In today’s rapidly evolving world of work, the transparency and transferability of learning outcomes play a pivotal role in enhancing lifelong learning and mobility, addressing current and future labour market challenges. By making skills and qualifications clearer and more transparent, individuals can seamlessly combine and build on their learning outcomes across various contexts and countries.
This creates cohesive and portable skills and qualifications profiles. At the same time, flexible learning systems support lifelong learning and facilitate mobility for both workers and learners, ensuring adaptability in a dynamic economy.
Why transparency and transferability of learning outcomes matter
Since the turn of the century, transparency and transferability of qualifications have been a cornerstone of European cooperation, aiming to improve the flexibility of learning systems in both higher education (Bologna Process) and vocational education and training (VET) (Copenhagen Declaration).
The emphasis on learning outcomes aligns with current EU priorities, including the digital and green transitions, skills portability, and addressing labour shortages. As the EU strives to improve fair intra-EU mobility for workers and learners, transparency and transferability of skills become vital. For learners, it means more opportunities to upskill and reskill, adapting to changing job markets. For businesses, it ensures access to a skilled workforce capable of meeting new challenges.
Countries and stakeholders are actively working to implement these changes. For instance, the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), is a key initiative promoting cross-policy and cross-sector cooperation. National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs) are also being developed to support these goals, ensuring that qualifications are transparent, comparable, and recognised across borders.
A 20-year Journey of transparency and transferability in learning outcomes
A recent Cedefop publication, Transparency and transferability of learning outcomes: a 20-year journey, sheds light on two decades of EU and national efforts to reduce barriers to lifelong learning, underscoring significant progress in European cooperation and identifies critical achievements:
- A growing focus on learning outcomes centered on the needs of individuals across education and training sectors.
- Increased recognition of learning beyond formal settings, such as non-formal and informal learning.
- Convergence of policy initiatives and national developments, fostering coherence in lifelong learning systems.
- Stronger commitment to transparent, comparable, and recognised qualifications.
- Advocacy for flexible learning systems and pathways, enabling mobility and adaptability.
While Cedefop’s research highlights increasingly coherent policy frameworks that promote learning mobility, the varying degrees of connection between policy initiatives reveal opportunities to strengthen cross-policy and cross-sector cooperation. This would foster more interconnected and flexible learning systems, benefiting individuals across Europe.
Looking forward, transparency and transferability of learning outcomes will remain top priorities for EU policymakers. These efforts will drive further synergies with key initiatives like the ongoing implementation of the EQF, the new Europass portal, and Digital Credentials. Together, these tools will enhance transparency and recognition of learning outcomes, especially in an increasingly digitalized world.
