Learning and working across borders requires qualifications and skills acquired in one country to be easily understood, recognised and verified in another. Against this background, two new publications by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) examine the main challenges to skills portability and identify approaches that can help address them.
The publication “Recognition and validation of foreign VET qualifications in Europe: comparative insights for skills portability” analyses how EU Member States, Norway and Iceland recognise foreign vocational qualifications for further learning and employment. The study highlights significant differences in national procedures, governance arrangements and assessment approaches, while pointing to the need for greater transparency, particularly in the recognition of qualifications for non-regulated professions.
The second publication, “Digital tools for the portability of learning outcomes: insights from a ReferNet survey”, explores the role of digital tools, including qualifications databases and digital credentials, in documenting, sharing and verifying learning outcomes. Although participating countries recognise the potential of these tools, implementation remains uneven, with stronger interoperability between national systems identified as a key priority.
Together, the publications highlight four priorities for strengthening skills portability across Europe:
- transparent and reliable procedures for recognising qualifications acquired abroad;
- stronger coordination and information sharing among recognition authorities, education and training providers and employers;
- connected digital tools for documenting, verifying and sharing qualifications and learning outcomes;
- greater interoperability between national systems to support learning and labour mobility.
The publications come at an important time as the European Commission prepares the Skills Portability Initiative under the Fair Labour Mobility Package. They provide policymakers, VET providers, recognition authorities and social partners with comparative evidence and practical insights to support the development of more transparent, user-oriented and interoperable approaches to the recognition and portability of skills and qualifications across Europe.
Full text is available on link: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/news/building-skills-portability-across-europe-new-cedefop-publications