Support of mobility

The member states of the European Union developed together with social partners common European instruments and principals.  Those instruments and principals create together a common framework, its impact depends on the coherency and an effective interaction among all of them. Their implementation enhances the transparency of qualifications, supports the mobility and helps citizens by providing a systematic pathway, which makes the assessment and documentation of their knowledge, skills and competences easier. 

European Qualifications Framework EQF

A key role within the referencing of national qualifications to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is played by the national coordination centre – the EQF Coordination Point (EQF NCP) that has been established by the NÚV in 2009.

The main tasks of the EQF Coordination Point include the following:

  • Provide the qualifications levels within the National Qualifications System with references to the levels of the European Qualifications Framework.
  • Ensure that a transparent methodology is used to reference the national qualifications levels to the European Qualifications Framework in order to facilitate comparison between them, and ensure that the final decisions are published.
  • Provide access to information and provide guidance to anybody concerned on how the national qualifications relate to the European Qualifications Framework through the national qualifications systems.
  • To promote the participation of all interested actors, including, in accordance with national legislation and practice, higher education and vocational education and training institutions, social partners, sectors and experts in the field of comparison and use of qualifications at the European level.

The EQF Coordination Point has been using the documents elaborated by the EQF Advisory Group, which was established by the European Commission.

Europass 

Europass is set of documents proving education, personal competencies, language skills, gained qualification and work experience. Europass documents provide employers and educational institutions with transparent information in all EU languages on the holders of those documents.  

The National Europass Centre (NCE ČR) was established on 30 March 2005 and builds an integral part of the National Institute for Education. The activities of the Centre are coordinated by the European Commission and Cedefop (The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training). National Europass Centres perform their activities in all member countries of the European Union and within the European Economic Area.   

European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training ECVET 

ECVET is an instrument supporting international and professional mobility. It helps to assess, recognise and accumulate practical skills and knowledge gained within the period spent abroad or in different situations so that those skills can help individuals to gain or to extend their qualifications.  

The ECVET implementation in the Czech Republic is supported by the ECVET Coordination Point that was appointed by the National Institute for Education based on the decision of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in 2012. It consists of three following parts:

  • ECVET field group– a group of experts, who represent schools, associations, important enterprises, employer organisations and employers with nationwide responsibility, ministries, schools authorities in regions,
  • NÚV working group - a group of NÚV co-workers solving tasks connected with the preparation of conditions  for the ECVET implementation in the national and international environment,
  • National Team of ECVET Experts – a group of experts who work with the ECVET at the national and international level and their activities are supported by the grant managed by the European Commission.

 Since 2012 were ECVET elements in the Czech context implemented by the project Pospolu (Together - Fostering the Cooperation between Schools and Companies with the Focus on the Vocational Education in Praxis.

The coordination point is part of an international network. It works closely also with other points responsible for the implementation of further European instruments (EQF, EQAVET, Europass).

European Network for Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET)

A European Network for Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training EQAVET has been established on the basis of the document approved by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe in June 2009. Its main goal is to help to support and monitor the permanent enhancing of quality within systems of vocational education according to the European references.