27 through some form of assessment. Pathways between education and the workforce are also about the
pathways for graduates from the education to employment. A number of major studies on educational pathways have been undertaken in Australia’s quest to
improve the recognition of previously obtained knowledge, skills and experience, the most recent in 2009 undertaken by the then AQF Council. The report’s summary of student pathways in informative in
this context see box.
Student pathways [AQFC 2009]
Student pathways are enabling processes that assist the movement of students between and within education and training institutions and the labor market. They should recognize that many
students do not make a linear progression from one qualification to another at a higher level, exiting to work when their desired qualification is attained. Many students for example: change
their minds and consequently the direction of study; go in and out of the workforce to VET and higher education to gain additional skills and knowledge; undertake additional studytraining to
add a specific skill or skills for employment advancement; or look to study at a later stage having been a nearly school‐leaver.
The importance of qualifications pathways in a national qualifications framework is underscored by the Europeans by their inclusion of this as one of the ten requirements for referencing national
qualifications frameworks against the European Qualifications Framework. Criterion 3 states: ‘The national framework or qualifications system and its qualifications are based on the principle and
objective of learning outcomes and linked to arrangements for validation of non-formal and informal learning and, where these exist, to credit systems’[EC 2001].
3.3 Recognition of Prior learning RPL
14
3.3.1 RPL World Wide
In its regional and historical development,a number of terms have been used in different countries and for different purposes for the processes for RPL, such as: Accreditation of Prior Learning APL, Crediting
Current Competence CCC, and Accrediting Prior Experiential Learning APEL. APL and APEL tend to be common in parts of Europe for example, in the UK and Ireland whereas RPL tends to be used in
Australia and New Zealand. Canada uses the term Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition PLAR as well as RPL and Recognition of Current Competence RCC. France has a different system of professional
certification in which assessment is known as ‘Blain de competences’, ‘Blain des competences approfondi’, or ‘Validation de Acquis des Experiences VAE’. At a European level, common terminology
isValorization of Prior Learning or Validation of Prior learning VPL. See Figure-6.
Taking Europe as an example of a global region, one of the main driving factors underlying RPL development in the European Union EU was as a contribution to the aim that Europe should become a
globally leading, dynamic and competitive knowledge-based regionEC 2008. As part of this, the expansion and development of the knowledge and skills of the European population was regarded as
important, along with aims to promote active citizenship and social inclusion. Raising skill levels, promoting learning for all, lifelong learningcontinuing education, seeking more flexible responses by
education and training providers and recognizing knowledge and skills acquired outside formal education and training structures combined form elements of this strategy. Studies by OECD and
UNESCO show similar policy objectives also underpin interest in RPL in other global regions [OECD 2010; UNESCO 2012].
14
Full report prepared by Professor Maria Slowey on international experiences on RPL is submitted separately.
28 The
European Council
Meeting in Lisbon 2000 was an important milestone in
promoting the concept of RPL
across European
countries and, other regions in the world.
Figure-6 Historical Development of RPL in Different Countries The connection between NQFs and RPL schemes in many countries has also accelerated the
implementation of RPL all over the world. Some noteworthy and well established RPL programs can be identified in different countries, such as UK, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA.
Similarly, other countries such as Hong Kong, South Africa, India and Indonesia are now keenly developing RPL agendas for a variety of reasons and objectives.
3.3.2 Different models uses of RPL
