37 spatial and temporal circumstances of work contexts and situations’[Costley Abukari 2009:313]. In
many countries, disciplines, such as nursing, teaching and tourism, already require workplace learning as a necessary element for attaining a qualification such that the practical experience derived from work
placement compliments the theory taught in university. In the case of nursing, the learning required in a practical context is usually tightly defined by a professional body whereas work placements more
generally, for example on tourism courses, are often more loosely defined in terms of learning objectives and assessment [Walsh 2014:110]. An example of good practice in this area is the 2006
initiative by Irish third level colleges to accredit worked-based learning in business and IT with a third- level qualification [see IOTI 2006]. The process began with a promotion campaign targeted at employers,
employees and groups representing business and skills at a national level. By soliciting the participation and agreement of relevant stakeholders, the initiative was able to proceed with a portfolio-based
recognition of work-based learning.
3.3.5.3 Stakeholder constraints
The successful implementation of RPL requires the commitment of many stakeholders including employers, education and training providers, professional bodies, employee representative bodies, and
the policy community. The consultation and engagement of these stakeholders is essential to ensure that their concerns are addressed and that they fully understand what is required of them. When
stakeholders are not engaged in the RPL process, there is a risk of a compliance approach to implementation. That is, participating stakeholders may comply with legislative requirements while
lacking in commitment to the objectives of RPL. As a result, any changes to existing practices and policies may be limited or superficial.
Cedefop [2009] developed European Guidelines for Validating Non-Formal and Informal Learning and provides a regularly updated overview of RPL practices across Europe see
www.cedefop.europa.eu .
The functions, motivations and roles of stakeholders identified in these guidelines are shown Table-12. Successful RPL implementation requires that stakeholders are aware of the benefits of participating.
Some countries, such as Mauritius, have invested in advocacy initiatives and communication strategies to raise awareness about RPL and to brief major stakeholders on international best practices. In Ireland
the targeted funding scheme SIF has been utilized for this purpose. One SIF project, conducted in conjunction with Cork Institute of Technology, developed a review of RPL practices with the goal of
identifying best practice [see Sheridan Linehan 2009]. An RPL information guide is also publicly available online and outlines the roles, processes and time lines of RPL see
www.cit.ierpl .
UNESCO recommendations
To create a coordinated national structure involving all stakeholders, UNESCO Guidelines for the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation of the Outcomes of Non-formal and Informal Learning
recommend the following [UNESCO 2012]: •
Ensure all stakeholders have clearly-defined roles and responsibilities in developing a coherent and coordinated national structure to oversee the design, implementation and quality
assurance of the RVA system. •
Establish mechanisms to adopt credible and quality RPL procedures, standards and instruments, as well as awarding qualifications.
• Facilitate RVA implementation by putting in place effective administrative processes for
receiving applications, organizing assessment and providing feedback on outcomes, recording results, awarding qualifications and designing appeal processes.
• Make efforts to build the RVA infrastructure at local level so that it is available where people
live, work and learn, and make RVA a part of existing institutions in communities.
Overall however, many of the constraints on RPL implementation are cultural as a survey of a range of stakeholders in Scotland an early adopter of RPL concludes [Howieson and Raffe 2012].
38 Credit recognition is voluntary and education providers vary in their willingness to recognize and
transfer credit. Reasons for not recognizing or transferring credit include the increased cost of flexible provision; a lack of trust in the learning or assessments delivered elsewhere; funding disincentives; the
requirements of regulatory or a lack of trust in the learning or assessments delivered elsewhere; funding disincentives; the requirements of regulatory or professional bodies; and time-serving norms and
expectations [Howieson and Raffe 2012].
3.3.6 Quality and standards
