The ECVET system

ECVET is :

• a decentralized system relying on volunteer participation of Member States and stakeholders of vocational training, respecting national legislations and regulations,
• a methodological framework for describing qualifications in terms of learning outcomes using units, allowing to allocate transferable points for Member States with different education and qualification frameworks,
• founded on granted partner agreements regarding qualification transparency and mutual stakeholder trust.

The ECVET methodology includes inseparable provisions :

• the description of qualifications in terms of learning outcomes (knowledge, aptitudes and skills) organised in learning outcome units which may be transferred, validated and accumulated, 
• the existence of a transfer process for learning outcomes including assessment, validation, recognition and accumulation of learning outcomes,
• using a point system assigned to learning outcome qualifications and units. 

ECVET’s effectiveness in regards to mobility, and maintaining a winning approach …

• relies on the mutual trust between the various partners: competent certification authorities, training service providers, etc.…,
• requires the involved partners to fully understand the ECVET technical aspects,
• asks partners to willingly accept the ECVET principles in the qualification design and adaptation and their awarding procedures for recognition of learning outcomes of people benefiting from mobility.

Implementing the ECVET credit system implies a significant partnership dimension :

• to function efficiently and thoroughly for all individuals. ECVET requires solid, active and long-lasting partnerships between the institutions and competent vocational qualification authorities and the organisations responsible for vocational training,
• designing projects with shared or common planning and design for the different VET engineering, implies a coordination of institutions and organisations involved in the technical, scientific and organisational aspects,
• as ECVET is intended to encourage and valorise mobility, it’s necessary to anticipate and establish links between planning and design actions and the programmes and activities directly devoted to the mobility of people in their learning pathways, especially within the framework of community programmes.