On 23 October 2012 the Academic Information Centre – Latvian national coordination point arranged an international conference ‘Upper levels of qualifications frameworks: should we include professional qualifications?’ in Riga.
The aim was to promote discussion about possibilities of widening the national qualifications framework (LQF) levels 5-8. At present, only higher education qualifications are placed on these levels.
The conference was intended for representatives from higher education institutions, ministries, national agencies, employers’ organisations, trade unions, and other institutions and individuals concerned with education issues.
The event was opened by Ms Lauma Sīka, deputy State secretary and director of the department of structural and international financial instruments at the Ministry of Education and Science. Mr Jens Bjornavold, senior expert from Cedefop, summarised experience of European countries on development of national qualifications frameworks. Experts from Ireland, France, Estonia and Lithuania shared their experiences on how national qualifications framework levels 5 and 8 were used in their countries. Possibilities on how LQF levels 5 and 8 could be developed were explored by Mr Jānis Rozenblats, head of Riga Technical College, and Mr Jānis Vētra, chairperson of the Higher Education Council.
The agenda also included discussions in two working groups focusing on possible ways to complement LQF levels 5 and 8. During the conference, live video was provided through websites of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Latvian national coordination point.
The conference was organised under the European Commission project ‘Activities of EQF national coordination points with a view to implement the EQF at national level’.