PROVE

Professionalization of validation experts

01.10.2019 bis 30.09.2021

The main objective of the project “Professionalization of validation experts (PROVE)” is to contribute to the development of professional competences of staff involved in the validation of prior learning (VPL). A Cedefop study shows that the approach to professionalization of staff in validation differs in European countries and that many of these countries have no or limited provisions in place so far. In addition, there exist no European standards of competences for practitioners (guides, trainers, assessors, managers) working in validation. “Trust in validation largely depends on the work carried out by ‘front-line’ practitioners and professionals directly involved with validation candidates” (CEDEFOP 2015, p. 32f.). In order to maintain quality and trust in validation an overview of skills and requirements for people working in validation needs to be established. Therefore, the PROVE project is addressing a recommendation of the Council of EU by contributing to the development of professional competences of staff involved in the validation process (Council of EU, 2012, p.3, point 3g). This main objective of PROVE will be achieved by
a) defining competence standards,
b) by developing an online self-evaluation tool for the defined competences and
c) by developing, compiling and testing learning resources (in short “Learning tool kit”) for the professional development of validation practitioners in Europe.
By this means, validation experts will get access to high quality learning and teaching materials for their professionalization that can be used without legal copyright issues as so-called open educational resources (OER).
In PROVE nine partners from Germany, Austria, Greece, The Netherlands, Portugal and France are working together. They represent a broad spectrum of validation providers, promoters of VPL and research institutes focusing on VPL, professionalization and competence development. Together they will develop two Intellectual Outputs: A Competence Model for validation professionals, which also encompasses a digital self-evaluation tool (O1) and a Learning Tool Kit for the further development and professionalization of practitioners in validation (O2).
The project is designed along a long-term sustainability strategy. The partnership, due to its experience and geographic distribution, is well determined to bring a strong and sustainable impact with the project’s activities and results. At the first place the project is addressing validation professionals (guides, trainers, assessors, managers), that are experts in the validation of formal, informal and non-formal learning. The validation professionals will be addressed through a thorough competence development offer. The competence model (O1) and the self-evaluation tool (O1) developed in PROVE will give them orientation about important competences for their validation practice as well as competences that possibly should be further developed. The learning tool kit (O2) offers them a variety of learning resources in order to do so. As qualified personnel they will be able to strengthen quality in their institutions and become “innovators” on their jobs. They will be enabled to combine open educational resources (OER) available in their sector with validation instruments via the rich learning and validation environment developed in PROVE.
PROVE will bring relevant stakeholders together to disseminate and valorise the approach Europe-wide. Finally, the European VINFL community will grow and more stakeholders from the field will be actively integrated. In future, educational systems, the institutions and services will be much more diverse as they are now. With the introduction of “open education”, learning resources will be developed and validation services will be offered from other stakeholders and learners will develop new learning strategies and pathways. The PROVE project seeks to achieve an impact for these future developments as well.