National qualifications frameworks (NQFs) play a vital role in making qualifications more transparent, comparable, and accessible across the EU, enhancing learner and worker mobility. By linking NQFs to the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (EQF), national qualifications become easier to understand, helping to bridge skills gaps and improve labour market integration through a shared set of criteria and key pillars.
The strategic impact of NQFs extends beyond EU borders, with all ten neighbouring candidate countries also developing their own frameworks. Thanks to recent data from the European Training Foundation (ETF), Cedefop’s NQF tool now features eight of these NQFs, with the remaining two set to be included later this year, bringing the total to 41 countries participating in the EQF process.
This milestone reinforces transparency and mobility not only within the EU but also in neighbouring regions, supporting education, employment, and lifelong learning.
The NQF tool: a powerful resource for comparability
The tool serves as a go-to platform for policymakers, researchers, employers, and learners to explore:
- the structure and scope of NQFs,
- their implementation, impact, and future priorities,
- quality assurance mechanisms, essential for building trust in international qualifications
What makes the tool innovative is its ability to provide a visual, side-by-side comparison of qualification levels across countries. For example, users can instantly compare:
- Albania’s EQF Level 5 qualifications with Austria’s,
- Turkey’s Level 4 qualifications with Germany’s,
- and many more cross-country references.
Who Benefits from the NQF Tool?
- Employers: gain a clearer understanding of foreign qualifications, aiding in recruitment decisions.
- VET students: explore study and progression opportunities abroad, identifying equivalent qualifications and relevant programmes.
- VET colleges: assess international student applications more efficiently, ensuring smooth admissions processes.
NQFs in ETF Partner Countries: Progress and Challenges
In addition to EU neighbours, 23 of ETF’s 28 partner countries are developing NQFs amid complex social and economic transitions. Their goals are twofold:
- improve national qualifications systems to enhance education and workforce development;
- strengthen international links, particularly with the EU via the EQF.
ETF supports these countries by reforming their systems around four key pillars:
- legislation and governance,
- stakeholder engagement and platforms,
- quality assurance,
- building networks, gathering intelligence, and providing practical guidance.
While resource limitations, implementation barriers, and teacher training remain challenges, significant progress is being made:
- more qualifications are now defined in terms of learning outcomes;
- a broader range of qualification types is being developed;
- many frameworks now include employers and providers in governing bodies;
- quality standards for registering qualifications are being strengthened.
However, the opportunities for developing an effective NQFs, outweigh the challenges, focusing on:
- developing national qualifications databases, improving accessibility and user choice,
- integrating non-formal qualifications into frameworks,
- leveraging EU tools such as ESCO and the European Learning Model to enhance international comparability and recognition of qualifications.
The joint effort of ETF and Cedefop in collecting and making NQF data available through the online NQF tool demonstrates the powerful benefits of NQFs, especially when linked through a regional or meta-framework like the European Qualifications Framework.
