Europe's competitiveness and social cohesion depend on recognising and utilising the full spectrum of human potential. 

While formal education provides essential foundations, a vast reservoir of skills and knowledge exists beyond traditional classrooms - acquired through work experience, volunteering, community engagement, and self-directed learning. Making this learning visible and valued is not just an educational imperative; it's an economic and social necessity.

Millions of Europeans possess valuable skills that remain unrecognised because they were acquired outside formal education systems. This hidden potential represents untapped human capital that could drive innovation, fill skill gaps, and enhance career mobility. Validation of non-formal and informal learning makes all learning valuable and visible, creating pathways for personal advancement and economic growth.

This webinar aims to present Cedefop information hub on validation of non-formal and informal learning - Cedefop’s latest on-line tool – which consolidates 20 years of European expertise on validation. The Hub links the European guidelines for validation of non-formal and learning (3rd edition, 2023) with the information gathered in the European inventory on validation. By bringing these resources together, the hub creates a powerful ecosystem for peer learning and system development, where countries can:

  • Access both theoretical frameworks and practical examples
  • Compare approaches and identify successful models
  • Accelerate implementation through shared knowledge
  • Build more effective validation systems through evidence-based practice

Whether you are a policymaker designing validation systems, an educator seeking to recognise diverse learning, or a practitioner supporting individuals in demonstrating their competences, this hub provides the tools, insights, and connections you need to make validation work effectively in your context.

This webinar is your opportunity to explore how validation can unlock human potential and discover how Europe is building bridges between learning and validation, creating more inclusive and dynamic pathways for personal and professional development.

Speakers

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Ernesto Villalba-Garcia
Expert - VET supporting policies - validation

Ernesto Villalba-Garcia has worked at Cedefop since 2011. He is currently responsible for Cedefop’s work on validation of non-formal and informal learning. He has worked, together with the Commission, on the monitoring, implementation and evaluation of the 2012 Council Recommendation on validation, as well as on several updates of the European inventory of validation and the European guidelines. Ernesto has served in different committees and working groups of the European Commission, the OECD, and UNESCO. He holds a PhD in International and comparative education from Stockholm University and is on the editorial board of the European Journal of Education.

Event details

Event Date(s)
07/10/2025
Event Type
Virtual event
City
online event
Country
Greece
Participation
Restricted participation
Cedefop involvement
Organiser

Contacts

Contact
Ioannis Katsikis
Expert - ReferNet coordinator
Contact
Chryssa Zekou
Assistant - ReferNet
Contact
Ernesto Villalba Garcia