APPENDIX 1:
COMPETENCE ASSESSMENT WITHIN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

To a certain extent, prior learning is already recognised within the education system. All education and training programmes at all levels have provisions regarding credit transfer, whereby individuals are credited for having completed part of their current course on account of previously completed studies (though typically not competences acquired outside the education system). However, in some areas, particularly within adult education and training, individual competence assessment has become part of legislation, the objective being to recognise prior learning acquired also outside the education system.

Upper secondary education
Within general upper secondary education, a new A Level reform has introduced a credit transfer system for A Level students based on an assessment of the individual stud- ent's prior learning. The objective is to give the students the opportunity to get credit transfers for previously completed studies, stays abroad, etc. and therefore be granted admission to subjects at a higher level or extra optional subjects or – if the particular credit transfer is very substantial – a reduced A Level course.

Within initial Vocational Education and Training a general principle of individual competence assessments of applicants as a basis for preparation of individual study plans has been introduced. In connection with recent amendments of legislation, similar provisions now apply at the institutions of social and health education.

Tertiary education
Within tertiary education, the individual educational institutions may – as previously – grant admission to students on the basis of individual assessments of these applicants' qualifications when the applicants have actual qualifications that are comparable to the general admission requirements.

In June 2004, the Government decided to change the admissions system for tertiary education with effect from summer 2007. The quota system under restricted admission up to now has a number of weaknesses, as it has raised many false hopes about getting a quota II place through an often futile hunt for points. The objective of the new admissions system is, firstly, to encourage and assist young people to complete their studies faster and minimise the time between completing their A Levels and continuing their studies at tertiary level, and secondly, to strengthen the course-specific qualifications of the successful applicants in order to reduce the drop-out rate.

Quota I, which is based on the results from the qualifying examination, will – with minor adjustments – continue to be the absolute main admission route to the studies where admission is restricted.

Quota II has been changed. Quota II a applies to certain selected studies and provides a small group of applicants with a further chance of admission after a reduction in the quotient, including adjustment for any relevant course- specific skills enhancement. With respect to the other subgroup, quota II b, the educational institutions are still able to admit students following individual assessments and entrance examinations or similar. There must be room for exemptions, i.e. for applicants who do not meet the general admission requirements in the form of A levels etc. but who have actual qualifications that – following a competence assessment – are considered comparable with A Levels and who also meet specific admission requirements, if any, for the particular course in question. Thus, quota II b provides opportunities for prior learning assessment of the individual applicants.

In short, the new system clearly attaches importance to qualifications for studying but also provides opportunities for prior learning assessment with the aid of examinations, interviews, etc.

Studies under the management of the Ministry of Culture
The applicants for the studies under the management of the Ministry of Culture are admitted mainly on the basis of entrance examinations. Similarly, the documentation of the qualifications that the students acquire during their courses is based on final-year performances/exhibitions/projects together with auditions and portfolios. Thus, both admissions to and examinations from the studies within the field of the Ministry of Culture are based mainly on assessment of 'actual competence'. Only the schools of architecture and the library school admit students via quotas I and II, and therefore the Government's amendments to the quota system also apply here. Admissions via quota II at the schools of architecture are still based on entrance examinations.

Maritime training and education
One of the characteristics of the maritime training and education programmes is that practically all of them provide access to licensed occupations, governed by international regulations, which stipulate set study programmes and in-service training.

A system of prior learning assessments has already been introduced in a general form in these training and education programmes. For all maritime training and education programmes, the individual institution of education has the option to recognise and award a credit transfer for qualifications acquired through work experience or previous studies following a separate individual assessment. On the basis of this assessment, the educational institution will provide an adjusted study programme for the individual. Particularly in respect of the engine training course, special guidelines have been drawn up to assess the prior learning of ratings with a view to ensure these individuals fast and efficient access to the maritime trading certificates.

Vocational Adult education and training
Applicants are offered individual competence clarification (IKA) within the adult vocational training programmes (AMU). The objective is to prepare individual study plans based on prior learning assessments within AMU and relevant Vocational Education and Training single subjects included in joint competence descriptions in accordance with the Act on AMU.

At the basic level of the Adult Education System, Basic Adult Education (GVU), the school carries out individual competence assessments (IKV) of applicants aged 25 and above with a minimum of two years' relevant work experience. The objective is to provide low skilled adults with the opportunity to acquire the competence of a VET qualification based on a competence assessment and an individual study plan, of which the contents and duration are adjusted to the individual student's competences. IKV and IKA are to be continued as a joint concept.

At the advanced levels of the Adult Education System, a minimum of two years' relevant work experience is one of the admission requirements for short further education programmes that must also be based on the individual applicant's practical experience.

This page is included in the publication "Recognition of Prior Learning within the education system" as APPENDIX 1
© The Ministry of Education 2005