Transparency of Qualifications: Are We There Yet?

Greater transparency improves the understanding and interpretation of qualifications and competences. This article asks whether transparency of qualifications has become a reality in Europe. It begins by outlining the three main strategies that were adopted at Community level between 1957 and 1999 to address the problem of transferring qualifications from one country to another. It then describes recent Community action on transparency and recognition of qualifications at both VET and higher education levels. The outcomes of the European Forum on Transparency of Vocational Qualifications are outlined, and in particular the new Europass framework for transparency of qualifications is described, and issues about its implementation are discussed. Some of the main tensions that are observed between the approaches to transparency in VET and in higher education are highlighted. Finally, there is a brief case study on the approaches that have been adopted in recent years to achieve transparency of qualifications in Ireland, against a background of extensive reform of the national qualifications system. In summary, the article is primarily a reflection on the practical aspects of making transparency of qualifications a reality.