Methodology for Transfer of Innovation ECVET Tour II · Methodology for Transfer of Innovation ECVET Tour II Monika Auzinger 3s research laboratory [email protected] Barbara Buchsbaum

Transfer of VET innovation in the field of gastronomy and hotel management

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Methodology for Transfer of Innovation

ECVET Tour II

www.ecvettour2.eu

Monika Auzinger 3s research laboratory [email protected] Barbara Buchsbaum Studien und Management Center Saalfelden gGmbH [email protected] Vienna / Saalfelden, October 2013; updated version of December 2013 This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.


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Table of Contents

1) Introduction........................................................................................................................3

a) Purpose of this report ............................................................................................................. 3

b) Project background................................................................................................................. 4

Main aim of the project ........................................................................................................... 4

Work package 2 - aims and objectives ...................................................................................... 5

Project Partners...................................................................................................................... 5

c) Transfer of innovation............................................................................................................. 6

ECVET Tour project ................................................................................................................ 6

M.O.T.O. project..................................................................................................................... 8

2) Using ECVET for geographical mobility...............................................................................9

a) ECVET in a nutshell................................................................................................................. 9

b) ECVET in Slovakia and the Czech Republic............................................................................... 11

Education and training in the hospitality sector in CZ / SK ......................................................... 11

ECVET implementation.......................................................................................................... 11

3) Methodology for transfer of innovation for ECVET Tour II...............................................14

a) BEFORE mobility: Orientation / Preparation ............................................................................. 16

Orientation phase – partnership building ................................................................................. 16

Preparation phase................................................................................................................. 20

Comparison of Learning Outcomes ......................................................................................... 20

Using the VQTS model for comparing learning outcomes........................................................... 21

Memorandum of Understanding and Learning Agreement ......................................................... 27

Preparation of mobility stay ................................................................................................... 28

b) DURING mobility: Acquisition of knowledge, skills and competence ............................................ 29

Assessment.......................................................................................................................... 29

Documentation of knowledge, skills and competence................................................................ 30

c) AFTER mobility..................................................................................................................... 30

Conclusion of the transfer process .......................................................................................... 30

Evaluation & Follow-up.......................................................................................................... 31

4) References ........................................................................................................................32

5) Annexes ............................................................................................................................33

6) List of abbreviations used.................................................................................................36


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1) Introduction

a) Purpose of this report This report has been written as part of the ECVET Tour II project, a two-year Leonardo da Vinci project (Transfer of Innovation) which aims to support and test the implementation of ECVET (European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training) in the restaurant and hotel industry in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Titled ‘Methodology for Transfer of Innovation’, this report presents the necessary steps and documents in connection with geographical mobility of learners in Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the professional field of cook and receptionist. This report shall function as a guideline and reference document for the recipients of innovation of the current ECVET Tour II project, APEL in Slovakia and EDUcentrum in the Czech Republic and the vocational education and training schools participating in the ECVET Tour II learner mobilities. It is the basis for work packages 3 (Transfer of innovation) and 4 (Pilot testing of the transferred tools – mobility) of the current project but has been designed and written to be a useful resource to audiences beyond the project partnership as well. The first part of this report provides an introduction to ECVET Tour II; it describes the aims of the project and its background. It is followed by a section dedicated to the use of ECVET for geographical mobility, with particular reference to the situation in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The main part of this report, chapter 3, outlines the methodology for the transfer of innovation within the ECVET Tour II project. In terms of structure, this section will follow the three phases of geographical mobility which shape the implementation of ECVET in practice – ‘before’, ‘during’ and ‘after´. Furthermore, this section aims to follow a very practical approach. This report covers the entire process of organising mobility, starting with the development of partnerships until the evaluation and follow-up after completion of the mobility period. Given the fact that the learner mobilities were only in the preparation phase at the time of writing this report, certain aspects such as assessment, validation and recognition, cannot be covered in greater detail.


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b) Project background Main aim of the project The first half of the ECVET Tour II project focuses on the development of methodological tools for promoting geographical mobility in vocational education and training in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. This includes learning outcomes descriptions, Memoranda of Understanding and Learning Agreements. In the second half of the project, learner mobilities will be organised which will apply (and test) the developed methodology. Learner mobilities are scheduled to take place between Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Austria. Through these activities, the ECVET Tour II project aims to contribute to

- Creating an environment which helps VET institutions to increase their learners’ mobility; - Strengthening the links between VET institutions and employers; - Supporting modernisation and quality in vocational education and training in the field of

restaurant and hotel management in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. ECVET Tour II is divided into five different work packages. This report represents a central deliverable of work package 2 and is considered to provide the methodological basis for the subsequent work packages. The deliverables of work package 2 will be described in greater detail below.


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Work package 2 - aims and objectives The aims and objectives of work package 2 have been described as follows in the project proposal:

- to further elaborate the existing needs and opportunities analysis1 - to develop a methodology that will be used for the transfer of innovation process

(transferability of units of learning outcomes and associated credit points, models of validation, recognition, accumulation and transfer of units of learning outcomes)

- presentation of the methodology (steps and documents necessary for learners’ mobility) as a final product of work package 2

Project Partners The project consortium consists of four partners from three EU member states. The ECVET Tour II project is coordinated by APEL, a Slovak non-profit organisation with three major areas of activity: promotion of information technologies in public administration, transformation of traditional education and social inclusion and development of knowledge based society. www.apelnet.sk SMC Studienzentrum Saalfelden, one of the two Austrian partners, acts as ‘donor’ of innovation to the project. SMC is a privately owned non-profit organisation and offers education, particularly at post-compulsory level in a rural area, where training opportunities are scarce. SMC was a partner of the successfully implemented ECVET Tour project. www.smc-info.at 3s research laboratory, is the second Austrian project partner. 3s is one of the leading research organisations in the field of labour market and educational research in Austria. It is experienced in the design of projects in the field of knowledge, learning and work and in the development of methods, tools and instruments for anticipating and assessing qualifications and competences. 3s was partner in the two projects which will build the basis for the current project, ECVET Tour and M.O.T.O. www.3s.co.at EDUcentrum, the project partner from the Czech Republic, is a non-profit organisation in the field of education with activities such as the use of ICT in education and the creation of tools for distance learning and a wide range of experience in international projects. www.educentrum-os.cz For the student mobilities, which are to be organised as part of ECVET Tour II, the project team is joined by partner schools in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

1 This task is covered by a separate report.


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c) Transfer of innovation

As a Leonardo da Vinci ‘transfer of innovation’ project, a central characteristic of ECVET Tour II is the transfer of innovation from existing projects to new environments. In this case, the transfer occurs from Austria, Spain, Germany, Poland, Iceland, Finland and Italy to new environments in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The transfer of innovation will take place within the same sector, namely the restaurant and hotel industry. ECVET Tour II transfers innovation from two projects: ECVET Tour and M.O.T.O. They have been chosen as two successfully implemented projects in the field of tourism and VET as basis for the current project. In the course of ECVET Tour II, the results, outcomes, documents and experience from the ECVET Tour and M.O.T.O. projects will, if applicable, be adapted and used as a basis for the current project. The fact that the project consortium includes partners from both these projects (SMC Saalfelden & 3s research laboratory) facilitates this process. In the following sub-section, both projects will be briefly described.

ECVET Tour project Type of project: Leonardo da Vinci, Transfer of Innovation Duration: 11.2008 – 10.2010 Project Partners / Countries:

• University of Salzburg / Austria 3s research laboratory / Austria SMC Studienzentrum Saalfelden / Austria

• Harz_AG / Germany • Coepa / Spain


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• WSHE Lodz / Poland

Aims:

• Enable the readability of competences acquired in the tourism sector; • Improve the permeability between different forms of acquiring competences in the field

of tourism; • Promote transnational and intra-national mobility: model for the accreditation of

qualifications acquired in different forms of education & training at home and abroad.

Products / Output:

• Definition of key competences for cook and hotel & restaurant trade commercial assistant - International comparison of the field of competences Method: Qualitative face-to-face interviews with experts, 10 for each partner Central question: What are the competences in the profession of cook and hotel & restaurant trade commercial assistant? This outcome provides the basis for� - International country comparison Method: quantitative survey of trainees in VET schools (Austria 140, Spain 151, Poland 189, Germany 248 interviewees) Central question: What are existing key competences? What is taught at the schools? The outcome, a report called ‘Analysis of key competences’ provides the basis for �

• Competence matrices for cook and hotel & restaurant trade commercial assistant2 - Development of two ECVET Tour competence matrices: one for cook and one for hotel & restaurant trade commercial assistant - Development carried out by each partner in small groups with continuous feedback loops; the outcome was afterwards presented to stakeholders working in the field of tourism at a workshop in Salzburg to collect their feedback and adapt the matrices accordingly.

• Video and graph of a career path in tourism Website: www.ecvet-tour.eu

2 These competence matrices were based on the VQTS model (VQTS = Vocational Qualification Transfer System), www.vocationalqualification.net.


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M.O.T.O. project Type of project: Leonardo da Vinci project Duration: 03.2009 – 02.2011 Project partners / countries:

• Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca (MIUR) / Italy Istituto per lo Sviluppo della Formazione professionale dei Lavoratori (ISFOL) / Italy

• 3s research laboratory / Austria • The Finnish National Board of Education (FNBE) / Finland • The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (MESC) / Iceland

Aims:

• Develop a methodology to analyse and describe qualifications in terms of units of learning outcomes;

• Develop a model of transferability of learning outcome units (M.O.T.O. model); • Test feasibility through student mobility projects.

Products / Output:

• M.O.T.O. model Proposal for using ECVET for geographic mobility; based on ECVET principles; structured into 4 phases of mobility (preliminary – preparation – implementation – final)

• M.O.T.O. grid for analysing qualifications • Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)3 – proposed structure

Learning Agreement (LA) – proposal – proposed structure • Validation and recognition – example

M.O.T.O. Field testing:

• 17 participating learners • Mobility exchanges of 2 – 4 weeks in hotels, restaurants and a travel agency • Mobility between Austria – Italy and Finland – Iceland

Website: http://ecvet-moto.isfol.it/ The following of the above mentioned products developed in the M.O.T.O. and ECVET Tour projects will be used within ECVET Tour II:

• Competence matrices for cook and hotel and restaurant trade commercial assistant (ECVET Tour)

• M.O.T.O. grid for analysing qualifications • Learning Agreement & Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.T.O.)4

3 For more information on MoU and LA, refer to chapter 3/step 3 of this document. 4 The templates for the Learning Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding developed in M.O.T.O. will serve as an example in ECVET Tour; we will however finally use the templates that have meanwhile been developed by the European Commission.


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2) Using ECVET for geographical mobility

a) ECVET in a nutshell The European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training – ECVET – has its foundations in the 2009 European Recommendation which invites member states to create the necessary conditions and gradually implement ECVET.5 The adoption and implementation of ECVET in the member states is voluntary. ECVET belongs to a set of so-called ‘European transparency tools’, together with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), Europass, EQARF and ECTS6, and has two central aims: to promote mobility and recognition. ECVET was designed to increase cross-border cooperation in vocational education and training, leading to portable qualifications and transferable learning outcomes7. The aim of ECVET is thus to support learning mobility and lifelong learning.

‘ECVET’s purpose is to enable recognition of learners’ achievements during periods of mobility by creating a structure, bringing a common language, and stimulating exchanges and mutual trust among VET providers and competent institutions across Europe.’

European Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture8

‘Mobility’ in this context does not only refer to mobility across countries but also across institutions and systems. Since the ECVET Tour II project focuses on geographical mobility of VET learners, we will focus on the use of ECVET for geographical mobility in this report. ‘What is ECVET?’

In essence, ECVET builds on a structured description of qualifications in terms of units of learning outcomes. This forms a ‘common language’ to describe qualifications. ECVET aims to facilitate the validation, recognition and accumulation of learning outcomes acquired during a stay in another country or in another learning context and for better compatibility between the different VET systems in place across Europe and their qualifications.

5 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2009:155:0011:0018:EN:PDF 6 ECTS = European Credit Transfer System; EQARF = European Quality Assurance Reference Frame-work for Vocational Education and Training 7 Cf. Cedefop (2012), p.1. 8 http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/ecvet-pbNC8009607/.


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ECVET is based on common principles concerning the design of qualifications and arrangements for credit transfer and accumulation:

• Qualifications are designed based on learning outcomes. Learning outcomes are statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do upon completion of a learning process, and are defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence. Through learning outcomes, it is possible to identify whether the learning in one context, system or country, is comparable to another one.

• Qualifications are structured in units of learning outcomes that can be assessed, validated and recognised separately.

• Assessment of units is documented and enables progressive accumulation and transfer, by constituting credits.

• Credits can be validated and recognised in the context of other qualification systems. • Partnerships among competent institutions9 facilitate the recognition of credit10 as they

trust in each other’s qualifications and assessment. • Qualifications and units are described using ECVET points. The points help identify the

size of a qualification and the relative weight of the units within the qualification. 60 points are allocated to the learning outcomes expected to be achieved within a year of full-time VET. This quantitative reference in terms of points only serves a descriptive function, while the learning outcomes structured in units form the core of transfer and accumulation.

9 The 2009 ECVET Recommendation describes competent institutions as follows: ‘Competent institution’ means an institution which is responsible for designing and awarding qualifications or recognising units or other functions linked to ECVET, such as allocation of ECVET points to qualifications and units, assessment, validation and recognition of learning outcomes, under the rules and practices of participating countries‘ (Cedefop 2012, p. 15). 10 Credit for learning outcomes (i.e. credit) designates individuals’ learning outcomes which have been assessed and which can be accumulated towards a qualification or transferred to other learning programmes or qualifications. ‘Credit’ is a different concept than ECVET points (European Commission 2011, p. 26).


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b) ECVET in Slovakia and the Czech Republic Education and training in the hospitality sector in CZ / SK In both countries, despite the economic crisis, the hospitality sector is growing fast and there is a rising demand for well-trained labour force. The system for vocational education and training in both countries is predominantly school-based. Some schools offer practical training in cooperating companies, but based on the results of a survey among employers, VET learners in this field tend to show a significant lack in practical competence.11 As for Slovakia, schools are trying to increase the attractiveness of their training programmes, but the link to the actual needs of the employers is somewhat missing. Slovak vocational education is consequently focusing on supporting elements of ‘dual education’, which for example in Austria is working successfully.

ECVET implementation Mobility periods are an important ‘asset’ for learners in vocational education and training – both for their personal development and for their labour market success. However, lacking structures (for the organisation of mobilities), language barriers, financial barriers and the diversity of VET systems often put an end to such plans. The aim of ECVET is to provide a set of tools specifically designed to facilitate the preparation, organisation and implementation of mobility stays and the recognition of learning outcomes obtained abroad The following table compares relevant aspects for the implementation of ECVET between the Czech Republic and Slovakia:

11 Cf. ECVET Tour II project (2013), p. 18.


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Source: Cedefop 2011, 2013 * refers to whether the country has presented its report on referencing national qualifications levels to the EQF within the EQF Advisory Group

As in many other European countries, both in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, ECVET implementation is linked to EQF developments.12 Both Slovakia and the Czech Republic have ongoing educational reforms. None of them has an existing credit system for vocational education and training in place. Slovakia13 Slovakia launched a curricular reform of its vocational education and training system in 2008, introducing competence-based state educational programmes representing requirements of the state. Individual VET schools are entitled to develop their own curricula (school educational programmes) which are compatible with the respective state educational programme and also address relevant labour market needs. In addition, a National System of Occupations has been recently established. Slovakia has also started to work on redesigning existing national qualifications into a learning outcomes based National Qualifications System (NQS) which should then be available as a web-based platform. Despite strong progress in reforming VET since 2008, the Slovak education system faces two major challenges which are currently insufficiently addressed:

- Due to the low level of investment in education, initial vocational education and training is not an attractive career choice for young professionals to become teachers and trainers in this field.

- Due to low levels of investment in VET research and labour market analysis, Slovakia lacks the resources required to gain a deeper understanding of labour market needs, skills needs and skills gaps.

As regards the implementation of ECVET in Slovakia, there is an ECVET feasibility study for Slovakia14, which was elaborated by the Slovak National Observatory of VET commissioned by the Slovak Academic Association for International Cooperation. This study, prepared in 2012, suggests the development of an ECVET National Framework for Slovakia with a focus on learning outcome based mobilities instead of implementation of a credit points system complementary to the credit system applied in higher education. The recognition of non-formal and informal learning is considered to be ‘almost impossible’ at the moment. Czech Republic The vocational education system of the Czech Republic has been undergoing an extensive curricular reform as well. The curriculum is newly created on two levels – on the national level and on the level of individual schools, and a focus on learning outcomes and key competences is introduced in the course of this reform. The Czech Republic operates a publicly accessible National Register of Qualifications (NSK). 15

12 Cf. Cedefop 2013, p. 35. 13 Cf. Vantuch, J. & Jelinkova, D. (2012), p. 17; 35-39. 14 http://web.saaic.sk/naforfil/modules/dokumenty/ECVET_feasibility_study_for_Slovakia.doc 15 An example of standard for a partial qualification related to the qualification of cook is included in the annex of this report.


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In the Czech Republic, Europass, ECVET, EQAVET and EQF initiatives are closely coordinated. In 2012, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports approved a proposal on implementing ECVET in the Czech Republic. 16 The policy objectives linked to the ECVET are to support domestic and international mobility and transparency of qualifications. There are current plans to establish a connection between the NSK register of qualifications and ECVET. Pilot projects are currently under way to analyse the possibility of integrating ECVET into the NSK reqister, to develop a proposed methodology for this connection, and to develop and describe units of learning outcomes.17 Besides, the Czech Republic also participates in transnational European Commission-funded projects to test and develop ECVET, such as the 2get1care project18 and the Credchem project.

16 Kaňáková, M. & Němeček, M. 2012, p. 26. 17 Cf. Cedefop, 2013b, pp. 65. 18 The aim of 2get1care is to test ECVET in health care professions in the German Region of North-Rhine Westphalia.


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3) Methodology for transfer of innovation for ECVET Tour II

As this report shall serve as a guideline for conducting learners’ mobility, theoretical concepts behind the respective phase or step will be introduced and then directly refer to the practical implementation within the project ECVET Tour II, wherever possible. This section loosely follows the structure for ECVET mobility as suggested by the ECVET guidelines published by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture19. It splits the process of mobility into a sequence of different phases and steps, thus providing a clear and practical structure. According to the ECVET Tour II project proposal, work package 2 is split into two tasks: Task 1) Further elaboration of needs and opportunities analysis Task 2) Methodological preparation of the transfer of innovation The results of Task 1 are summarised in a separate report titled ‘Needs Analysis of the ECVET Tour II project’, while the present report focuses on the methodology. Still, these two project deliverables are intertwined and feed into each other.

19 Bundesministerium für Unterricht, Kunst und Kultur bm:ukk (2012): ECVET. Let´s go Europe! Guidelines for the application of ECVET in the course of mobility periods in VET. Online: http://www.ecvet-info.at/sites/default/files/downloads/ECVET-Leitfaden_M%C3%A4rz2012_1.pdf.


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The implementation of ECVET as proposed in the above mentioned ECVET guide is split into three phases, which can be further divided into a series of 10 steps:

Source: bmukk (2012), p. 13.

Phase 1) BEFORE (Orientation / Preparation) This period is split into orientation (search for a partner) and preparation phase. Phase 2) DURING (Implementation) The implementation phase refers to the period of actual learner mobility, i.e. the learner’s actual stay abroad. In the implementation phase, knowledge, skills and competence are acquired by the learner, assessed and documented. Phase 3) AFTER (Follow-up) The three steps in this period are conclusion, evaluation and follow up. The aspect of quality assurance plays an important role throughout the mobility process, in order to generate the transparency and mutual trust that are urgently needed within an ECVET partnership. It is essential that those engaging in using ECVET in a transnational context have a good understanding of ‘who does what’ in the process. This is also why, within the concept of ECVET, so much emphasis is put on the preparatory phase (i.e. the time before the mobility


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actually starts), in order to make sure that all arrangements will be made to help guarantee the implementation of high-quality mobility exchanges. The key issues to bear in mind when organising mobility using ECVET at different stages of the mobility process are referred to throughout this document, highlighted by green boxes, such as the checklist for preparing a Learning Agreement and the checklist for preparing a Memorandum of Understanding. Part II of the ECVET Users’ Guide (‘Using ECVET for Geographical Mobility’, 2012), which was prepared by the European Commission20, provides more detailed information on the quality assurance of ECVET mobilities.

a) BEFORE mobility: Orientation / Preparation

Orientation phase – partnership building ‘The orientation phase primarily serves for decision-making about whether a mobility exchange should be made. At the centre of this phase there is the search for a suited partner. Only when an appropriate institution has been found can concrete preparation tasks be started’21. The introduction of the quoted guideline to the chapter ‘orientation phase’ clearly gets to the point of phase one. Before concrete preparations for mobility can start, suitable partners have to be found. If an adequate network does not exist, European websites and databases (refer to Annex X for further information) may provide support and assistance. As soon as partner(s) have been found, it is time to start an information exchange. Questions concerning the VET system, qualifications and training programmes and the education system have to be discussed and possible options for cooperation identified. Also, it is very important to obtain information on the background of the partner country’s VET system and the framework conditions in which future mobility stays are going to take place. A preparatory visit in-between partners can help to further develop the partnership, get to know each other better and serve as a possibility to exchange information and create the basis for successful cooperation. Needs and opportunities analysis A basic needs and opportunities analysis, investigating the current situation of the tourism sector, the VET system for the qualifications of cook and receptionist and an overview of the status and prospects for the future development of the economic situation in Slovakia was

20 http://www.ecvet-projects.eu/Documents/ECVET_Mobility_Web.pdf 21 bm:ukk 2012, p. 14


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carried out by APEL. This basic needs analysis was further developed and finalized by APEL and EDUcentrum. The outcome was a comprehensive analysis of the VET system in the tourism sector including an overview of the economic situation in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Comparison of relevant training pathways and qualifications One of the first steps in setting up the methodology was to compare the respective qualifications and training pathways (for cook and receptionist) in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. For this purpose, a so-called ‘Country Comparison Grid’ was developed to obtain some basic information on the most important pathways for the professions of cook and receptionist.22 This was done to provide an overview of the respective pathways and to highlight possibilities and potential challenges for ECVET mobilities. The results of this comparison show that there are indeed many similarities between the Czech and Slovak VET system when it comes to qualifications related to the field of hospitality. Cook In Slovakia, cooks are usually trained in secondary VET schools, which may be of either 3 years’ (ISCED 3C) or 4 years’ (ISCED 3A, with ‘maturita’ examination) duration. Learners are typically aged 18-19 upon graduation. In the Czech Republic, cooks are usually trained in 3-year secondary VET schools (ISCED 3C) as well. Learners are typically aged 18-19 upon graduation. In both cases, learning outcomes descriptions for these qualifications are not available yet. Receptionist In both countries, there is no specific training pathway to become a receptionist; the respective qualifications are more broadly defined and refer to hotel management (assistance). In Slovakia, there are 5-year hotel academies (Hotelová akadémia – maturita, ISCED 3a) which conclude with the ‘maturita’ examination. The programmes are predominantly school-based and include components of practical training. Learners are aged 19-20 upon graduation. Selection of partners for mobility The four core project partners in ECVET Tour II are joined by partner schools which participate in the organisation and implementation of ECVET learner mobilities: In ECVET Tour II, the core partners in each country were in charge of selecting suitable schools for ECVET learner mobilites and thus acted as intermediaries between the schools. During their working group meeting in Austria in October 2013, schools’ representatives had the opportunity to meet each other and discuss available options for learner mobilities. The following table provides an overview of the VET institutions involved in ECVET Tour II.

22 The template for the comparison of training pathways is included in the annex.


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Supporting partners in ECVET Tour II:

In the original ECVET Tour II project proposal, it was not intended to include an Austrian school in the learner mobilities. However, this was strongly suggested by the National Agency of Slovakia after the project had started. We were able to win Tourism Schools Salzburg-Klessheim as partner school in Austria. Its dean, Dr. Franz Heffeter, had been one of the experts interviewed during the ECVET Tour project (i.e. the predecessor of ECVET Tour II). Mr. Heffeter is also one of eight ECVET experts of the Austrian National Agency, offering guidance and consulting to Austrian VET schools and institutes. Additionally, Mr. Heffeter agreed to provide the facilities of the Tourism School Salzburg – Klessheim for the working group meeting of partner schools to Austria in October 2013 and to participate as a receiving partner school for learner mobility in spring 2014.


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ECVET learner mobilities scheduled in ECVET Tour II:

The concrete realisation of mobilities will be carried out as part of work package 4 in the ECVET Tour II project. According to the plans set out in the project proposal, four pilot learner mobilities, each lasting one month (with two learners from the Czech Republic going to Slovakia and vice versa) were intended. As pointed out before, the National Agency of Slovakia recommended at a later date to conduct learner mobilities also with Austria. By the time when this report was written, no concrete plan for implementing the mobilites had been set up yet. All involved schools from CZ and SK signalled interest in sending learners to the partner schools. Their learners also show interest in going to Austria for an exchange. Taking into account higher costs for travel, stay and pocket money in Austria, the mobility phase might be shorter than the four weeks stated in the project proposal. As far as the mobilities to Austria are concerned, a stay of one to two weeks is planned for between two and four learners. The mobilities will take place at Tourism School Salzburg –

Core partners in AT: • SMC Saalfelden • 3s research

laboratory

Joined by: • Tourism Schools

Salzburg - Klessheim

Core partner in SK: • APEL

Joined by: • Private secondary

vocational school HOST, Bratislava

• Secondary vocational school, Stará Lubovna

Core partner in CZ: • EDUcentrum

Joined by: • Secondary school of hotel

management and gastronomy SCMSC, Prague

• Hotel school, higher vocational school of hotel management and tourism, Podebrady

• Secondary vocational school, Trutnov


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Klessheim. Due to the school’s schedule, possible dates for mobility stays in Austria are limited to the time of early spring 2014, as time resources would be scarce later on because of final exams starting in April / May. The working group meeting in Salzburg, which was held in October 2013, offered the possibility to discuss the learner mobilities and make first arrangements directly between the responsible persons involved (see below for further information).

Preparation phase

For most ECVET learner mobilities, this phase is probably the most time-consuming and comprehensive one. It is also the one covered in most detail in this report. This includes the comparison of learning outcomes, specific agreements on the transfer process (Memorandum of Understanding, Learning Agreement) as well as the various arrangements for the practical implementation of the mobility stay (such as transport, accommodation and funding).

Comparison of Learning Outcomes ECVET learner mobility uses the learning outcomes approach to ensure better understanding and comparability of qualifications across countries. The learning outcomes that a learner is expected to achieve during his or her stay abroad are clearly agreed by the partner institutions. This allows that all parties involved have a shared understanding of the objectives and planned outcomes of the mobility and helps to develop the mutual trust among partners that is required to build a successful cooperation. Learning outcomes (as defined in ECVET), are statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do on completion of a learning process and which are defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence. A unit of learning outcomes is a component of a qualification, consisting of a coherent set of knowledge, skills and competence that can be separately assessed and validated.23 In some countries, learning outcomes already form part of curricula and training plans, but the learning outcome approach is not yet implemented on a common and comprehensive basis across Europe. As outlined in the previous chapter, learning outcomes descriptions are not available yet for these qualifications, nor are they structured into units of learning outcomes in SK and CZ. It was thus decided to use the competence matrices which were developed within the ECVET Tour project as a starting point for the comparison of learning outcomes in ECVET Tour II. The following section provides a brief introduction to the concept of VQTS competence matrices.

23 Annex IX includes a set of guidelines for describing units of learning outcomes, which have been prepared by the German National Contact Point for ECVET.


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Using the VQTS model for comparing learning outcomes An example for a learning outcome-oriented description is the VQTS model (Vocational Qualification Transfer System), which has originally been developed for the areas ‘mechatronics’ and ‘electrical engineering / electronics’. This approach was developed in the European VQTS project and further developed in the VQTS II project. What is a competence matrix? - A competence matrix displays work-related competence descriptions and the

progress of competence development in a table. - The left-hand column of the matrix displays the competence areas. These areas

are based on empirically derived core work tasks and can also be understood as ‘units of learning outcomes’ in the meaning of ECVET.

- For every competence area, successive steps of competence development are described on the horizontal axis. They illustrate the successive acquisition of competences, from beginner level to skilled worker level, i.e. the activities will become more complex and dynamic as the learner progresses from left to the right. The number of steps in one particular competence area depends on the nature of this competence area (type and complexity of activities).

- The competence matrix uses holistic descriptions of competences, i.e. there are no descriptions of isolated job tasks. Also, the descriptions are not divided into knowledge/skills/competence. The competence descriptions always need to be related to the work process.

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The possibilities for the application of a competence matrix are widespread: - Increase the (international) transparency and comparability of competences,

qualifications and training offers; - Facilitate the transfer and recognition of vocational competences which were

achieved through non-formal or informal learning; within the official VET system; or acquired abroad (mobility in VET);

competence area

steps of competence

development


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- Develop qualifications and curricula; - Compose job profiles and human resources planning; - Make differences and similarities between qualifications more visible; - Enhance permeability between VET and Higher Education.

A competence matrix can be used as basis for the creation of competence profiles, such as an organisational profile or an individual profile. An organisational profile illustrates the range and extent of competence development offered by a specific training programme or qualification. An individual profile, on the other hand, depicts the stages of competence development already achieved by a particular person at a particular point in time.

In the preparation phase of ECVET mobilities, organisational profiles can be used to compare different qualifications. Each school involved in the mobilities may create their ‘organisational profile’, i.e. they will highlight the relevant competences of their specific training programme on the competence matrix. This ‘organisational profile’ will reflect the range and extent of competence development offered by their specific training programme. It is certainly possible/probable that any specific training programme also includes additional competences outside the field (of e.g. cook) that is described in the competence matrix. When both schools (participating in one mobility stay) have set up their ‘organisational profile’ and compare the results, this will help them to agree on the specific learning outcomes to be achieved by the learners/trainees during their mobilities. The organisational profiles and individual profiles can then be added to the Memorandum of Understanding and Learning Agreement as supporting documents.


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Comparison of Learning Outcomes in ECVET Tour II As outlined above, ECVET Tour II uses the competence matrices for ‘cook’ and ‘hotel and restaurant trade commercial assistant’ from the previous ECVET Tour project. For this purpose, it was decided to conduct workshops with experts from the hotel and restaurant industry in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The main aim of these workshops was to test and ‘validate’ the existing competence matrices and to determine whether the matrices in their current form can be used for the purposes of the ECVET Tour II project and/or how they should be adapted to meet the needs of the project. In particular, this has become necessary because the scope of one of the matrices in ECVET Tour II is a different one: while ECVET Tour developed a competence matrix for ‘hotel and restaurant trade commercial assistant’, ECVET Tour II focuses on ‘receptionist’. In order to prepare the project partners for their task in the workshops, a ‘workshop package’ was prepared and distributed before the workshops took place. The aim was to introduce the project and its objectives to the workshop participants, to suggest a suitable procedure for the workshops, including an extensive list of questions to be addressed, and the follow-up work. The workshop package is included in Annex II and includes:

- Guidelines to the workshop - Core information on the concept of the competence matrix (VQTS model)

Two brief reports on the workshops held in the Czech Republic and Slovakia are included on the next page.


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ECVET Tour 2 Project Workshop in CZ Project Partner EDUcentrum / Hana Erlebachova, organised a workshop in Prague on 29th March 2013 in the Channel Crossings Language School in Prague. Contrary to original plans, however, this workshop was not dedicated to discussing the ECVET Tour competence matrices, although they have been discussed briefly. Twelve experts in education and / or hospitality business (representatives of the National Institute for Education, the National Agency for European Educational Programmes, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and several individual secondary schools form the field of gastronomy) attended the meeting. The main aim of the workshop was to outline the current situation in the introduction of the ECVET credit system in CZ and to point out the benefits and opportunities of introducing ECVET for schools and employers (such as the realisation of international learners mobilities). One topic on the agenda was the presentation of the existing competence matrices from project ECVET Tour and the discussion of their suitability for the Czech educational system. The matrices could not be discussed in detail and there were no adjustments carried out during the workshop. Nevertheless, the participants came to the conclusion that they represent a good description of the work processes in the respective occupational field and that they could imagine using them to support the organisation and planning of learner mobilities. Two secondary technical schools of hotel management and gastronomy (SCMSD Praha and Podebrady) expressed their interest in participating in learner mobilities.

ECVET Tour 2 Project Workshop in SK

The second workshop with experts was held in Bratislava / SK on 16th April 2013. Location for the workshop was the Private Hotel Academy HOST in Bratislava, the workshop was attended by 15 experts (representatives of participating schools, employers / social partners) and nine representatives of all project partners. In order to introduce participants to ECVET Tour II and the objectives of the project, first of all the project ECVET Tour and its main output (competence matrices for ‘cook’ and ‘hotel and restaurant trade commercial assistant’) were presented, followed by a presentation of the VQTS model and theoretical background to the competence matrices. The workshop was mostly held in Slovak language; interpreting services were provided to facilitate the communication with the foreign participants. The two existing competence matrices for ‘cook’ and ‘hotel and restaurant trade and commercial assistant’ were each discussed and modifications according the expertise of the workshop participants were carried out. According to the experts, the matrices provide a valid description of the core work tasks of the particular occupational fields ‘cook’ and ‘receptionist’. They also expressed a positive attitude towards using the competence matrices in the organisation of ECVET learner mobilities.


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The adapted versions were then passed on to the workshop participants by APEL in order to verify the content and/or undertake further adaptations. Since only small corrections had to be carried out, no further feedback loop was needed. Methodological feedback was also given by 3s research and SMC Studienzentrum. Here we would like to point out that 3s and SMC, not being experts in the field of tourism and restaurant trade, are not able to verify the content of the matrices. The outcome of the workshops, feedback loops and various e-mails were used to develop the final versions of the ECVET Tour II competence matrix for ‘cook’ and ‘receptionist. The final matrices for ‘cook’ and ‘receptionist’ are enclosed in Annex III. The use and assignment of ECVET points

ECVET points’ means a numerical representation of the overall weight of learning outcomes in a qualification and of the relative weight of units in relation to the qualification.

ECVET Recommendation, 2009

A further step would be to assign ECVET points to the documented learning outcomes. One year of full-time learning corresponds to 60 ECVET points. The total number of points is then broken down to the relative weight (according to the importance and estimated work load in hours when acquired) of the respective unit of learning outcome. The use of ECVET points in ECVET Tour II has been discussed. In the end, however, it was decided to not use them for the learner mobilities. None of the participating countries have a credit system in VET installed at national level, and the qualifications are not structured into units of learning outcomes yet. As a result, it was concluded that testing ECVET points would be an interesting exercise but would probably have no added value in the context of this particular project. ECVET points can only be truly meaningful when they are allocated to all parts of a qualification, so that learners (and others) can identify what part of a particular qualification has already been achieved. Content of ECVET Tour II mobilities Once the qualifications and their learning outcomes have been compared, mobility partners need to agree on the content (unit(s) of learning outcomes) for each specific mobility. It needs to be agreed what the student should learn during his mobility stay and how these learning outcomes will be integrated into his or her qualification. Depending on the specifics of the qualification system of the home country, there are different alternatives regarding the unit(s) of learning outcomes: 24

24 Cf. European Commission (2012): Using ECVET for Geographical Mobility (2012). Part II of the ECVET Users’ Guide – Revised version including key points for quality assurance, p. 18.


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a) The qualifications system already uses units of learning outcomes and the credit to

be achieved during mobility corresponds to a full unit or part of a unit, which will then be recognised upon the learner’s return.

b) The qualifications system does not use units or the existing units cannot be used for mobility purposes (e.g. because the duration of the mobility stay is too short). In this case, it may be possible to create a ‘unit for mobility’ specifically for the purpose of the mobility stay.

c) Alternatively, as a third option, the unit(s) achieved abroad may be recognised as additional credit (i.e. on top of the qualification being prepared by the learner).

As in none of the ECVET Tour II partner countries the relevant qualifications are structured into units of learning outcomes yet, option a) is obviously not applicable. As a result, ECVET Tour II mobilities will have to be based on either option b) or c), depending on the individual qualifications systems and arrangements.

Outcomes of the working group meeting in Salzburg – Klessheim

A working group meeting between school representatives who are interested in participating in the learner mobilities took place on the premises of Tourism Schools Salzburg – Klessheim on 7th October 2013. The meeting was attended by representatives of three Czech and two Slovak schools, the dean of the Tourism School Salzburg – Klessheim Franz Heffeter, and five members of the ECVET Tour II core consortium. The main aim of the working group meeting was for the schools’ representative to get to know each other and discuss the options for creating a network for learner mobilities. They also compared their qualifications, using the ECVET Tour II competence matrices for support, in order to identify learning outcomes that could be the subject of a mobility stay. The meeting presented a very good opportunity for all partners to discuss open questions and make first arrangements for the learner mobilities. In particular, it was very helpful for the partners to meet face to face, as most of the details will have to be discussed through other channels (e-mail, phone, etc.). More information can be found in the minutes of the working group meeting, which are included in the Annex.


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Memorandum of Understanding and Learning Agreement Memorandum of Understanding and Learning Agreement are the central documents of ECVET mobility.

‘The Memorandum of Understanding forms the framework for cooperation between the competent institutions. It aims to establish mutual trust between the partners. In the Memorandum of Understanding it is explicitly stated that the partner organisations mutually accept their respective criteria and procedures for quality assurance, assessment, validation and recognition of knowledge, skills and competence for the purpose of transferring credit.

European Commission (forthcoming): European template for Learning Agreement, draft version.

The Memorandum of Understanding thus acts as a framework agreement in which more detailed individual agreements (i.e. individual Learning Agreements for each learner) for specific mobility periods are drawn up. Memoranda of Understanding may be bilateral or between networks of institutions from several different countries.

Checklist for preparing a Memorandum of Understanding25

• Which organisations will sign the MoU, and which persons therein are legally entitled to do so? • How long should the Memorandum of Understanding be valid? • When will the partnership be evaluated and reviewed?

The Memorandum of Understanding also needs to specify the conditions under which the learning outcomes achieved and assessed abroad will be validated and recognised by the learner’s home organisation. Validation and recognition does not and cannot always lead to the exemption from an assessment. Rather, there are different forms of validation and recognition of learning outcomes achieved abroad, such as26:

• Awarding credit for the unit(s) of learning outcomes concerned. • Exemption from an assessment or its part. • Transcription of the learning outcomes achieved abroad in learners’ transcripts of record. • Awarding additional credit to what the learner would have normally achieved.

In certain cases, institutions might choose to organise and implement ECVET mobility without setting up a Memorandum of Understanding, for example when there are no immediate plans to develop a more durable cooperation between the two institutions. In this case, only a Learning Agreement will be drawn up. In ECVET Tour II, both options (with or without a Memorandum of Understanding) have been discussed so far but the partner organisations yet have to choose their preferred alternative.

25 Cf. European Commission (forthcoming): European template for Learning Agreement, draft version. 26 Cf. European Commission (2012): Using ECVET for Geographical Mobility (2012). Part II of the ECVET Users’ Guide – Revised version including key points for quality assurance, p. 10.


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Within the Learning Agreement, the home and host institutions clearly define what the learner is expected to learn abroad (learning outcomes) and how this is to be integrated into the learner’s qualification. The LA not only specifies what the learner should learn abroad and organisational arrangements, but also includes information on where the learner is in his or her learning pathway.

Checklist for preparing a Learning Agreement27 • Who will sign the Learning Agreement?

(e.g. when the learner is a minor) • Who will be the learner’s contact person in the host institution? • Who will be the learner’s contact person in his or her home institution? • What will be the overall duration of the training period abroad (including a specific start and

end date)? • Which learning outcomes are to be achieved by the learner abroad?

• How will the learning outcomes be achieved (place of learning, tasks to be completed, courses to be attended)?

• How will the assessment be organised (refer to the ‘Assessment’ section below for further details)?

• How will validation and recognition processes be organised?

The draft European templates for LA and MoU are included in the Annex. Several examples of completed LA and MoU can be found within the ECVET toolkit platform, www.ecvet-toolkit.eu. When the participating schools first met during the working group meeting in Austria in October 2013, they decided that the objectives of ECVET Tour II mobilities should be to enrich learners’ pathways by achieving learning outcomes which they would not have had the possibility to achieve in their home institution. For example, a Czech cook trainee goes to Austria in order to learn more about the preparation of typical Austrian dishes, something he probably could not learn in his home institution.

Preparation of mobility stay The organisation and planning of mobility periods entails a number of preparatory activities which need to be taken care of ahead of the mobility stay. Where applicable, these aspects should also be covered in the underlying agreements (i.e. LA and MoU) to make it clear who will take care of and bears responsibility for a particular matter. Some of the most important aspects are summarised below.

27 Cf. European Commission (forthcoming): European template for Learning Agreement, draft version.


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Further aspects to consider when preparing learner mobilities:

• Who will be in charge of organising transport / accommodation / insurance? • Will the learner(s) need any specific preparation for the mobility stay? • What is the learners’ age? Will they be okay travelling by themselves or do they need to be

accompanied by a guardian? • Do the learners have the required language skills? • When will be a good time for the mobility stay to take place (bearing in mind periods of

holiday, exams, etc.)? • Who will cover the costs for the mobility stay (transport, board and lodging, tuition fees,

insurance)? • Is there any possibility to apply for financial support (e.g. through the Lifelong Learning

Programme28 or national funding programmes)?

• Who will be the contact person for the learner (in the home country AND the host country)? • What are the learner’s expectations towards the mobility stay?

b) DURING mobility: Acquisition of knowledge, skills and competence

Please note: The information in this section, dedicated to the activities during and after mobility, needs to be kept rather general and unspecific at this time, since detailed arrangements for the mobilities have not been discussed at the time of writing this report and will only become available in the course of the following work packages of ECVET Tour II.

Assessment As pointed out in the previous section, it is of utmost importance to make specific arrangements for the assessment procedure well before the time the mobility phase actually starts and to lay them down in the Learning Agreement (or, depending on the type of arrangement, in the Memorandum of Understanding). One of the essential aspects in ECVET is the creation of mutual trust between mobility partners, i.e. one institution needs to trust in the assessment of the other. The host organisation will assess the learner’s achievement of learning outcomes (according to the principles that have been agreed on in the MoU) and will provide a record of the results of the assessment.

28 Will be replaced by the Erasmus+ programme in 2014.


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The following aspects should be considered when discussing the assessment procedure:29

• Who in the host institution will assess the learner’s performance?

Does the assessor need to have any particular qualification/certification? • When will the learning outcomes be assessed (e.g. only at the end of the stay or

continuously)? • How will the learning outcomes be assessed (e.g. assessment methods)? • What assessment criteria will be used? • How and when will the outcome of the assessment be documented?

Documentation of knowledge, skills and competence The learning outcomes that the learner achieves abroad will be documented in a separate document, a so-called transcript of record. This makes the achievements of the learner abroad more visible. A template for a transcript of record30 has been included in the Annex. Like the templates for MoU and LA, it can be adapted to the specific requirements of ECVET Tour II.

c) AFTER mobility Conclusion of the transfer process After the learner has returned, the home institution will check whether the learning outcomes have been achieved as set out and planned in the Learning Agreement. Provided that this is the case, the learner’s credit achieved abroad will then be validated and recognised according to the procedure set out in the Learning Agreement. The following aspects should be considered when discussing validation and recognition procedures31. Again, in order to promote mutual trust between all parties involved, it is important to agree on these procedures before the actual mobility period takes place and to include detailed information in the Learning Agreement (or, depending on the type of arrangement, in the Memorandum of Understanding).

29 Cf. European Commission (forthcoming): European template for Learning Agreement, draft version. 30 Available for download at http://www.ecvet-info.at/sites/default/files/downloads/Personal%20Transcript.pdf 31 Cf. European Commission (forthcoming): European template for Learning Agreement, draft version.


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• Who in the home institution will be responsible for validating the learning outcomes

achieved abroad? • How will the validation process be carried out? • How will the achievements be documented? • Who will be responsible for recognising the learning outcomes achieved abroad? • How will the process of recognition be conducted?

Evaluation & Follow-up After its end, the entire process of ECVET mobility should be evaluated and feedback from the parties should be collected (e.g. through interviews and/or questionnaires). This should help to determine whether the objectives of the mobility process have been met and identify suggestions for improvement of future mobilities. Also, learner feedback should be an integral part of this process. The results of this evaluation should also provide the basis for any decision on whether to engage in future mobilities with the existing partners. In case that the mobility process was implemented without the use of a Memorandum of Understanding, this would be the opportunity to decide whether future cooperation should take place on a more regular basis and whether a Memorandum of Understanding should be drawn up.


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4) References Bmukk (2012): ECVET. Let´s go Europe! Guidelines for the application of ECVET in the course of

mobility periods in VET. Online: http://www.ecvet-info.at/sites/default/files/downloads/ECVET-Leitfaden_M%C3%A4rz2012_1.pdf, downloaded 18.09.2013.

Cedefop (2010): The development of ECVET in Europe. Working Paper No. 10. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

Cedefop (2012): Cedefop Necessary conditions for ECVET implementation, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

Cedefop (2012a): The development of ECVET in Europe (2011). Working Paper No. 14. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

Cedefop (2013): Monitoring ECVET implementation strategies in Europe. Working Paper No. 18. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

Cedefop (2013b): Analysis and overview of NQF developments in European countries. Annual Report 2012. Working Paper No. 17. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2013

ECVET Tour II project (2013): Needs Analysis of the ECVET Tour II project. Transfer of VET innovation in the field of gastronomy and hotel management.

European Commission (2011): The European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training ECVET. Get to know ECVET better Questions and Answers Revised February 2011.

European Commission (2012): Using ECVET for Geopgraphical Mobility (2012). Part II of the ECVET Users’ Guide. Revised version including key points for quality assurance. http://www.ecvet-projects.eu/Documents/ECVET_Mobility_Web.pdf

Kaňáková, M. & Němeček, M. (2012): Czech Republic VET in Europe – Country Report 2012. Vantuch, J. & Jelinkova, D. (2012): Slovakia VET in Europe – Country Report 2012. Official Journal of the European Union (2009): Recommendation of the European Parliament and

of the Council of 18 June 2009 on the establishment of a European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET), http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2009:155:0011:0018:EN:PDF.


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5) Annexes

I) Template for the comparison of relevant training pathways and qualifications in SK and CZ (‘Country Comparison Grid’)


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II) Workshop package

CORE INFORMATION_Competence Matrix

Workshop guidelines_20130130.docx

III) Matrices for cook and receptionist for CZ and SK

competence matrix COOK_final.doc

competence matrix RECEPTIONIST_final.docx

IV) Memorandum of Understanding

Memorandum of Understanding.doc

V) Learning Agreement & ECVET Tour II checklist for preparing mobilities

Learning Agreement.doc

Check list Study Trip.docx

VI) Personal Transcript

Personal Transcript.pdf

VII) Minutes of the working group meeting

Minutes Study Trip.doc

VIII) Example of a standard for a partial qualification related to the qualification of cook in the Czech Republic

Kvalifikacni_standard_kuchar_EN-zdroj_NSK.pdf IX) Guidelines for describing units of learning outcomes, prepared by the German National Contact Point for ECVET

Guidelines_for_describing_units_of_learning_outcomes.pdf


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X) Useful Links for Further Reading

- Cedefop – European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/about-cedefop/projects/european-credit-system-for-vocational-education-and-training/index.aspx

- European Commission – ECVET http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/ecvet_en.htm

- ECVET Toolkit http://www.ecvet-toolkit.eu/

- ECVET Pilot Projects http://www.ecvet-projects.eu/

- ECVET Team http://www.ecvet-team.eu/en

- NetECVET http://netecvet.com/

- LLP National Agency for Austria: Nationalagentur Lebenslanges Lernen OeAD (Österreichische Austauschdienst)-GmbH http://www.lebenslanges-lernen.at/

- LLP National Agency for Czech Republic: Národní agentura pro evropské vzdělávací programy (NAEP) http://www.naep.cz/

- LLP National Agency for Slovakia: SAAIC - National Agency of the Lifelong Learning Programme http://www.saaic.sk/llp

- ADAM Database for Leonardo da Vinci Projects and Products http://www.adam-europe.eu/


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6) List of abbreviations used ECVET European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training EQF European Qualifications Framework EQARF European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education

and Training ECTS European Credit Transfer System VET Vocational Education and Training VQTS Vocational Qualification Transfer System MoU Memorandum of Understanding LA Learning Agreement CZ Czech Republic SK Slovakia AT Austria ES Spain PL Poland DE Germany M.O.T.O. Models of Transferability of Learning Outcomes Units