International conference “EQF in Latvia” on April 27
On April 27, the Academic Information Centre in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science arranged an international conference “The European Qualifications Framework in Latvia”, which was held in Riga, Latvia.
The conference was opened by the minister of education and science Mr Rolands Broks, who highlighted the necessity to link the Latvian qualifications to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), as well as to arrange the referencing process in a thorough way involving all relevant stakeholders. During the first part of the event, Mr Carlo Scatoli (European Commission, Directorate General for Education and Culture) presented to the participants the policy developments in the field of EQF. Then Mr James Calleja (Malta Qualifications Authority) informed about the added value of a qualifications framework in the Maltese context and the benefits available to citizens when using one. Ms Baiba Ramina (director of Academic Information Centre) presented the results of the Latvian consultation process on referencing the Latvian qualifications to the EQF. The results mentioned and other information is summarized in the national Self-Assessment Report, which was prepared by the Academic Information Centre in cooperation with the Policy Coordination Department of the Ministry of Education and Science and which draft was presented during this conference.
Regarding that the elaboration of the national qualifications framework is a labour-, time- and resource-consuming process, and in order to perform the referencing process and the elaboration of the national qualifications in a continuous and meaningful way, in Latvia it is planned in two phases:
- 2009-2011 – referencing of the existing Latvian education system to EQF for lifelong learning and European Higher Education Area (EHEA) Qualifications Framework.
- 2013-2015 – reviewing the self-assessment report, on the basis of the new Vocational Education Law, Higher Education Law and the results of ESF project “Development of sectoral qualifications system and increasing the efficiency and quality of vocational education” (2010-2013)
For instance, the reference to the relevant EQF level in all education documents, which is one of the referencing process criteria, is expected to be introduced in the second phase of referencing process, when the new Vocational Education Law is developed and approved and the Higher Education Law is approved.
The presentations and speeches in the second part of conference were more focused on Latvian qualifications system both in general and discussing particular educational sectors. Mr Dmitrijs Kulss (Ministry of Education and Science, deputy director of Policy Coordination Department, head of Lifelong Learning Division) informed about eight Latvian levels of knowledge and skills, their descriptors and relevance to the provided formal education programmes in Latvia. Afterwards, Ms Ilze Brante (Ministry of Education and Science, deputy director of the Vocational Education and General Education Department, head of Vocational Education Division) focused more on the meaning of EQF in the Latvian vocational education also informing about the intended reforms in the national vocational education system. Mr Andrejs Rauhvargers (Secretary General of the Latvian Rectors’ Council) informed about the qualifications frameworks based on learning outcomes in the Latvian higher education. In conclusion three international experts – Sean O’Reilly (Ireland), Luca Lantero (Italy), Kulli All (Estonia), – which previously had reviewed the national Self-Assessment Report, expressed their opinions concerning the referencing process of Latvian education system to EQF.
In total, 140 representatives from ministries, state and municipalities’ institutions, education establishments, employers’ organizations, trade unions, students’ organizations, as well as from other organizations related to education issues in Latvia and other countries participated in the conference.
The conference was organized in terms of the European Commission project EAC-2010-0131 “Activities of EQF National Coordination Points with a view to implement the EQF at national level”.
More information and conference documents are available at the Latvian National Coordination Point website.
