“Validation of Acquired Experience” and “Recognition, Validation and Accreditation”
VAE / RVA assessment applies exclusively to individuals who have extensive professional experience in the field related to the chosen faculty and who do not wish to lose further time, but instead aim to valorise the professional experience acquired throughout their working life by converting it into credits useful for shortening their academic pathway.
Therefore, the duration of an academic programme at Bachelor, Master or Doctoral level is not a fixed legal duration, but depends exclusively on the individual’s abilities and on the credits that the student must acquire or has already acquired.
Within the framework of lifelong learning, previously acquired credits may legally reduce the standard duration of academic programmes.
Unitelematika recognises merit by certifying knowledge and applying the incentive-based principle of lifelong learning, in accordance with internationally adopted lifelong learning frameworks.
Switzerland
This procedure also refers to the guidelines issued by the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK / CDPE), which recognise all forms of learning contexts for the purpose of the recognition of prior learning, including professional experience (Art. 3.5).
Furthermore, these guidelines specify that the validation of learning outcomes derived from teaching practice is subject to a positive external assessment (Art. 4.2.d).
Reference link:
http://edudoc.ch/record/60704/files/richtl_anrechn_f.pdf
UNESCO
The Global Observatory on the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation of Non-formal and Informal Learning.
The Recognition, Validation and Accreditation (RVA) of non-formal and informal learning is one of the cornerstones of any lifelong learning policy. Consequently, many countries have developed national RVA systems.
The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) considers it of paramount importance to use RVA to integrate learning outcomes acquired through non-formal and informal learning into national, regional and global qualification frameworks.
Integration into Qualifications Frameworks (QF) contributes to ensuring participants’ access to education institutions and the labour market.
Link di riferimeno: https://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning/recognition-validation-accreditation
Link di riferimento: https://plainsideout.org/index.php/home/article/view/39
France
The VAE (Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience), established by the French law “LOI n° 2002-73 of 17 January 2002 on social modernisation”, represents a recognised pathway for the validation of professional experience acquired in the workplace.
The principles of the VAE are also applied within Swiss universities, with reference to Article 133 (Validation of prior learning through admission to university programmes based on a documented assessment).
The VAE constitutes a pathway to obtain the recognition of professional experience and to convert such experience into ECTS credits.
Reference link:
http://www.education.gouv.fr/cid1106/la-validation-des-acquis-de-l-experience-vae.html
Council of the European Union
(Recommendation of December 2012)
Member States should, in order to provide individuals with the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned outside formal education and training — including through mobility experiences — and to make use of such learning for career development and further learning, in full respect of the principle of subsidiarity:
establish, by 2018 — in accordance with national circumstances and specificities and in the manner deemed appropriate — arrangements for the validation of non-formal and informal learning that enable individuals to:
a) obtain validation of knowledge, skills and competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning, including, where appropriate, through open educational resources;
b) obtain a full qualification or, where applicable, a partial qualification, on the basis of the validation of non-formal and informal learning experiences, without prejudice to other applicable Union legislation, in particular Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications.
Reference link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32012H1222(01)&from=IT
Italy – Opinion of the Ministry of Education (MIUR)
Italy aligns itself with the Bologna Process as a framework for the recognition of prior learning and previous studies.
The Bologna Process was established in 1999 as an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of higher education. The initiative was launched during the Bologna Conference, held at the meeting of European Ministers responsible for higher education and signed in Bologna in June 1999. It was inspired by the earlier meeting of the Ministers of Education of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom in 1998 (the Sorbonne Declaration, 1998).
Within the framework of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), governments have implemented several major structural reforms, including:
- the introduction of a system of readable and comparable degrees, based as uniformly as possible on a three-cycle structure (first, second and third cycle);
- increased transparency of study programmes through a common credit system, based not only on duration but also on student workload and learning outcomes, certified through the Diploma Supplement;
- the recognition of qualifications and periods of study;
- a shared approach to quality assurance;
- the implementation of a common qualifications framework for the European Higher Education Area.
On the basis of the agreements reached within the European Higher Education Area, governments have implemented the necessary legislative reforms from 1999 to the present.
Official reference link (MIUR):
https://www.miur.gov.it/processo-di-bologna
Additional reference:
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Processo_di_Bologna
Individuals who have been engaged in a professional activity for at least three years may obtain the qualification by having their professional experience and acquired competencies recognised.
To this end, applicants must submit an application for admission to the VAE procedure for the validation of the competencies acquired.
The VAE takes into account professional competencies developed in relation to the content of the degree programme corresponding to the experience gained.
The validation of experience is a right, not an obligation, and is carried out upon the individual’s request.
Specific confidentiality clauses apply to ensure the protection of the information provided in the application, in accordance with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection.
Eligibility for the award of a qualification through VAE / RVA
Individuals who have at least three years of professional experience may obtain the validation of the experience acquired.
The following categories of applicants may apply:
Volunteers with associative or organisational experience, who can demonstrate relevant experience in the disciplinary field of the chosen faculty.
Adults (managers, executives, professionals, entrepreneurs) aged 23 or over, with documented multi-year professional experience.
Unemployed or employed adults with work experience but without a professional qualification, or holding a qualification not aligned with current labour market needs.
Young people without a formal professional qualification but who have relevant professional experience.
Employees in the private or public sector, holding permanent contracts, fixed-term contracts, temporary or interim contracts, who can demonstrate professional experience in the disciplinary field related to the chosen faculty.
Self-employed individuals, including professionals, artisans, traders, entrepreneurs, managers, and similar profiles, who can demonstrate professional experience in the disciplinary field of the chosen study or advanced training programme.
Types of experience considered for VAE / RVA assessment
Regardless of the applicant’s status, periods of initial or continuing education and professional internships carried out for the purpose of obtaining another diploma or qualification shall not be included in the calculation of eligible professional experience.
It is the responsibility of the Evaluation Committee to assess the professional nature of the competencies presented.
For the purpose of assessing the applicant’s competencies, the Committee may also take into consideration university studies completed in whole or in part.
Procedure for the implementation of the VAE / RVA process
The principle of validation consists in assessing the competencies acquired by the candidate through professional experience and comparing them with the requirements of the curriculum of the selected degree programme.
The procedure for the validation of prior learning is structured into two main and consecutive stages:
1. Eligibility of the application
Applications may be submitted at any time of the year and exclusively online.
Candidates wishing to validate their competencies must first obtain eligibility of their application.
To this end, they are required to submit an online application for admission, which may be filed at any time during the year.
2. Assessment of competencies and possible complementary training
The second stage consists of the formal assessment of the candidate’s competencies and, where applicable, the identification of any complementary training required to complete the validation process.
The evaluation of the candidate’s personal and professional experience enables:
– To grant direct admission to the thesis preparation phase of the degree programme or specialised training pathway, where the competencies assessed by the VAE / RVA Evaluation Committee fully correspond to the totality of the competencies required by the relevant programme.
In such cases, and without the need to sit further examinations, the candidate shall be required to enrol in order to obtain, by decision of the Committee, direct admission to the thesis preparation phase.
– To grant partial exemption from certain examinations, pending complementary training, where the VAE / RVA Committee determines that the assessed competencies do not fully cover all areas of the degree programme or specialised training pathway, but only certain components.
In this case, the Committee shall specify which competencies must be completed through complementary training and assessment, to be undertaken within:
- three (3) years from notification of the decision for three-year degree programmes or equivalent specialised training;
- two (2) years for Master-level programmes;
- one (1) year for advanced or continuing education programmes.
The candidate shall therefore be required to enrol in and complete the necessary training modules, successfully passing the corresponding examinations, in order to obtain the qualification.
Timing and procedures of the assessment
The following procedures are implemented in order to carry out, at any time of the year, the assessment of the candidate based on their profile and the documentation submitted.
There is therefore no fixed assessment period; evaluations are conducted on a case-by-case basis, according to a schedule adapted to the individual candidate.
In all cases, only one dossier-based assessment per year is carried out.
The dossier consists of three parts:
- a personal presentation;
- a description of professional experience, including positions held, functions performed and assignments completed;
- supporting documents and evidence.
The candidate is required to highlight the specific nature of the activities carried out and the professional context in which they were performed.
Academic assessment structures may accompany the candidate throughout the validation process.
At the request of the candidate or of the VAE / RVA Evaluation Committee, meetings may be organised in order to clarify or provide additional information.
The assessment is always free of charge and is carried out by the VAE / RVA Evaluation Committee, composed of academic experts and subject-matter specialists in the relevant disciplines.
The decision is final, binding and not subject to appeal or review.
Institutional Guidelines on the Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE) and the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation (RVA) of Prior Learning
Article 1
These articles establish the framework conditions governing the VAE (Validation of Acquired Experience) / RVA (Recognition, Validation and Accreditation) procedure.
Article 2
Admission to the VAE / RVA procedure is voluntary.
Article 3
Candidates applying for the VAE / RVA procedure must cumulatively meet the following requirements:
- hold a secondary school diploma;
- demonstrate professional experience of at least three (3) years in disciplinary fields related to the selected degree or specialised training programme;
- be at least 23 years of age at the time of submission of the VAE application.
Article 4
A candidate may submit only one VAE / RVA application per academic year, for a specific degree programme or specialised training pathway.
Article 5
Submission and admission to the VAE procedure are free of charge.
The VAE / RVA certification for access to a degree programme or specialised training pathway is subject to a fee.
Article 6
A candidate is officially recognised as a VAE / RVA candidate once the admission requirements are met and the candidate receives the official VAE / RVA assessment.
Article 7
The VAE dossier shall specify:
- the know-how (past and current professional experience);
- a clear justification of the competencies acquired by the candidate.
Article 8
The VAE / RVA Evaluation Panel shall be composed of at least three (3) members, including:
- two members belonging to the teaching staff of the relevant degree or specialised training programme;
- one external member not belonging to the Institution.
The external member must belong to the professional sector relevant to the assessment, hold a recognised and certified managerial or senior role, and possess the competencies necessary to assess the candidate.
Article 9
The VAE / RVA Evaluation Panel assesses the application on the basis of the candidate’s dossier (curriculum vitae and curriculum studiorum, together with supporting documentation).
The Panel determines the knowledge, competencies and aptitudes acquired by the candidate in relation to the selected programme.
It establishes the number of credits recognised within the VAE / RVA procedure, in equivalence with the credits of the selected programme.
Where appropriate, the Panel may recommend a complementary training plan, based on the competencies to be acquired by the candidate.
Article 10
Recognised and validated experience entitles the candidate to ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer System; 1 ECTS credit = 25 hours of demonstrable and certified activity).
The maximum number of credits that may be recognised is 120 ECTS per degree programme or specialised training pathway.
Article 11
The VAE / RVA Evaluation Panel issues its decision on the candidate’s application and transmits its reasoned decision to the Rector and the Academic Director, who then communicate it to the candidate.
The decision (credit assessment) specifies the number of credits recognised and the individual study pathway.
In the event of rejection, the candidate may submit a new VAE / RVA application for the same programme no earlier than six (6) months after the previous application.
Article 12
Enrolment in the selected programme must take place no later than one (1) month from receipt of the VAE / RVA assessment.
After this period, the candidate must request an update of the VAE / RVA procedure, through a new assessment or an integration of the previous one, where necessary.
Article 13
In the event of fraud during the VAE / RVA procedure, the decision to suspend and annul the procedure shall be taken by the President of Unitelematica Leonardo da Vinci.
Such decision shall invalidate all previous decisions relating to the candidate.
Article 14
These guidelines enter into force on 15 December 2020.
They were adopted and approved jointly by the President, the Founding Members, and the Academic Council.
Evaluation, Recognition and Validation Parameters for ECTS Credits
The Evaluation Commission of Unitelematik International Leonhard Euler
Evaluation, Recognition and Validation Parameters for ECTS Credits
For the Evaluation Committee of Unitelematik International Leonhard Euler
The Evaluation Committee is required to examine the educational content and subjects of the programme for which the evaluation is requested, verifying their coherence and relevance with respect to the disciplinary area and the study programme for which the validation of ECTS credits is sought.
Unitelematik International Leonhard Euler has developed an evaluation and recognition protocol for academic credits, aligned with the Swiss education system and with the principles established by the European Parliament, and deemed consistent with the general criteria of quality and transparency adopted by the competent accreditation agencies.
Evaluation Parameters for the Committee
The Committee operates in accordance with the following principles and criteria:
1. Equity and inclusion
To ensure equity and inclusion in access to learning opportunities.
Every individual has the right to access and participate in learning pathways suited to their needs, and to have their learning outcomes recognised, made visible and duly valued.
2. Equal value of learning outcomes
To promote recognition of the equal value of learning outcomes achieved through formal, non-formal and informal learning.
Competencies, knowledge and skills acquired through non-formal and informal learning pathways must be considered and evaluated on an equal basis with those obtained through formal education.
3. Learner-centred approach in the RVA process
To ensure the centrality of the individual within the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation (RVA) process.
The process must respect the needs, experiences and expectations of candidates, ensuring voluntary, informed and transparent participation.
4. Flexibility and openness of education and training systems
To promote flexibility and openness within formal education and training systems, taking into account different learning modalities and prior experiences of learners, in line with the principles of lifelong learning.
5. Quality assurance
To promote quality assurance throughout the entire RVA process.
The criteria and procedures for the evaluation and validation of non-formal and informal learning must be relevant, reliable, fair, consistent and fully transparent.
6. Partnerships and shared responsibility
To strengthen cooperation and partnerships among all stakeholders.
The RVA system is based on shared responsibility, encompassing the design, implementation and evaluation phases of the recognition and validation processes.
The President
The Rector
The Executive Board
The Evaluation Council