From legislation to implementation

With new opportunities available to it, the Ministry of Education launched a number of initiatives that seek to improve the knowledge of prior learning assessment, and to promote its use.

In short, the initiatives include:

• A partnership agreement with the social partners regarding recognition of prior learning
• An information and networking campaign focusing on prior learning. Includes a “tool box” to help accomplish the goal
• An on-line skills portfolio www.minkompetencemappe.dk that can be used to document skills when seeking prior learning assessments
• A handbook of prior learning to be used by the adult and continuing education institutions
• Establishment of a National Knowledge Centre for Validation of Prior Learning (NVR)
• Establishment of a counselling web portal that provides general information about prior learning (www.ug.dk)
• A TV campaign aired on Danish National TV, as well as conferences, seminars and meetings.

”Prior learning is here to stay. And it is a way to get people to look at their educational opportunities in a new way”
Bente Sorgenfrey, president of FTF - Confederation of Professionals in Denmark

“This partnership agreement allows us to be a part of setting the agenda when it comes to finding solutions for people who normally aren't motivated to enrol in continuing education. Prior learning assessments will help profile individuals' qualifications and make them more attractive to employers.”
Henrik Bach Mortensen, director, DA – The Federation of Danish Employers

In the following the Danish actions for promoting recognition of prior learning is described.

Partnership with labour and employer organisations

In June 2007, the Ministry of Education entered into an agreement with LO – The Danish Confederation of Trade Unions, DA – The Federation of Danish Employers, FTF – The Confederation of Danish Professionals and The Danish Association of Managers and Executives, regarding recognition of prior learning.

The goal of the partnership is to promote recognition of life skills – prior learning – in order to encourage greater use of adult and continuing education programmes geared towards the labour market.

The Ministry of Education and the labour market organisations agreed to co-operate in the following areas:

• Development of skills portfolios to be used as documentation for knowledge, skills, and work experience
• Development of industry-specific practical guidelines for completion of individual competency evaluations as a way to ensure the quality of prior learning assessments
• Making companies, members, employees, employer organisations, and the general public more aware of individual skills evaluations.

The organisations agreed to pass on news about new opportunities to receive prior learning assessments.

“The benefit of recognising people's prior learning is that you don't need to start from scratch when you want to begin an education. You get credit for the things you can do. People's experiences will now be officially recognised, and I feel that will help motivate more people to go back to school.”
Ejner Holst, Confederal Secretary, Danish Confederation of Trade Unions

Prior learning campaign

In the spring of 2008, the Ministry of Education in co-operation with the social partners created a prior learning information and networking campaign.

The goal of the campaign was to inform about the new regulations for development and recognition of prior learning in the adult and continuing education system, and to promote the opportunities they opened.

The campaign was divided up into four tracks, aimed at each of the different groups:

• Office workers, skilled workers, and unskilled workers. Together with FTF and LO member organisations
• Managers. Together with The Danish Association of Managers and Executives
• Company training managers. Together with DA member organisations
• Educational institutions and vocational training providers, educational counsellors, and job trainees.

The effect of the campaign amongst labour market organisation members was positive. It was mentioned in newsletters, member publications, as well as in articles in the general press. Overall, it was a success.

Flexible toolbox
As part of the information campaign, the Ministry of Education created a flexible information toolbox that was available to the campaign partners, trade organisations, local adult counselling networks, educational institutions, schools, and vocational training providers. The toolbox can be adjusted to meet any needs the user might have.

“Managers need to encourage employees to get an education. Unskilled jobs are disappearing, and if you don't update your skills, you'll find yourself outdated before you know it.”
Svend Askær, president of The Danish Association of Managers and Executives

The toolbox contains an overview of the campaign and its main message.

In addition, it contains a ministry-approved fact sheet with:

• Quick facts about prior learning and prior learning assessments
• Top 10 reasons to have your prior learning assessed
• Case studies
• A poster suitable for hanging in high-traffic areas
• Two information folders, one with information for individuals with short-cycle or trade educations and one with information for individuals with medium-cycle higher educations
• A PowerPoint presentation.

As part of the campaign, over 25,000 people completing vocational programmes received a letter of congratulations from Minister of Education Bertel Haarder and two information postcards. The letter and the cards were intended to motivate course participants to encourage their friends and colleagues to request a prior learning assessment.

My Competence Portfolio

Individuals requesting a prior learning assessment must provide documentation of their competencies, such as:

• Certificates from completed programmes or classes
• Employment contract
• Employer statement
• A list of offices held within a trade organisation or other group
• Certificates from Folk High School stays, as well as statements from teachers and headmasters
• Statements from leaders of civil society groups, including sports coaches.

A skills portfolio www.minkompetencemappe.dk will serve as a documentation tool for anyone wishing to maintain an overview of the things they have learned and the skills they possess, particularly if they are involved in an adult or continuing education programme and request an individual competency evaluation from the educational institution. Companies interested in promoting prior learning assessments and employee skills development can also use the portfolio.

Competencies from liberal adult education and civil society activities

Three special tools have been developed in order to help individuals document skills obtained from leisure activities, liberal adult education and civil society activities. The tools are tailored to the type of organisation, and can be accessed using links from the My Competence Portfolio web site.

These tools include a guide with self-assessment questions. They also provide a system for identifying individual skills, including social and personal skills. They have been developed for the Ministry of Education with the help of some of the largest organisations within the fields.

Knowledge and information about Prior Learning

National Knowledge Centre for Validation of Prior Learning The National Knowledge Centre for Validation of Prior Learning (NVR) was established in the fall of 2007 and is funded by a three-year grant from the Ministry of Education. The goal of the NVR is to collect, develop, and disseminate information about recognising prior learning, with special focus on methods for documenting and assessing prior learning.

The NVR's primary tasks are:

• Research and development projects
• Holding conferences and seminars
• Holding courses
• Consultancy
• Distributing information about prior learning assessment, with the support of partners.

Handbook for prior learning assesment In April 2008, the Ministry of Education published Prior Learning Assessment in the Adult and Continuing Education System – a Handbook. The handbook, to be used by adult and continuing education institutions, provides general information about assessment and recognition of prior learning. It is designed to provide people who work with prior learning assessment with an overview of the background, terms, regulations, best practices, and challenges. Case studies are used to present examples of prior learning assessment within several fields of study.

The Ministry of Education has also published a handbook for prior learning assessment specifically for use by adult vocational training centres.

Lifelong learning information campaign In the autumn of 2007 the Danish Broadcasting Corporation aired a series of nine television episodes focusing on lifelong learning. Made possible with support from the Ministry of Education, the programmes were intended to encourage people, particularly people with short-cycle educations to enrol in adult and continuing education programmes. Two of the episodes dealt with the new opportunities to request prior learning assessments.

Information to the general public The Ministry of Education's portal and educational guidance –
http://www.ug.dk/realkompetence/forside.aspx – contains information, advice, and an overview of ways individuals can receive credit for their prior learning but only in Danish.

This page is part of the electronic publication "National actions for promoting recognition of prior learning"
© The Ministry of Education 2008