European and national qualifications and credits framework
Within the framework of increased European cooperation in vocational education and training and in university-level education, the goal is the establishment of a European qualifications and credits framework comprising all areas of education and training (Maastricht Communiqué). Whilst maintaining the principle of subsidarity, national qualifications and credits frameworks are to be developed. A qualifications and credits framework should:
- create transparency of qualifications / skills;
- promote ease of access between general educational, vocational and university-level areas of training;
- take account of skills acquired in informal learning processes;
- enable mobility on the labour market.
Plans for this are currently being discussed on a European level. On a national level, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) programme for the "crediting of occupational skills in granting access to university-level studies" is intended as a contribution towards the development of a qualifications and credits framework. Within the German economy, the social partners involved have already discussed and presented in a concrete form their initial suggestions for a qualifications and credits framework (papers from the ZDH (German Confederation of Skilled Crafts) and the IGM (German Metalworkers' Trade Union). The BIBB has already completed preparatory plans for a qualifications and credits framework with such projects as the system for continuing training in the IT sector and the recognition of informal learning.
