Research

Research lies at the heart of this experimentation project. The research activities of TRANSVAL-EU map and consolidate currently existing practices regarding the validation of transversal competences, competence frameworks, profiles and training offers for practitioners and the use of innovative validation tools and methods in the 5 field trials pilot countries (IT, AT, LT, BE and PL). The national research activities will lead to individual country sheets on the contextualisation of the national and regional validation systems hence contributing to the research plan and methodology. The national reports are completed by a European-wide search of inspiring good practices from outside the pilot countries’ geographical coverage.

From this research, the European State-of-the-Art Report is derived, providing an overview of the status quo as well as an overview of currently existing good and innovative practices with regards to transversal competences.

In a next step, a Common Transversal Competence Framework is created which is a practical framework offering descriptions of the various transversal skills including learning outcomes, levels of competencies and assessment tools. The framework will serve as a tool for implementing / experimenting with the validation of transversal competences in the field trials.

The goals of the research activity are to support the endeavour to set standards for transversal skills across Europe, help specify research questions and refine research tools, all in preparation for the curriculum development as well as the field trials.

In the first phase of the project (Month 2 to Month 10), the research partners together with the responsible public authorities and partners in the 5 countries involved in the field trials are designing the research methodology for the experimentation using a participatory approach. The methodology will define the unit of analysis, research methods, target groups, timeline for the experimentation, etc.