Scope of the study

The analytical part of the study draws upon the following data material collected during the project:

a collection of legal sources and other documents on the practises of examination and certification adopted in the various countries, including, inter alia, acts on VET, bills on educational reform projects, contributions to national reform debates and examination regulations and procedures;
a country report drafted by the national expert responsible for the country (survey instrument: Template for National Experts);
interviews conducted with at least five relevant stakeholders in each country (survey instrument: Interview Guideline).

Thus, the results of the reflector study rely on the analysis of documents selected by national experts and compiled in a database containing 417 documents. The scope of the study and its focus on actual development required a regional survey design and the active participation of 55 regional experts who carried out a total of 186 standardised interviews in 32 countries. It evaluates both the status quo and the dynamics revealed by VET systems (which in many countries are indeed considerable) to identify both synergy effects and obstacles which may occur while introducing ECVET. The study requirements stipulate further that the results should be transmitted anonymously. The terminology used is the one suggested in the ECVET consultation document, the EQF proposal and the Tissot terminology (see Glossary).

ECVET reflector focuses on initial vocational education and training (IVET), acknowledging that this represents a limitation of the implementation ECVET field as mentioned in the consultation paper. ECVET reflector focuses on the mobility of young learners. On the basis of data proceedings and analyses, a typology of qualifications/ VET systems was established. This typology provides the basis for recommendations on national ECVET implementation and for identifying general tendencies in the relationship between national practices and ECVET.