Overview
Use the table and the filters below to gain an overview of NQF developments in Europe. It is possible to compare countries based on reporting year, stage of development and whether the NQF has been linked to EQF.
| Country | Reporting year | Scope of the framework | Number of levels | Level descriptors | Legal basis/stage of development | NQF linked to EQF | NQF/EQF website | Qualifications register/database |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 2020 | Designed as a comprehensive NQF; currently includes qualifications awarded in formal education and training (higher education and VET qualifications); qualifications under the responsibility of other ministries such as defence and health. First non-formal/non-regulated qualifications included. |
Eight |
knowledge, skills, competence |
Federal Law 14/2016 on the NQF (in German) |
2012 |
Website | Qualifications register |
| Belgium-FL | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training (educational qualifications) and from the professional qualifications system. |
Eight |
knowledge / skills, context / autonomy, responsibility |
Decree on the qualification structure (2009) (in Dutch) |
2011, |
Website | Qualifications database |
| Czechia | 2020 | National framework for vocational qualifications in VNFIL (the national register of qualifications, NSK) and the higher education qualifications framework. | Eight in NSK | National framework for vocational qualifications in VNFIL: competences (including knowledge and skills) | Act on the verification and recognition of further education results (179/2006) (in Czech) (in English) |
2011 | Website | National register of qualifications - NSK ((VNFIL system) |
| Denmark | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training. Open to those awarded outside formal education and training. No qualification linked to EQF level 1. | Eight | knowledge, skills, competence | Administrative decision on the Danish NQF for LLL approved by the Ministers for Education; for Science, Technology and Innovation; for Culture; and for Economic and Business Affairs (2009) Integrated in sectoral legislation |
2011 | Website | Register of qualifications and programmes in the NQF |
| Estonia | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training and from the system of occupational qualifications. |
Eight |
knowledge, skills, scope of responsibility and autonomy |
Professions Act (2008) (in Estonian) (in English) |
2011, 2016 update |
Website 1Website 2 | RegisterEstonian register of occupational qualifications (professions register) |
| Finland | 2020 | Comprehensive framework including all State-recognised qualifications. No qualification linked to EQF level 1. | Eight | integrated level descriptors include knowledge, skills and key competences | Act on the national framework for qualifications and other competence modules (93/2017) (in Finnish) (in English) Government Decree on the NQF (120/2017) (in Finnish) (in English) |
2017 | Website | Database of study programmes from VET, general and higher education |
| France | 2020 | NQF covers all levels and types of vocationally and professionally oriented qualifications and the national baccalaureate (general, technological and vocational). Open to qualifications awarded outside the formal education system. | Eight | complexity of knowledge, level of skills and know-how, degree of responsibility and autonomy | Law No 2002-73 on social modernisation (2002) (in French) Law No 2018-771 for the freedom to choose one’s professional future (2018) (in French) Decree No 2019-14 on the NQF of vocational and professional qualifications (2019) (in French) |
2010 | Website | National register of vocational and professional qualifications (RNCP) |
| Germany | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF for lifelong learning; includes qualifications from general education, VET (initial VET and regulated further training), and from higher education. | Eight | professional competence (knowledge and skills), personal competence (social competence and autonomy) | Joint resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers for Education and Cultural Affairs, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Economic Affairs and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Technology (2013) (in German) |
2012 | Website | DQR qualifications database |
| Ireland | 2020 | Comprehensive NFQ including all types and levels of qualification from formal education and training. | 10, with five classes of award type: major, minor, special-purpose, professional and supplemental | knowledge, skills, competence | Qualifications (Education and Training) Act (1999) (in English) Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 (in English) Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019. (in English) |
2009 2020 update | Website | The NFQ register of qualifications |
| Latvia | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training. | Eight | knowledge, skills, competences | Regulation No 990 of the CoM on the education classification of Latvia (2010) (in Latvian) (in English) Replaced by the Regulation No 322 of the CoM on the education classification of Latvia (2017) (in Latvian) |
2011 | Website | Latvian qualifications database |
| Lithuania | 2020 | Designed as a comprehensive NQF for lifelong learning; currently includes qualifications from VET and higher education; revision and inclusion of general education qualifications at levels 1-4 is in progress. | Eight | characteristics of activities (complexity, autonomy, variability), types of competences (functional, cognitive and general), | Government resolution on approving the description of the Lithuanian qualifications framework (2010) (in English) |
2011 | Website | Qualifications database |
| Malta | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training. | Eight | knowledge, skills, competences | Legal notice 294 on MQF for lifelong learning regulations (Subsidiary Legislation 327.431) (2012) (in English) |
2009, 2010, 2012 and 2016 update | Website | Register of accredited further and higher education institutions and programmes |
| Montenegro | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training and from the system of national vocational qualifications (NVQs). | Eight, with sublevels at levels 1, 4 and 7 | knowledge, skills, competence | Law on the MQF (2010) (in English) |
2014 | Website | National register of qualifications |
| Netherlands | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training (except primary education). Open to qualifications offered outside the formal education system. Qualifications bellow EQF level 1 included at entry level. | Eight, including a sublevel at level 4 (4+), and an entry level | context, knowledge, skills, responsibility and independence | Approval of the NLQF by the Dutch Government and the Dutch Parliament (2011) (in Dutch) Law on NLQF in preparation; expected to enter into force in 2021/22 |
2011, 2019 update | Website | NLQF database |
| Norway | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training. No descriptor or qualification linked to EQF level 1. | Seven, with sublevels at levels 5 and 6 | knowledge, skills, general competence | Ministerial Decision on the NQF (2011) (in English) Regulation on the NQF for lifelong learning and on the referencing to the EQF for LLL (2017) (in Norwegian) |
2014 | Website | Databases of qualificationsDatabase of study programmes |
| Poland | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training. Open to regulated and non-statutory qualifications awarded outside formal education and training. | Eight | knowledge, skills, social competence | Law on the integrated qualifications system (2015) (in Polish) |
2013 | Website | Integrated qualifications register |
| Portugal | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training and from the national system for the recognition, validation and certification of competences. |
Eight |
knowledge, skills, attitudes |
Ministerial order on the NQF (2009) (in Portuguese) |
2011 |
Website | National qualifications catalogueDatabase of higher education courses and institutions |
| Romania | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training. Open to qualifications obtained through validation of non-formal and informal learning. | Eight | knowledge, skills, responsibility and autonomy | Government decision 918/2013 on the approval of the NQF (2013) (in Romanian) Government decision 132/2018 amending and supplementing GD No 918/2013 on the approval of the NQF (2018) and harmonised with the 2017 EQF recommendation (in Romanian) |
2018 | Website | National register of professional qualificationsNational register of qualifications for higher education |
| Slovenia | 2020 | Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training, from the system of national vocational qualifications and non-regulated supplementary qualifications. | 10 | knowledge, skills, competences | Slovenian Qualifications Framework Act (2015) (in Slovenian) |
2013 | Website | SQF qualifications register |
| Switzerland | 2020 | NQF for vocational and professional qualifications (NQF-VPQ) and NQF for higher education (nqf.ch-HS). | Eight | Level descriptors of the NQF-VPQ:, knowledge, skills, competences (professional and personal) | Ordinance on the NQF for vocational and professional qualifications (NQF-VPQ) (2014) (in German) (in French) Adoption of the qualifications framework for the Swiss higher education area (nqf.ch-HS) (2009) (in French) (in German) |
2015 | Website | The List of assigned vocational and professional qualifications (July 2020)A database of all state-recognised occupations and professions |