Macedonian Qualification Framework

Borcho AleksovDeputy Head of Higher Education DepartmentMinistry of Education and ScienceMacedonia

“Macedonian National QualificationFramework–Starting points” was made by representatives from Ministry of Education and Science

Ministry of Labour and Social Policy

Educational institutions

State Employment Agency

Economic chambers

Students organizations

Associations

Other organizations

Progress 2011-2013 Public debates

Government adopted the “MKQF Starting points” document

Parliament adopted Macedonian National Qualification Act, October 2013

MKQF MKQF levellevel

Description Description EQF EQF levellevel

VIIIVIII III cycle (doctoral) studies (≥3 years, 180 ECTS) 8

VIIVIIVIIA II cycle academic studies

(60/120 ECTS) 7VIIB II cycle professional studies

(60/120 ECTS)

VIVI VIA I cycle studies (240 ECTS) 6VIB I cycle studies (180 ECTS)

VVVA

Professional studies (60/120 ECTS)Short cycle studies within I cycle of studies 5

VB Post-secondary education (60/120)

IVIV Secondary Education, 4 years (240) 4

IIIIII Secondary Education, 3 years (180) 3

IIII Professional Training, 2 years (60–120) 2

II Primary Education, 9 years 1

Structure of the Macedonian Qualifications Framework

The Macedonian Qualifications Framework shall comprise the following:– Levels or sub-levels of qualifications– Descriptions of learning levels and outcomes for

each level of qualification

– Types of qualifications and documents serving as evidence for the acquired qualification and

– Scope of the qualification.

The descriptions of the learning outcomes are:– Knowledge and understanding

– Skills– Competencies.

Credit System 1 ECTS credit covers 30 working hours

of the duration of 60 minutes each 1 ECVET credit covers 25 working

hours of the duration of 45 minutes each

1 MGECS credit covers 25 working hours of the duration of 45 minutes eachMGCE–Macedonian General Education Credit System for credits in primary education, secondary education and general education subjects in vocational education and training

Vocational Education Qualification Sectors

1) Geology, mining and metallurgy 2) Civil engineering and geodesy3) Graphic industry 4) Economics, law and trade 5) Electrical engineering 6) Healthcare and social protection 7) Agriculture, fishing and veterinary8) Personal services 9) Mechanical engineering10) Traffic, transport and storage11) Textile, leather and similar products12) Food service industry and tourism13) Chemistry and technology14) Forestry and wood processing15) Sport and recreation 16) Arts

Macedonian Qualification Framework National Board

President and 10 members

Development of the System of Qualification, approval and classification of qualifications

Forms Sectoral qualification committees − 8 members each− identify the needs for all types of

qualifications − prepare the basic profile of qualifications

You can put lipstick on a pig but it is still a pig!

NQF is more than make-

up

Borrowed by Prof. Volker Gehmlich, FH Osnabrück, Germany

Register of Higher Education Qualifications Register of Higher Education Qualifications contains data

about:− Unique code of the qualification;− Scientific field;− Name of the qualification;− Type of the issued document (Diploma, Certificate. . .);− Level of the qualification;− ECTS gained;− Higher Educational institution issuing the qualification;− Study Programme Accreditation and Validity of the Working Licence;− ISCO relation;− Notes.

Current situation− until now about 1150 higher education qualifications have been

identified from the I, II and III cycle of studies− all scientific fields are covered− more than a half belong to scientific fields of social sciences and

humanities − at the II cycle interdisciplinary sciences are characteristic− biggest part of qualifications are at the public universities

Register of the Macedonian Qualifications Framework The Register consists of

− Sub-register of higher education qualifications;

− Sub-register of general education qualifications;

− Sub-register of vocational qualifications, and

− Sub-register of qualifications acquired from informal education

A special procedure is set up for entering qualifications into the Register and keeping the Register

Development of the qualifications

Institutions in charge for developing of the qualifications from level I to level VB− Education Development Bureau − Centre for Vocational Education and

Training − Centre for the Education of Adults

Higher Education Institutions are competent for the development of qualifications from level V-A to level VIII.

EQF National Coordination Point– Ministry of Education and

Science EQF Advisory Group Member

Other collaborations within − Task Force Fostering and Building Human Capital

(TFBHC) and Educational Reform Initiative of South Eastern Europe (ERISEE), Cluster of Knowledge: „Development of National Qualification Frameworks”;

− European Training FoundationQualification Platform− EHEA− CEDEFOP

Experience Development of National Higher Education

Qualifications Framework 2009–2012− Decree for National Higher Education Qualifications

Framework, 2010− 5 (Dublin) descriptors (generic and specific) of

qualifications: • Knowledge and understanding,• Use of knowledge and understanding,• Capability for estimation,• Communication skills and• Learning skills.

− Info Center for Equivalence and Recognition of Foreign Higher Education Qualifications undertakes all activities connected to the national higher education qualifications framework on a national level

− Accreditation of study programs is related to the adequacy of the structure of the study programme to the given learning outcomes

Further activities

Updating of the Qualifications

Completing the Qualification Register

Preparing Referencing Report

ESCO related activities

„Old Qualifications“ The qualifications acquired before the Macedonian National

Qualification Act enters into force are equivalent to the following levels and sub-levels in the Macedonian Qualifications Framework:− Completed primary education is equivalent to Level I.− Completed vocational education lasting up to two years is

equivalent to Level II.− Completed vocational education for professions lasting three

years and for participants with special educational needs lasting four years is equivalent to Level III.

− Completed secondary school education, technical education, art education lasting four years and for pupils with special educational needs lasting five years is equivalent to Level IV.

− Completed post-secondary school education (specialist education and craftsman exam) is equivalent to Level V, sub-level VB.

− Completed short vocational study programmes in higher education are equivalent to Level V, sub-level VA.

− Completed graduate studies (VII/2) are equivalent to Level VI, sub-level VIA.

− Completed Master of Science and specialist studies (VII/1) are equivalent to Level VII, sub-levels VIIA and VIIB.

− Completed doctoral studies are equivalent to Level VIII.

Quality Assurance Set of Procedures for ensuring and

improving the quality of qualifications− Verification of institutions and programmes − Evaluation − International participation, cooperation and

networking

Higher Education Accreditation and Evaluation Board

Thank you for your attentionBorco.Aleksov@mon.gov.mk