The importance to Europe of skilled and knowledgeable citizens extends beyond formal education to learning acquired in non-formal or informal ways. Citizens must be able to demonstrate what they have learned, to use this learning in their career and for further education and training.
Countries need to establish systems that allow individuals to identify, document, assess and certify (=validate) all forms of learning to use this learning for advancing their career and for further education and training.
The 2012 Council Recommendation on validation encourages Member States to put in place national arrangements for validation. These arrangements enable individuals to increase the visibility and value of their knowledge, skills and competences acquired outside formal education and training: at work, at home or in voluntary activities.
Cedefop cooperates with the European Commission and Member States to develop validation systems by:
- updating and hosting the European inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning;
- disseminating and updating the European guidelines on validation;
- piloting data visualisation and creating a European database on validation, which connects the European Guidelines with the European inventory;
- conducting case and thematic studies;
- assisting the Commission and countries in organising peer learning activities (PLAs) and workshops.
European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning
The European Guidelines identify main challenges facing policy makers and practitioners and present possible responses to those challenges.
The guidelines are practical and provide advice for individuals and institutions responsible for initiating, developing, implementing and operating validation arrangements.
The European guidelines were first developed in 2009 and, following the adoption of the Council Recommendation, updated in 2015. The evaluation of the 2012 Recommendation, has signalled the importance of the guidelines in promoting a share understanding to validation in Europe and to support peer learning.
We are currently updating the guidelines.
European Inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning
This inventory is a regularly updated overview of validation practices and arrangements across Europe. It is compiled in cooperation with the European Commission.
Recognising that society has an interest in using all available skills, national and regional authorities and sectoral bodies have introduced many arrangements for validating non-formal and informal learning. Yet information about how such learning is identified, documented, assessed and certified is, in most countries, not easily accessible.
The European inventory makes information on current practices – including examples from selected sectors – available. It covers all countries taking part in the EU 2020 cooperation process.
So far the inventory has been updated six times (2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2018).
All material is publicly available and can be downloaded from this website. We are working on the next edition.
European database on validation of non-formal and informal learning
The European database is a pilot data visualisation project, which connects the European Guidelines (2015 version) with the European inventory (2104 edition).
European inventory
European Inventory on Validation: 2018 Update
Synthesis report
Synthesis report (ETF)
Country reports
Thematic reports
Case studies
The European inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning is a regularly updated overview of validation practices and arrangements across Europe. It is compiled in cooperation with the European Commission and ETF. The inventory was endorsed by the Council recommendation of 2012 on validation and works together with the European guidelines as a tool to support countries in developing and implementing validation arrangements.
A rich source of information, the inventory informs dialogue and learning between countries and stakeholders developing and implementing validation in Europe. Our key objective is to support Member States so that more learners and workers can acquire and make visible new skills, which will support their career and further learning and improve their quality of life.
The 2018 update of the inventory is a unique record of how validation is being used nationally, regionally and locally across Europe. It contains the state of play and an overview of developments for 36 countries, illustrated by good practice examples. You will also find thematic reports on key issues in designing and implementing validation initiatives, plus three international case studies. The inventory is the result of a three-year process based on the work of a large network of national experts, extensive review of documents, and interviews with key stakeholders.
Contact Details: ernesto.villalba-garcia@cedefop.europa.eu Ernesto Villalba-Garcia
Synthesis reports
Country reports, EU Member States
 Sweden |
Other countries
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Country Reports compiled by ETF
 Kosovo |
 North Macedonia |
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 Montenegro |
 Turkey |
Thematic reports
Bridging the gap Digital forms of assessment
Social partners involvement Validation for migrants/refugees
Validation and upskilling pathways
Case studies
Database
European database on validation of non-formal and informal learning