The 27 EU member states, five EU candidate countries and Liechtenstein and Norway are making rapid progress towards establishing and implementing national qualifications frameworks (NQF).
By the end of 2011, 12 countries had linked their national qualifications levels to the European qualifications framework (EQF) levels.
Cedefop’s third review of NQF/EQF development shows that countries consider NQFs as tools that support national reforms and coherent lifelong learning policies. By promoting the use of learning outcomes they address barriers between vocational education and training and higher education.
This report also highlights that the links between NQFs and validation of non-formal and informal learning are becoming stronger in most of the countries reviewed, an issue that is currently high on the policy agenda.