Norway: powering trust in VET recognition

Background

In Norway, as in most European countries, recognition of foreign vocational qualifications is increasingly important to support learner and labour mobility, address skills needs and ensure equitable access to education and employment. However, the wide range of vocational qualifications, training programmes, and stakeholders in VET presents challenges for credential evaluators.

The first BRAVO project (2023–2024) identified key gaps in the recognition of vocational qualifications. It created an informal network of recognition authorities and stakeholders and recommended formalising it within the NARIC framework. The project highlighted the need for structured cooperation, clear communication channels and targeted capacity-building for credential evaluators.

BRAVO II project

BRAVO II project builds on these findings by formalising and strengthening the network, expanding its scope and ensuring sustainability. The project brings together ENIC/NARIC centres and other authorities responsible for recognising foreign vocational qualifications at secondary and tertiary levels. It is implemented by NARICs from France, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, the Netherlands, Norway and Türkiye, together with the Dutch recognition authority SBB. Co-funded by the European Union, Bravo II runs from September 2025 to September 2027.

Project goals and activities

The project seeks to create a collaborative environment in which evaluators can share expertise, exchange best practices, and jointly address issues such as document verification and fraud detection.

BRAVO II is organised around five core activities :

1. formalising a network on the recognition of vocational qualifications, with members expected to join from September or October 2026;
2. operating an online cooperation platform with a repository on education systems and recognition schemes, planned for summer 2027;
3. facilitating staff exchanges (job shadowing) between recognition centres and relevant stakeholders from 1 April 2026 to 1 April 2027;
4. developing a toolkit covering recognition of general and VET secondary education, to be launched and disseminated in phases between February and June 2027;
5. organising a conference on the recognition of vocational qualifications for credential evaluators, to be held in Istanbul in March 2027.

Job-shadowing

The BRAVO II job-shadowing activity provides financial support to staff in NARIC centres and other national authorities to visit counterpart organisations in Europe.

During these short exchanges (two to three days), staff from ENIC/NARIC centres and other national authorities responsible for recognition can observe assessment criteria, information sources and decision-making practices. Job shadowing also supports comparison of approaches to document verification and fraud detection, and improves understanding of VET systems, providers and awarding bodies across Europe.

NARIC offices may participate as sending or hosting partners. For sending organisations, job shadowing supports staff development and review of procedures. For host organisations, it encourages knowledge sharing and identification of transferable solutions. For all participants, it strengthens professional networks and trust, enables timely cooperation on complex cases and contributes to more consistent recognition outcomes.

Further information on eligibility, arrangements and applications is available on the official BRAVO II website or from the coordination team.

By investing in networking, capacity building, and staff exchanges, BRAVO II strengthens the effectiveness, transparency, and mutual trust underpinning the recognition of vocational qualifications across Europe.

Read more

• The BRAVO II project page
• The BRAVO project page
• ReferNet article Norway: a wake-up call for greater cooperation on foreign qualification recognition