels2 Level of Qualification reflects the reference level descriptors of the European Qualifications Framework and ISCED levels

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Assessment criteria

Assessment criteria are statements that specify what a learner is expected to do in order to show that he/she can implement the knowledge, skills and competence acquired and, thus, achieve a learning outcome.

How are learning outcomes obtained?

If what is stated by the assessment criteria is successfully performed, then it can be inferred that a learning outcome has been achieved.

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Part Three: Commentary on how partner countries have designed the referencing process

Although qualifications will, in the first place, be linked to the levels of a national qualifications system or to a National Qualifications Framework (NQF), one of the specific objectives of the project EQF–FRAME is to facilitate the referencing of existing qualifications in the field of tourism to the EQF.

For this purpose, a template was created to conduct surveys in each partner country of programmes of tourism study and qualifications, information about the training providers, duration of training, course descriptions, learning outcomes, associated job positions and accreditation. The publication, The European Qualifications Framework and Tourism Studies. A Comparative Analysis of Tourism Systems of Qualification –Austria, Greece, Italy, Malta, Slovenia and Spain, comprises the results of this survey. This includes a comparative analysis of the existing qualifications in tourism studies across all partner countries. Such an investigation was necessary to understand and design a process by which tourism qualifications can be linked to the EQF. Qualifications (tourism studies) were evaluated and linked to the EQF based on occupational standards, learning outcomes, level of academic and practical difficulty as well as the expected competence required on the labour market.

In the following section, the approaches taken by the project partners for referencing qualifications to the EQF will be explained.

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AUSTRIA

NQF development process in AustriaIn Austria, the levels in the national qualifications systems will be linked to the EQF levels via a NQF whose development started after the EQF consultation process. The NQF should make the implicit levels of the Austrian qualifications system explicit and so facilitate a transparent referencing to the EQF levels. The allocation of qualifications to the NQF will be based on a learning outcomes approach oriented towards the Austrian labour market’s requirements. In 2007, a NQF consultation document was prepared which included a proposal for the NQF design. The consultation process took place between January and June 2008.

Development of descriptors for the Austrian NQFThe NQF consultation document proposed developing the descriptors of the levels of the NQF according to the following procedure:

The EQF descriptors table shall be used as a starting hypothesis for a national descriptors table and thus as the basis for further NQF development. These descriptions should be discussed in joint working groups with experts from a certain field (for example, tourism) but also from different segments of the qualifications system (such as VET, Higher Education, adult education). Such working groups seek to map selected qualifications to the EQF descriptors table and to allocate them to levels. The Working Groups also discussed whether the EQF descriptors are sufficient to classify qualifications in Austria or whether additional information is necessary.

Any additional information could be structured in two additional tables:_ 1. Explanation table:

This table could include explanations or additional information specific to the Austrian qualifications system, proposals for changes to the EQF level descriptors as well as examples to facilitate a better allocation of national qualifications to the EQF level descriptors.

_ 2. Supplement table:This table could include any further dimensions that are considered as necessary for a better characterisation of the levels of the national qualifications system.

Finally, discussions will include whether one of these tables or both will be added to the EQF table or whether all three tables will be merged to one descriptors table for the Austrian NQF.

Referencing processSince the development of the Austrian NQF is still in progress, the national qualifications levels are not yet linked to the EQF levels. However, for the scope of the EQF-FRAME project, a tentative assignment of tourism qualifications to the EQF has been made. This tentative alignment (referencing) is partly based on the results of a pilot project in the tourism

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sector that was conducted in the context of the NQF consultation process. The final decision of how qualifications will be classified will be made after the development of the NQF in Austria. The following paragraphs will describe the process that was applied for referencing qualifications to the EQF levels.

Pilot project ‘NQF Tourism’The pilot project sought to test the procedure for developing descriptors for the Austrian NQF as described above and to prepare the allocation of tourism qualifications to the future NQF. It was not possible to work with all qualifications in the tourism sector in the context of the pilot project. Therefore, the following qualifications covering different segments of the qualifications system were selected: school-based VET, apprenticeship training, adult education and practice-oriented higher education.

Sector experts with expertise relating to at least one of the selected qualifications were invited to join a working group and to participate in two workshops. In preparation for the first workshop, the experts were asked to analyse the available descriptions of the selected qualifications (for example, curricula, training regulations and certificate supplements) with regard to learning outcomes:- Can explicit information about learning outcomes related to the

qualification be identified? In what way(s) are these learning outcomes described (for example, information about the degree of difficulty or complexity of tasks or activities that holders of the qualification are expected to perform)?

- Do the descriptions include any implicit information about learning outcomes related to the specific qualification?

- What further information could be used to identify the learning outcomes related to the qualification (for example, the activities or occupational positions of holders of the qualification on the labour market)?

Many descriptions of qualifications (for example, curricula and training regulations) contain elements of learning outcomes. Nevertheless, the Austrian qualifications system needs to catch up in the depiction of learning outcomes.

Consequently the current referencing process can not solely be based on descriptions of qualifications; the decisions of allocating qualifications to levels must be based on analysis of available documents and on discussions with sector experts. Hence, one of the main tasks of the experts in the first workshop was to discuss the explicitly and implicitly described learning outcomes related to the selected questions and to map them to the descriptors of the EQF descriptors table.

Finally, they were asked to agree to the following questions:

- To which EQF level shall the selected qualifications be allocated?

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- How can the decision be justified, what are the arguments and reasons for this decision (such as examples or concrete quotes of descriptions of qualifications that express clear reference to the descriptors of an EQF level)?

The results were documented and sent to further tourism experts for their feedback. Following this review process, a second workshop with the working group was organised to decide on assigning the selected qualifications to the EQF levels.

Based on these results and further research, the tourism qualifications described in the EQF-FRAME publication ‘The European Qualifications Framework and Tourism Studies. A Comparative Analysis of Tourism Systems of Qualification –Austria, Greece, Italy, Malta, Slovenia and Spain’ were tentatively aligned (referenced) to EQF levels.

The following example illustrates how the decision for linking qualifications to the EQF levels was justified:

Final Apprenticeship Examination Gastronomy Expert (Lehrabschlussprüfungszeugnis Gastronomiefachmann / Gastronomiefachfrau – LA GF) and

Final Apprenticeship Examination Hotel and Restaurant Trade Commercial Assistant (Lehrabschlussprüfungszeugnis Hotel- und Gastgewerbeassistent/in – LA HGA)

Both qualifications are allocated to EQF level 4.

The following learning outcomes are necessary for obtaining the EQF level 4:

Knowledge: factual and theoretical knowledge in broad contexts within a field of work or study;Skills: a range of cognitive and practical skills required to generate solutions to specific problems in a field of work or study;Competences: exercise self-management within the guidelines of work or study contexts that are usually predictable, but are subject to change; supervise the routine work of other, taking some responsibility for the evaluation and improvement of work or study activities.

Vital evidence for assigning these qualifications to EQF level 4 can be found in the respective training regulations for these apprenticeships. The competence profile described in this section highlights the requirement that the apprentice has to be capable of acting professional, independent and on one’s own responsibility. Subsequently the job profile cites knowledge and skills which enable the apprentice to plan, act, control and optimise activities autonomously. These descriptions (that can be found in all training regulations for apprenticeship trainings) fit to the descriptions of

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EQF level 4 – competence: ‘exercise self-management […], taking some responsibility for the evaluation and improvement of work or study’. Furthermore, ‘autonomy’ is mentioned explicitly several times in the descriptions of the job profiles related to the fourth year of training.

The professional capacity to perform work-related tasks is acquired during the company-based training, which is regulated by law. It is certified with the final apprenticeship exam. The examination is not carried out by the training enterprise. A board of examiners with field-related expertise evaluates and attests obtained skills and competences. The professional capacity to act will be certified when the final examination has been passed.

Graduates of these apprenticeships are qualified for immediate employment and have a ‘broad spectrum of theoretical and practical knowledge’ (EQF level 4 – knowledge) in their specific working and learning area as well as ‘cognitive and practical skills for solving special problems’ (EQF level 4 – skills) in their working area.

The broad ‘spectrum of theoretical and practical knowledge’ (EQF level 4 – knowledge) is also documented. Graduates of both apprenticeships actually gain a ‘double qualification’:

The Final Apprenticeship Examination Hotel and Restaurant Trade Commercial Assistant substitutes for the Final Apprenticeship Examination ‘office assistant’ and the Final Apprenticeship Examination Gastronomy Expert is the result of the combination of the apprenticeship trainings ‘cook’ and ‘restaurant specialist’.

Merely the phrase ‘supervising basic working conditions of inferior skilled colleagues whereby responsibility is taken for evaluation of working and learning process’ (EQF level 4 – competence) could be used as an argument against an alignment to the EQF level 4. In particular, ‘evaluation’ might not be relevant for these qualifications.

However, some examples can be mentioned that are not included as explicit descriptions in the job profiles. For example, graduates of the apprenticeship training Final Apprenticeship Examination Hotel and Restaurant Trade Commercial Assistant are often responsible for instructing, supervising and controlling cleaning staff or for the development of work schedules for their team. In some cases, graduates might not be able to act with the respective competence immediately after graduation but usually at least after an additional year of practical experience.

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GREECEThe Greek reactions to the EQF have been positive. Nevertheless, Greece has reserved its national position regarding the development of a NQF. That means that the Greek NQF will follow the main guidelines of the EQF, but will be designed to adapt to the existing Vocational and Educational System and not rebuild it from scratch.

Initial discussions on a NQF started in September 2006. These discussions are linked to the ESSEEKA Law (on the relationship between VET and Employment - 2003), and the Law on Lifelong Learning (2005). So far, no decision has been taken as to the development of a NQF. In spite of that, some actual trends are related to a NQF; for example, the development of national VET standards and the search for a credible system of validation of non-formal and informal learning.

Concerning the learning outcomes perspective, there is actually an on-going procedure for the development of occupation profiles as part of the foreseen NQF. According to the relative Ministerial decisions, this project is run by EKEPIS and involves the social partners and their research institutes. Their participation assures the active connection of vocational education and training with the needs of employees end enterprises and generally with the needs of Greek economy and society. The above cooperation aims at the development and accreditation of “occupational profiles”, in the framework Lifelong Education and Training and it consists of an essential step for the operation of the National System of Connecting Vocational Education and Training with Employment (ESSEEKA).

More specifically, the development of each occupational profile follows the European and International standards regarding occupational profile development and international occupational descriptions. They are also based on certain rules defined in the Common Ministry Decision (110998/ 08.05.06) regarding occupational profiles’ accreditation.

The structure followed for the study of each profile is divided in five sections:

Section A: Title and definition of the occupationSection B: Occupational analysisSection C: Knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for occupational practice.Section D: Recommended ways for acquiring the necessary qualifications.Section E: Indicative ways for accessing the necessary knowledge, skills and

abilities.

The above mentioned project is the first attempt in Greece to meet the requirements of a NQF by stating the necessary qualifications for every profession and indicating the different ways for acquiring them. The Learning Outcomes approach is one of the tools applied in this project.

Unfortunately, in Greece, the process for laying down a NQF is at a starting point. Therefore, the relevant experience is very limited. The methods and the tools that will be adopted and used in order to align the qualifications to the level descriptors of the EQF are still under strong controversy. Being one of the last countries to follow up, it is expected that Greece will profit from the experience and the information provided by other EU Member States and other European countries.

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ITALY

The research carried out by the Italian partner (E.L.S. FORM. s.r.l.) for an alignment of Tourism Studies within the Italian Educational System to an 8-level Framework has been conducted within the existing parameters of basic related public documents.

The following documents were consulted:

Resolution of the Council of Ministers dated 11th June 1993, concerning Vocational Training in the Nineties. The document has the following objectives:

- to develop new competences;- to empower life-long learning;- to promote mobility;The general guidelines of the resolution intend to particulalry foster transparency and the application of the credit system.

The White Paper “Growth, Competitivity, Occupation” December 1993. The basic guidelines in the paper are:

- introduction of the concept of fundamental competences (including basic, technological and social knowledge) as a factor for social and professional insertion;

- development of training credits in the form of assigned ‘capitals’ that the learners will have chance to ‘spend’ in a flexible way throughout their active professional life for the acquisition of further knowledge and/or the up-dating of their competences.

- Integration of the different training systems, plus “vocational training/occupation” integration.

The White Paper “European Social Policy” – July 1994. The document aims at promoting:

- a unified national system for certification- a unique national qualification system- application of the credit system

The White Paper “Teaching and Learning: Towards a Cognitive Society” – 1995 . The document has the following key objectives:

- to foster the acquisition of new knowledge and skills;- to set up a better connection between schools and enterprises;- to prevent professional marginalization and grant the “second opportunity”

through the offer of school courses.

The Green Paper on Innovation – December 1995. Following from the objectives stated in the White Paper, the document provides the following guidelines:

- development of a unified European framework for the recognition of technical competences. The framework is meant for the cooperation among secondary schools, enterprises, chambers of commerce, professional branches;

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- mutual recognition of training modules, fostering agreements between schools and vocational training centres;

- layout of a personal card for the recording of the acquired competences.

On the basis of such official documents and guidelines, the Italian system has been developing a unique vocational training framework made at present of an Upper Training System and a Continuous Training System. A Certification and Recognition method has further been introduced, thus putting into practice the following key concepts:

- qualification transparency; - credit-based training system;- personalized training paths.

The research study carried out by E.L.S. FORM. s.r.l. has pursued the alignment with the 8-level EQF considering both the currently valid Italian Education System (“Moratti Reform”) and the ISCED system (developed by UNESCO in 1997):

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION/STAGE

E.L.S. FORM. ALIGNMENT

ISCED

FIRST LEVELScuola materna – Nursery School EQF 0

0

Scuola elementare – Elementary Schol

1

Istruzione secondaria inferiore – Level I Secondary School

2

SECOND LEVELIstruzione secondaria superiore – Level II Secondary School

EQF 1 EQF 2 EQF 3 – EQF 4

3

SHORT CYCLEWITHIN FIRST CYCLE

Istruzione post secondaria – Post-secondary Education

EQF 5 4

First CYCLEDiploma di laurea – I Level Degree (3 years)

EQF 6 5 A

Second CYCLELaurea specialistica – II Level Degree (3+2 Years)

EQF 7 5 B

Third CYCLEDottorato di ricerca – Research Doctorate

EQF 8 6

a) EQF 0: compulsory education level (pre-primary or ‘nursery’ school; elementary or ‘primary’ school, Level I Secondary School). It is also referred to as “First Level” and it is a common educational step for all learners. ‘Key competences’ are here acquired, such as literacy, basic knowledge of history,

39

mathematics, geography and so on. In addition a preliminary preparation is given for the application of scientific methodologies to the study of the natural environment; finally, instruments for potential study continuation are also provided. Since the first cycle is basically an orientation school period and no final qualification is accordingly awarded, E.L.S. Form has chosen to refer to it as “EQF 0” classification level.

b) EQF 1-2-3-4: as for the second level (Higher Secondary Education) ISCED classification provides one level only, whereas E.L.S. FORM. alignment has distinguished a number of sublevels due to a more varied structure in the Italian system as far as tourism studies are concerned (see the chart on the next page).

c) Further to the paragraphs immediately above – a) ; b) – E.L.S. FORM. Classification Framework and ISCED Framework feature substantial differences regarding EQF 5-6-7-8 (the cycles within the Higher Education area/Dublin descriptors).

E.L.S. FORM. s.r.l. attempted an alignment of the Italian Educational System regarding Tourism Subjects according to an 8-level Framework (based on the EQF Level Descriptors and the learning outcomes of qualifications). In order to achieve it, E.L.S. FORM. s.r.l. had to carry out a long and labourious research in the period 2006-2007 due to the peculiarity and recent changes in the Italian Education System. A varied research was in fact necessary to achieve progressive layers of aggregation.

The steps developed were the following:

- analysis of the public documents concerning education;- analysis of the classification system developed by UNESCO named “ISCED”;- survey and data collecting carried out by E.L.S. Form itself through periodical

personal contact and specific interview with the single educational institutions operating in the tourism sector (e.g.: ISTITUTO PROFESSIONALE DI STATO PER I SERVIZI ALBERGHIERI E DELLA RISTORAZIONE “F. DE CECCO”-PESCARA-ABRUZZO, ISTITUTO TECNICO STATALE “F. GALIANI” – CHIETI, PROVINCE OFFICES, PUBLIC REGIONAL AGENCIES FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND EDUCATION, VARIOUS ITALIAN UNIVERSITIES).

Considering that the newly reformed Italian system is basically functioning according to an ‘alternate’ system (the possibility to switch at every step from school to VET thanks to the student’s personal ID on which single competences are noted and cumulated in the form of training credits) E.L.S. FORM. s.r.l. has worked out 8 levels of tourism studies qualifications responding to such an “alternate-based system”, on the ground of the learning outcomes of qualification and the EQF descriptors.

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Chart describing a proposed alignment of Italy’s System of Qualifications for Tourism Studies to the European Qualifications Framework.

V.E.T. EQF INSTITUTIONAL EDUCATIONEQF 0 FIRST LEVEL

Compulsory Education (15th year age)

Vocational Training220/160 hours

3-year courses

3000 h

(diploma di

2-year courses

1600 h

1-year courses800 and/or 400 hours

EQF 11° cycle + 1 year’s vocational trainng

EQF 21° cycle + 2 years’ vocational training

SECOND LEVELCompulsory Education (18th year age)

COMMON BIENNIUM (one same study syllabus for all students: basic

subjects and guidance orientantion)I YEAR

II YEAR

III YEAR

T

r

a

i n

i

n g

C r

e d

i

t

s

41

qualifica)1-year courses800 and/or400 hours

THIRD AREA(diploma di specializzazione)

600-hour Professional Courses (practical internship + classroom activity) based on professional profiles derived from direct labour market’s vacancies

EQF 3Diploma di qualifica3 years’vocational

training

EQF 4Diploma di maturità

Diploma di qualifica+ biennium

(diploma di qualifica) 18th year age

Monoennium“Operatore ai servizi di ricevimento”

“Reception Operator”

Monoennium“Operatore ai servizi della ristorazione settore cucina”

“Restoration Services –

Kitchen Area”

Monoennium“Operatore ai servizi della ristorazione Settore Sala Bar”

“Restoration Services – Bar + Dining Hall”

POST-“QUALIFICA” BIENNIUM(diploma di maturità)

Tecnico dei servizi turistici

Tecnico dei servizi ristorativi

Post – “Diploma” Training Courses (attestati di qualifica)

EQF 5Diploma di maturità

+ post-“diploma” ‘attestato di qualifica’

EQF 63-Year Degree

EQF 72-year Specialist

Degree

THIRD CYCLE

TRIENNIUM - 1st level(diploma di laurea)

I YEARII YEARIII YEAR

BIENNIUM – 2nd level(laurea specialistica)

I YEAR

II YEAR or I Level MASTER

3rd levelPOST-GRADUATE EDUCATION

Specialisation course and/or II Level MASTER and/or DOCTORATE

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EQF 82-YEAR Specialist

Degree + Doctorate

MALTA

In Malta the consultation process on the setting up of a National Qualifications Framework started in January 2006 by the Malta Qualifications Council which forms part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport. On the 1st of November 2006, the consultation process was extended to all stakeholders including training providers, trade unions, employers associations, parents and students associations, political parties and other constituted bodies such as non-governmental organisations, youth organisations and others. Following six months of consultation meetings, the National Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning was officially launched in June 2007. Malta’s NQF is based on an eight level system (based on the EQF Level Descriptors and a learning outcomes approach focused on occupational standards in vocational training) as described hereunder:

MALTA QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK FOR LIFELONG LEARNING* (April 2007)

8 DOCTORAL DEGREE 8

7MASTER’S DEGREE

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA

POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE

7

6 BACHELOR’S DEGREE 65 UNDERGRADUATE DIPLOMA

UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE

VET HIGHER DIPLOMA 5

4MATRICULATION CERTIFICATE

ADVANCED LEVEL

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

VET DIPLOMA 4(e)

3GENERAL EDUCATION

LEVEL 3

SEC Grade 1-5

VET LEVEL 3 3(d)

2GENERAL EDUCATION

LEVEL 2

SEC Grade 6-7

VET LEVEL 2 2(c)

1GENERAL EDUCATION

LEVEL 1

SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE

VET LEVEL 1 1(a/b)

*Annotations: The NQF is designed in such a way as to be able to include diverse forms of qualifications not as yet covered by this Framework.(a) Attainment of the Basic Employment Passport together with either the Adult Skills Certificate or the MQC 8 Key Competences at Level 1 are considered as a Full VET Level 1 qualification.

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(b) The MQC recommends that a Full VET Level 1 qualification should enjoy the same parity of esteem as a Full School Leaving Certificate.(c) The MQC recommends that a Full VET Level 2 qualification should enjoy the same parity of esteem as 4 General Education Level 2 subjects.(d) The MQC recommends that a Full VET Level 3 qualification should enjoy the same parity of esteem as 6 General Education Level 3 subjects.(e) The MQC recommends that a Full VET Diploma should enjoy the same parity of esteem as 3 Advanced Level subjects.

By 2010 all Qualifications in Malta will be referenced (aligned) to the National Qualifications Framework and this referencing will be based on a learning triangle as described hereunder based on:

Learning Outcomes Occupational Standards Quality Assurance.

The consultation period on the NQF provided the indicators of what a qualification (particularly in vocational training) should contain in order to be relevant to the labour market and to personal and social development of the individual.

Currently various initiatives are being undertaken to describe qualifications under the three headings of knowledge, skills and competence and add to such process the description of learning outcomes based on occupational standards as agreed or designed by industry.

The referencing process is therefore based on three precise indicators and all qualifications would be referenced to the Malta Qualifications Framework (and hence to the European Qualifications Framework) if they respond to:

learning outcomes for each and every unit within the qualification; occupational standards in industry; and a quality assurance regime documented through a quality assurance

policy.

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Unfortunately occupational standards in Malta are partly avaialble in the Tourism industry. However, an initiative has been taken by the Malta Qualifications Council to design (in close collaboration with industry) such occupational standards by setting up specific Sector Skills Units in ten key sectors namely:

1. Information technology2. Hospitality3. Agribusiness4. Arts and Design5. Mechanical Engineering6. Electrical Engineering7. Care8. Construction9. Maritime Affairs10.Business and Commerce.

These sectors respond to the already existing qualifications within Malta’s vocational training sector which covers all of the areas mentioned above.

In order to accomplish this task, stakeholders have also been supplied with policy documents on four key areas of vocational training and qualifications. These documents carry the same title Valuing All Learning and focus on four aspects of training, validation and assessment of learning experiences:

The four documents are:

1. A National Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (gives an overview of the concept of Qualifications Frameworks and analyses the agreed Malta Qualifications Framework);

2. Guidelines for a Vocational Education and Training System for Malta’s National Qualifications Framework (highlights the necessary reforms in vocational training to best fit into a Framework of Qualifications based on learning outcomes, occupational standards, quality assurance and a credit system which facilitates access, progression and accreditation.

3. A Quality Assurance Policy for Vocational Education and Training (a Manual giving training institutions the framework of a quality assurance policy which best fits Malta’s Qualifications Framework.

4. Frameworks for the Validation of Informal and Non-formal Learning in Malta (a document introducing the mechanisms to validate “invisible” learning and transform such experiential learning into formal qualifications that best fit into the Malta Qualifications Framework).

These documents are available on the Malta Qualifications Council website www.mqc.gov.mt

Malta’s referencing process is therefore characterised by a regime based on indicators (see diagram on Learning Outcomes) that have been agreed upon by all stakeholders.

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Malta’s accreditation and quality assurance policies are also governed by three public institutions namely: the Malta Qualifications Council for vocational and professional training; the National Commission for Higher Education and the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education for compulsory/obligatory education which in Malta is up to age 16.

In Malta the process used to reference tourism qualifications to the European Qualifications Framework was based on two sets of level descriptors namely:

The framework governing higher education qualifications within the Bologna process and the Dublin descriptors

The EQF level descriptors at Level 1 to Level 8.

These level descriptors served as indicators in referencing tourism qualifications to the EQF/NQF. For example the successful completion of the Higher Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management (EQF Level 5) a full-time four-year course spread over three years [six semesters] of theoretical and practical exposure plus a compulsory period of fourteen weeks Local Industrial Trade Practice between semester 2 and semester 3 and a further one-year compulsory International Internship between semester 4 and semester 5. After completion of the four-year course students having joined this programme may become eligible for admission in the third year of the University of Malta B.A. (Hons) Degree in Tourism Studies (EQF Level 6). This recognition is legally binding through a Legal Notice which specifies the process of recognition at Level 6 of the Dublin descriptors. In referencing the Higher Diploma in Hospitality to the EQF, the Dublin descriptor for the Higher Education Area served as a reference point. The content (learning outcomes) was valued at Level 5 of the EQF. In the referencing process, the quality assurance regime within the Institute of Tourism Studies and the occupational standards in the industry were also taken into account.

Qualifications at the Institute of Tourism Studies are structured in a five tier system: Higher Diploma Level Diploma Level Certificate Level Foundation Level 2 Foundation Level 1.

In referencing each and every 14 qualification at the ITS the indicators adopted were those of:

Graded content Specific Learning outcomes attached to each Unit within every qualification Occupational standards matched to every set of Learning outcomes Quality assurance (internal and external).

The process led to a number of conclusions and primarily that the EQF descriptors at Level 1 to 4 matched the level of difficulty at each of the levels of Foundation (1), Foundation (2), Certificate, Diploma and Higher Diploma levels.

In assessing qualifications, the content of each qualification was organised under three headings namely:

Knowledge (described as theoretical and factual)

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Skills (as cognitive and practical) Competence (in terms of responsibility and autonomy).

Each sector was then meticulously referenced to the EQF Level descriptor at Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 which referencing was based on specific learning outcomes as documented hereunder:

Tourism Programmes at EQF 1 and 2

Food and Beverage Service

This programme offers extensive theoretical and practical exposure in Food and Beverage Services.

Specific Competence (Topics)Knowledge Skills Competence Food Service

Intermediate Theory Beverage Service

Intermediate Theory Basic Wines Catering Events Food Nutrition and

Diet

Generic Health and Safety Basic Costings Language Business Communications Information Technology

Local Industrial Trade Practice

Technical/Vocational Food Service Intermediate Practical Beverage Service Intermediate

Practical

Associated Job Position/(s)

Assistant Head Waiter / Chef de Rang Sommelier/Wine Waiter

Examples of Learning outcomes to match qualifications in Beverages and Beverage Service

In referencing qualifications to the EQF, the focus on learning outcomes played a key role. The following examples illustrate how such learning outcomes were matched to the level descriptor of the EQF both in the version provided in the Recommendation adopted by the European Parliament (23rd April 2008) and in the longer version of the first EQF Working document of 2005.

Matching specific learning outcomes as the ones carried out hereunder and the EQF level descriptors is a laborious task particularly in interpreting the general level descriptor of the EQF with the knowledge, skills and competence expected by the learner in performing specific tasks related to industry.with autonomy and responsibility (EQF’s definition of competence).

In such a process it is important that:

- A general level descriptor is defined related to the exit point of a specific qualification

- Such a level descriptor must be matched to the general level descriptor of the NQF/EQF

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- The general level descriptor (matched to the NQF/EQF) must be transformed into specific learning outcomes which respond to the knowledge/skills/competence needed at the end of the learning process.

The examples from a VET Qualifications on Beverages and Beverage Services illustrate specific learning outcomes matched to Malta’s NQF/EQF Level 3.

BEVERAGE SERVICE2A KNOWLEDGE OF ‘BEVERAGES’ & ‘BEVERAGE SERVICE’

2A1 BASIC LEVELTopic 2A1.1Beverage Service Basic Theory

Learning OutcomeThis module is intended to give students a basic insight into the preparation and service skills and techniques required to provide an efficient and effective beverage service in a bar and/or restaurant working environment.

Upon completion of this unit students will learn about:

The role of the bar tender Main bar equipment and bar utensils Teas and coffees Minerals – aerated waters Cordials, syrups, squashes and fruit juices Alcohol awareness and units of alcohol Styles of beers, ciders and perry The distillation process and the products derived there from Aperitifs and digestifs Other alcoholic beverages except wine Different types of beverage, cocktail and wine lists

Topic 2A1.2 Basic Wines

Learning OutcomeThis module is intended for those students who have little or no previous knowledge of the procedures used to produce quality wines from world renowned grape varieties.Students will learn about:

Main grape growing regions White grape types Black grape varieties Production of still wine Making and packaging still wine Serving still wine Wine and food matching Other wine types (sparkling, liqueur, aromatized) Wine label terminology

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2A2 INTERMEDIATE LEVELTopic 2A2.1Beverage Service Intermediate Theory

Learning OutcomeThis module provides for the development of the student’s knowledge and understanding of beverage service in hospitality and catering. Students will understand the underpinning theory necessary for the provision of a quality beverage service in the food and beverage sector in the hospitality industry. Students will also gain knowledge about using appropriate personal and social skills in a bar and restaurant environment.

Students will learn about:

Health and safety issues in the bar area Customer care Product knowledge Billing and checking procedures General pre-service procedures Procedures in providing a table drinks service

Topic 2A2.2Intermediate Wines

Learning OutcomeStudents will be able to interpret the quality levels of the major wine styles of the world, give basic guidance on appropriate selection and service, as well as know the principles of wine tasting and evaluation.

Upon completion, students will have developed knowledge about:

The nature of wine including:o The European Union definition of wineo The four major types of wineo Definition on two features that describe a wine’s styleo The six factors that affect the final type , style and quality

of a wineo The major vine specieso The significant influences on climateo The principal pieces of equipment required for wine

makingo Typical fermentation temperatures for red and white wineso The key stages in tasting and evaluating wine

Still / light wines of the world including the legal categories of wine in every country and locating countries on world map

Other types of wines including - o the principal production methods for sparkling wines,

sherry, port, maderia and marsala , o describing the climate, soil and grape varieties for every

type of wine and the main styles of attached wines.

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Topic 2A2.3Intermediate Alcoholic Beverages and Cocktails

Learning OutcomeThis module is intended to give students a theoretical insight of spirits knowledge and mixing thereof, as well as creating and costing cocktails. Students attending this module must have achieved a pass at basic beverage theory.

Students will learn about:

The definition of a table drinks service Maintaining and increasing beverage sales Product knowledge - whiskies Product knowledge - brandies Product knowledge - rums Product knowledge - gins Product knowledge - vodkas Product knowledge - liqueurs Cocktails : Preparation methods Cocktails : Terms and garnishes Cocktails : Costing Service of cigars

2A3 ADVANCED LEVELTopic 2A3.1Managing Wine and Wine Sales

Learning OutcomeThis module is intended for students with previous knowledge of the broad range of wine types and styles. Students will be able to reinforce knowledge gained in the basic and intermediate wine modules and prepare themselves for a higher level of wine connected conditions, be able to give guidance on appropriate selection, care and service as well as knowing the different quality levels of wine available in today’s market with particular attention to consumer trends.

Students will learn about:

Types of customers and customer trends Wine selection and sales Wine purchasing Wine storage Wine stock control and pricing Merchandising wine Appropriate service of wines Wine equipment and utensils.

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2B PRACTICAL SKILLS IN ‘BEVERAGE SERVICE’2B1 BASIC LEVEL

Topic 2B1.1Beverage Service Basic Practical

Learning OutcomeThe aim of the module is to develop the student’s knowledge and understanding of beverage service practical in hospitality and catering.

Upon completion, students will learn about:

Health and safety in the bar area General pre-service procedures Billing and cashiering procedures Appropriate equipment and utensils used in the preparation and

service of beverages Preparing and serving a range of beverages After-service procedures

2B2 INTERMEDIATE LEVELTopic 2B2.1Beverage Service Intermediate Practical

Learning OutcomeThis module provides for the development of the student’s knowledge and understanding of beverage service practical in hospitality and catering. Students will learn how to provide a quality beverage service in the food and beverage sector in the hospitality industry. Students will also have the opportunity to learn how to use appropriate personal, social and practical knowledge in a bar and restaurant environment.

Upon completion, students should demonstrate competence in the following areas:

Health and safety in the bar area Customer care Product knowledge Billing and checking procedures General pre-service procedures Provide a table drinks service

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3 FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE3C3 ADVANCED LEVEL

Topic 3C3.1Advanced Technical Skills in Food and Beverage Service – Theory and Practice

Learning OutcomeThis module develops a range of advanced food practical and technical skills including health and safety, sales planning, staffing and food service techniques.

Students will learn and practice in a realistic working environment. They will learn how to ensure the very best in food service and presentation for all guests and how to handle customer complaints effectively. They will also learn to demonstrate ways of operating a professional restaurant service.

Students will learn about:

Safe and hygienic working practices Customer service Organisation of work Payments procedures Marketing Provision and training of personnel Cleaning programmes, furnishing and decorative order Gueridon and flambé service Wine service Cocktails

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The lessons learnt from the referencing process of Tourism qualifications in Malta can be summed up in the following points:

1. the description of qualifications must be organised in specific units of knowledge, skills and competence (KSC)

2. each unit placed within the KSC process must match a specific learning outcome

3. each learning outcome should be defined in terms of a quality assurance regime conducted internally and trough external verification

4. learning outcomes must also be matched as far as possible with occupational standards.

In conclusion, the referencing process which was undertaken in Malta revealed the fact that qualifications are a living experience that evolves according to the needs and expectations of industry and the new challenges that industry faces against competitive markets.

For this reason, vocational qualifications of high quality are those driven by industry itself so that the principles of relevancy and hands-on experience are adhered to at all stages of the learning process. Furthermore, the validation of informal and non-formal learning may also be taken into account when assessing what people are capable of doing or have learnt through incidental learning.

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SLOVENIA

Klasius

Each vocational Qualification, defined through an Occupational Standard contains parallel reference to the National Classification Framework.

The Slovenian system of qualifications consists of three subsystems:

- first, the qualifications acquired after completing educational programmes in basic graded education that are completed by a report, diploma or another document proving that an individual has acquired a generally valid educational qualification.

- The second is the certificate system of national vocational qualifications facilitating the obtaining of vocational or technical qualifications for carrying out a vocation at a specific level of complexity and the recognition of informally acquired knowledge; the possession of a national vocational qualification can be proved with a publicly recognised document.

- The third consists of further and supplementary education which supplements and deepens the knowledge and competences acquired by an individual for life and work and for mobility and promotion in his/her career. After such educational programmes an individual receives a confirmation that can be a pre-requisite for a profession or for continuing in a job.

The fact that the legislation governing qualifications acquired in basic graded education and the national vocational qualifications in the certificate system has been adopted or amended is a very important achievement. This legislation consists of the new Vocational Education Act (OJ RS, No. 79/2006), the new Post-Secondary Vocational Education Act (OJ RS, No. 86/2004) and the Act amending the National Professional Qualifications Act (OJ RS, 118/2006).

The Government at its session on 26 April 2006 adopted a Decree on the introduction and use of a classification system of education and training (Klasius), which represents one of the formal foundations for the creation of Slovenia's framework of qualifications. The expert groundwork was carried out by a working group consisting of representatives from the Statistical Office, the Ministry of Education and Sport, and from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology. This classification is based on eight levels (based on the subsystems in paragrapgh two) and are arranged within these levels, from primary school to doctoral qualifications. Such arrangement takes into account teaching activities, outcomes, entry conditions and duration.

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_ The first level includes the uncompleted first stage of primary school education;

_ The second level includes primary school education;_ The third level includes lower vocational education;_ The fourth level includes secondary vocational education; _ The fifth level includes secondary general education and secondary

technical education;_ Level six has two sublevels: sublevel 6/1 includes post-secondary

vocational education, while sublevel 6/2 includes the professional type of higher education (the former and current programmes) and the university type of education (the first level according to the Bologna Programme).

_ Level seven includes education at Master’s level (the second level of the Bologna Programme) and university graduate education according to the former university programme;

_ Level eight includes two sublevels: sublevel 8/1 includes the former Master’s degree, whilst sublevel 8/2 includes a PhD.

Klasius represents one of the formal bases for the creation of the national framework. Currently, the conceptual groundwork is being prepared (starting points, goals, principles and concepts) and a working group is being appointed for the creation of the national framework of qualifications.

The alignment to the EQF has not yet been done, so no designing of the alignment process can be described for this project apart from the level descriptors underneath, which respond to description of Klasius hence classification of types and resources aimed at educational activities/outcomes. Below is a presentation of Klasius:

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KLASIUS – Slovenian Classification of Education and Training Klasius 1 Non-Compulsory Primary School Education

Klasius 2 Primary School Education

Klasius 3 Short-term Vocational Education

Klasius 4 Secondary Vocational Education

Klasius 5 Secondary General Education & Secondary Technical Education (Short cycle of the First Cycle)

Klasius 6 - 6/1 Post-Secondary Vocational Education- 6/2 Professional Type & Higher Education (1st cycle Bologna)

Klasius 7 Education at Master’s Level (2nd cycle Bologna) & former University Graduate Education

Klasius 8 - 8/1 Former Master’s Degree- 8/2 PhD

Referencing was made solely for the purpose of this project. There is no national consensus on the issue.

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SPAIN

Level descriptors for training cycles

The alignment to the EQF has not yet been done, so no designing of the alignment process can be described for this project apart from the level descriptors underneath which respond to intermediate and higher education training cycles. They will presumably be aligned to EQF levels 4 and 5, since the demands regarding knowledge, skills and competence clearly rely on such EQF levels.

It is understood that, in preparation for the alignment exercise, the descriptors in both frameworks, the National and the European, need to be deconstructed into separate statements. The alignment process begins by taking each national descriptor and testing it against the EQF level descriptors.

The alignment of the Spanish levels to EQF has been done taking into account the difficulty of the different diplomas in particular the Intermediate and Higher diplomas.

Intermediate Training cycles Higher education training cycles1 Respond to:

o A number of jobs usually related to specific techniques

o Different functions (generally few).

o One sector(exceptionally more than one).

Respond to:o A number of jobs related to

activities which imply the implementation of techniques in different functions within a work sector.

o Integration of technologies when implementing some of the functions, when applicable) in one sector (exceptionally in more than one)

2 Knowledge demands:o Basic /general

technologyo Specific work

procedureso Operative techniques

(specialist in special sector techniques

Knowledge demands:o Advanced polyvalent technologyo Work procedures integrating

technology where needed.o General operative techniques

and specific techniques implying a certain degree of complexity.

3 Ability and skill development in relation to the sector:

o Practical skill: high level

o Cognitive ability: high enough to carry out the techniques and procedures expected.

Ability and skill development in relation to the sector:

o Practical skill: sufficiento Cognitive ability: high for the

process implementation.

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4 Development of professional competence in:

o Contexts within a sector.

o Predictable and non-predictable contexts which arise when implementing the operative techniques.

Development of part of the professional competence:

o Carried out in predictable and non-predictable contexts within the sector when:

- implementing his/ her own activities or assuming others’ responsibilities.

Additional comment

If the EQF is to be successful, it is essential that it complements a national framework of qualifications.

Institutions (and policy makers) may find themselves confused if a situation arises in which they are invited to place qualifications in the context of both qualifications frameworks (EQF and the NQF), particularly if the two frameworks are still very much apart from each other.in structure and content.

If this were to occur, it would be difficult for institutions to be able to make full use of the EQF. It is essential, therefore, that institutions are able to align qualifications through a National Qualifications Framework, rather than directly to the EQF.

While it is important in a lifelong learning environment to involve the wide-range of education providers, one would not like to see the NQF by-passed as a result of employers seeking the referencing of qualifications’ to the EQF without paying due attention to the established National Qualifications Framework.

In this respect, one would strongly recommend that National Qualifications Frameworks are set up (in the first instance) in such a way as to respond to national needs and challenges as well as European standards in classifying qualifications.

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Part Four: How to link qualifications to the EQF

The purpose of this Manual is to transform the analysis in the project’s publication entitled The European Qualifications Framework and Tourism Studies into a tool for referencing tourism qualifications to the EQF.

The processes used illustrate that there are various ways how such referencing can take place within defined parameters.

However, all partner countries agreed that referencing to the EQF should be governed by:

_ a learning outcomes approach (defined as statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do after completion of a learning process – European Commission, 2008)

_ adherence to the EQF level descriptors as adopted on the 23rd April 2008 in the Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of the EQF

_ relevancy to the sectoral skills which the tourism industry adopts from time to time in order to remain competitive, attractive and governed by quality in the services it provides.

These three indicators served to animate debate, structures and processes which revealed to all partner countries that qualifications should after all reflect the challenges and opportunities that sectors face in a open market economy. They also served to provide guidelines on which to base referencing so that the level indicators of the EQF provide a common language on which transparency and comparability between qualifications systems can be fulfilled.

It is suggested to follow a three-steps-procedure when referencing qualifications to the EQF:

Step 1: Analysing qualificationsIdentifying the learning outcomes by analysing: _ the concept of learning outcomes used;_ the descriptions of learning outcomes in curricula or training

regulations;_ the descriptions of learning outcomes in assessment procedures and

criteria;_ the relationship of learning outcomes and the teaching and learning

strategy.

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Evaluating learning outcomes based on, for example:_ occupational standards; _ level of academic and practical difficulty;_ competence required at the labour market.

Step 2: Matching the learning outcomes of qualifications with the EQF descriptorsThe following general principles have to be followed when linking qualifications to the EQF based on a learning outcomes approach.3

_ Comparison: Learning outcomes related to a qualification have to be compared to the EQF descriptors table.

_ Reading vertically and horizontally: The EQF table has to be read vertically and horizontally to understand the whole content of a level.

_ Reading the whole line: In doing so, the descriptors of the EQF table should not be read as separate columns. To read one level means that the whole line (all three columns – knowledge, skills and competence) must be read all the way across.

_ Taking into account the preceding level(s): Each level descriptor assumes inclusion of the outcomes for the levels below. Thus, a full understanding of a particular level requires that it should be read in relation to the preceding levels.

_ Taking into account the following level(s): Reading the descriptors on the higher level(s) might help to get a clearer picture about a certain level. In general, the associated learning becomes more complex from level to level and demands more and more from the learner or worker.

_ Best fit: Although many qualifications might fit into a certain level in one column, at the same time they might fit into another level of another column, thus reading the whole line will help to establish ‘the centre of gravity’ of the qualification in question. This makes it possible to decide where to place the qualification in relation to the EQF; since, in many cases, the qualification will not be a perfect fit to the EQF level, the principle of best fit has to be applied instead.

_ Transparency: The procedures used for aligning qualifications to the EQF levels have to be made transparent. This also means that conclusive and coherent arguments for the alignment of qualifications to a certain level have to be provided.

Step 3: Linking qualifications to an EQF level and giving reasons for the decision In order to establish mutual trust it is necessary to provide sufficient information about the procedures and the reasons for the decisions.

3 Cf. European Commission (2008): Explaining the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

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We hope that this Manual will serve the purposes for which it has been produced and that the processes presented will facilitate a more structured dialogue between training providers, trade unions and employers on the nature of Tourism qualifications in a system of qualifications that best fits a Framework of Qualifications. Only experience and testing can fine tune the EQF to the various NQF’s so that learners will benefit from quality education, mobility (internally and externally) as well as progression in their career paths.

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APPENDIXThe European Qualifications Framework as adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on the 23rd of April 2008.

A soft copy of the text is available on:

http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2008:111:0001:0007:EN:PDF

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