Validating Transversal Skills in the Vocational Education and Training Sector in Lithuania

The systematic development of the validation of non-formal and informal learning is based on several initiatives in various sectors of education in Lithuania. For instance, Higher education, vocational education and training (VET) institutions, as well as those providing non-formal education, including labor market exchange training centres, are developing, or are already at some stage piloting the VNFIL processes. However, it is still a hot topic, discussed in the circles of academia and employers: What exactly are transversal skills, how important is it to measure and validate them and what are tools and methods to make those skills measurable. It is understood that the objective assessment of transversal skills is rather challenging, thus requiring careful readiness of the whole system.

Being a partner in the consortium implementing the TRANSVAL-EU project on the validation of transversal skills across Europe, Lithuania has a great chance to take part in the discussions and help shape initiatives to validate transversal skills. Lithuanian partners will be responsible for piloting the assessment of certain transversal skills in the sector of vocational education and training. Assessment methods designed as part of the Transval-EU project will be piloted with the candidates in the field trials. In addition, awareness will be raised about transversal skills and their validation practices among the VET teachers and students. This will be a new practice in Lithuania, and, hopefully, will provide useful insights on validation of transversal skills in vocational education and training in other countries of Europe.