Implementing a Sustainable NQF in Kosovo: Note for Workshop, 17-18 May, Turin: Issues And

Implementation of a National Qualification Framework (NQF) for Kosovo, 17-18 May, Turin

Two Parallel Working groups

Working group A: The National Qualification Framework and the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Kosovo

For all the issues, participants discussed the current developments, issues and challenges and hen they considered what actions are necessary. In some cases they identified also the organisations that need to be involved.

General Remarks:  Cooperation with the Kosovo Pedagogical Institute (KPI) and use of research carried out by this institute from the Council for VET (CVET) in drafting recommendations  Role of inspectorate, municipalities, the KAA, should be linked to one point for the purpose of quality assurance;  Identification of possible gaps in the NQF, whether they are clear, who needs to do what;  The main problem of CVET is that it has not been accepted as a Council, but as an individual;  How many people are there and who sit in these committees, do we have archived documents for the work carried out by CVET;  Complete review - the entire documentation and the law underpinning the CVET should be reviewed;  Reporting as a CVET institution, not individually, empowering the role and the importance of the CVET institution;  Serious problems related to quality assurance are: archiving of documentation from institutions, preparation and training of teachers;  Organisation of practical teaching in schools, as most of them have the equipment and means to perform practical teaching;  Draft reports from relevant institutions and consideration of recourses that we have from donors are missing;  Malfunctioning of the network: interaction of AAP schools and education and Vocational training centres  Request for employees to review CVET and the system; our recommendations should be presented and discussed with the KOSVET V expert in Kosovo  Dual education in Kosovo is a challenge; the reason is the large number of learners  The VET process should be seen as an integral system  Things should not be personalised, they should be looked at from a clear and realistic perspective  Identify problems correctly  Reasons for this unsatisfactory situation, following the laws applied  There is no budget line for VET  There is a lack of transparency around donations

Questions for discussion and some agreed conclusions a) Qualifications:

1  What are the implications of the National Qualifications Framework for the design and development of VET qualifications?

1. Development of occupational standards for priority qualifications 2. CVET – NQA employees will be deployed for this work

 How can social partners be engaged in the development of VET qualifications?

1. Memorandum of Understanding between Chambers of Commerce and NQA –, for verification 2. Criteria are described clearly in the AI of the NQA for social partners 3. Participation of CVET and NQA in considering the Chambers of Commerce strategy

 How can adult learning and short courses be certified and placed in the NQF?

Certification is defined in the AI of the NQA and solutions should be considered to find the appropriate way to select the subject of education for adults (See the KOSVET 3 report on finding the technical solution)

 How can the NQF support the development and use of sectoral qualifications?

This is an issue for the CVET to work on b) Quality assurance: Generating trust in qualifications.

 What quality assurance procedures and criteria are necessary for:

1. Verification of occupational standards 2. Validation of qualifications 3. Accreditation of VET providers

[These] are defined by the AI of NQA (to be discussed as per the sectors) Modalities of internal, external evaluation and control should be looked at. n c) What should the Council for Vocational Education and Training’s (CVET) role be in supporting implementation of NQF? d) How can the NQF help link the HE sector with the VET sector by encouraging the access and the progression of learners? e) How can the National Qualifications Framework link HE as a sector, and Higher Education qualifications, to the labour market? How can the National Qualifications Framework improve the “employability”/labour market relevance of qualifications? f) How can the NQF support the credit transfer between programmes and institutions?

 Issues c), d), e), and f) were agreed that are broader issues and they need to be discussed largely in Kosovo.  NQ Authority jointly with MEST and other stakeholders will call different workshops to discuss these very important issues  KOSVET V has been extended until end of 2011 and NQA and Chair of CVET will ask for support from the project to:

2 1. produce a preliminary overview of QA/External evaluation: ‘QA of VET in Kosovo: the next steps in External Evaluation’ with focus on CVET and Inspectorate 2. support to CVET on how to carry out their role in terms of Quality/External evaluation ( also some support for Inspectorate); 3. support to CVET to carry out further audit (e.g. Quality related information available via other Ministries/Chamber of Commerce etc); 4. support on identification of issues with Quality System ( e.g. can they access reports on any of the indicators for the EQAF Reference Framework); 5. Support to CVET to produce a recommendation for the Government 6. possible support for Inspectorate on procedures for external evaluation); 7. support to CVET on how to carry out their role in terms of Quality (also some support for Inspectorate); 8. support in how to produce a well-defined TOR for a report request; 9. support in how to analyse reports and identify issues; 10. support in how to use available data ( also for Inspectorate) f) What external cooperation would be most useful for the VET sector in Kosovo after KOSVET V finishes, e.g. by the European Union?

1. We need IPA support. ETF shall play a facilitation role in supporting the Kosovo stakeholders in how to express their needs into a project proposal to be supported by IPA Programming.

2. ETF shall continue its expertise support to the NQA Authorities and its collaborators

3. European Integration Ministry: colleagues that cover the education and training sector will provide advice in how to utilise expertise provided by TAIEX in preparation of application for IPA

Working group B: National Qualification Framework and the Higher Education sector in Kosovo

General Remarks:

 Higher Education Reform and reform in the education and training sector is about more than just the 'employability' agenda. This is often lost as education is for personal development/developing citizens in democratic society/cultural transmission, etc;  Qualifications framework descriptors (NQF level and EHEA cycles descriptors) are generic and vague by definition and need to be supplemented by other appropriate external reference points - especially for the purposes of QA;  NQF can only achieve certain things - many other reforms need to accompany it if real changes is to be achieved (alone it is just a cosmetic change);

3  Reforms needs to focus on curriculum change - and the cathartic use of learning outcomes - hopefully leading to better qualifications;  Reforms can benefit from the possibility of top-up qualification that allow level 5 qualifications holders to gain level 6 degrees (links VET and HE...forces cooperation);  Reforms should consider access/progression/transfer linkages with VET - encourage flexibility and the use of RPL (recognition of prior learning). RPL often involves legal changes so there is possibility of direct entry to Bachelor, Master and Doctoral programmes without prior qualifications;  They must consider what qualifications Kosovo needs not what they currently have.

Questions for discussion and some agreed conclusions a) Qualifications and curricula:

 What are the implications of the National Qualifications Framework for curricular reform in the Higher Education sector and structure and content of Higher Education qualifications?

1. Clearly define, based on labour market demands, what Higher Education qualifications Kosovo needs (Levels 5-8), 2. The NQF, through use of levels of learning outcomes, allows clearer distinctions to be drawn between different HE qualifications. 3. Qualifications developed for Higher Education, should, in addition to specific or professional content, seek to include development of generic, transferable skills (communication skills, team-working, IT, foreign languages, etc.)

 How can the National Qualifications Framework support the development of courses and programmes both in individual institutions and across the sector?

Based on the criteria and procedures for approval and accreditation, the NQF has an impact on: system quality improvement, relevance of qualifications against the labour market, development of new qualifications. b) Quality assurance issues:

 What quality assurance issues need to be addressed, e.g. regulation of private and public Higher Education Institutions and quality assurance of qualifications and curricula?

Quality standards are introduced by the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA) based on the Bologna Guidelines (ESG). Higher Education institutions are responsible for assuring quality internally based on the Bologna Guidelines (also drafted in Albanian). c) The Bologna process

 What steps are necessary in supporting moves to join the Bologna process?

4 NQF may have a positive impact on the recognition of Kosovo Higher Education qualifications in other member states of the Bologna Community. This must be supported by the Diploma Supplement which is a standard document of Bologna.

 What should the National Qualifications Authority’s role be in supporting links to Bologna process? How can the National Qualifications Framework facilitate this process?

1. NQA should be part of the sister organisations network in region, EU and beyond. 2. Existing Bologna experts group should be activated to perform tasks related to the dissemination of information and training of HE institution staff. 3. While Kosovo’s ultimate admission to Bologna depends on political decisions not in the hands of the HE sector, the sector should in parallel undertake all necessary policy and technical reforms required under Bologna so that if/when Kosovo is invited to join the Process it is ready for membership. d) How can the National Qualifications Framework help build links between HE and VET and so promote access and progression for learners?

HE institutions in the framework of qualifications development should provide for: entry, progression and transfer requirements.

NQF facilitates links for cooperation between HE institutions based on the credit system of VET and ECTS. It should encourage/allow for:

1. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), but need rules governing this. 2. Flexibility 3. VET and HE institutions to jointly develop programmes at level 5 on the EQF and Kosovo NQF enabling learners to progress to upper levels. e) How can the National Qualifications Framework link HE as a sector, and Higher Education qualifications, to the labour market? How can the National Qualifications Framework improve the “employability”/labour market relevance of qualifications?

Qualifications should be developed based on evidence or research for the requirements of the labour market . Additionally, practical work for internships, a focus on employability, continuous professional education, etc., should be encouraged. These measures should always be underpinned by quality assurance. f) How can the National Qualifications Framework support the credit transfer between programmes and institutions?

1. ECTS should be used efficiently based on the “ECTS User Guides”

5 2. Following the establishment of the NQF the transfer guide for credits of VET to ECTS has been developed. 3. Mobility of students and academic staff should be planned and encouraged in each of the developed qualifications g) What external cooperation would be most useful for the Higher Education sector in Kosovo after KOSVET V finishes, e.g. by the European Union?

1. Technical assistance for placing/populating the NQF with qualifications on the correct levels, following needs identified by the institutions responsible, i.e. the KAA and NQA 2. Technical assistance in developing and implementing qualifications for institutional capacity.