Qualifications Frameworks: Expanding Influence, Persisting Obstacles. Briefing Note

Initial work on the European qualifications framework (EQF) started in autumn 2004. Partly triggered by this initiative, qualifications frameworks have since become integral parts of almost all education and training systems in Europe. Outside Europe, more and more countries and regions (such as Asia-Pacific) are rapidly developing and implementing qualifications frameworks. Over this period, Cedefop has been systematically mapping and analysing emergence of qualifications frameworks in different settings and for different purposes. This Briefing Note describes the critical requirements and challenges of implementing national qualifications frameworks (NQFs). It concludes with the EQF's progress to date.