Validation in Austria: The National Context

In the Austrian educational landscape, the main focus lies on formally acquired qualifications as proof of skills and competences. The high significance of vocational education and training in Austria and the widespread implementation of the dual system that encompasses two places of learning (in vocational schools as in the company itself) already covers informal learning in the workplace. Therefore, validation traditionally has not played an important role in Austria, there are no central governance structures or uniform legal framework (see European Inventory on VNFIL 2018).

However, there is a variety of validation initiatives in the different educational sectors, e.g. in vocational education, higher education as well as adult education – validation in Austria becomes visual in bottom-up approaches. The validation strategy issued in 2017 overarches strategic key objectives, encompassing increasing the value of VNFIL, accessibility of validation arrangements, opportunities for education and work as well as the permeability and learning outcomes orientation. The later closely links the National validation strategy to the NQF as a central concept for both worlds.

The aims of Transval-EU are aligned with the strategic goals of the Austrian National Validation Strategy which creates precious synergy effects for the state of play in the project and also the national endeavours. The Austrian partners engaged in Transval-EU cover the strategic dimension as lead partner, the scientific lense in the evaluation as well as the social partner and practitioner side in the pilots and drawing from the expertise of the field. 

 

Further Information on

Austrian State of Play:

European inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning 2018 update: Austria | Cedefop (europa.eu)

Austrian Validation Strategy (German Only)

https://www.qualifikationsregister.at/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Strategie_zur_Validierung_nicht-formalen_und_informellen_Lernens.pdf