European inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning, 2023 update. Evolution of validation as an integrated part of national skills policies and strategies

This thematic report focuses on emerging overarching or integrated national skills strategies, as called for in the European Skills Agenda and the Osnabrück Declaration and examines the development of validation as an integral part of these strategies. By spring 2023, the following countries have been identified as having already developed and are implementing an integrated national skills strategy: Finland, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

The analysis carried out shows that these national skills strategies generally recognise the benefits of validation as a basis for lifelong learning and its role in supporting the interaction between learning in the workplace, in education and training and in other contexts such as youth work or volunteering.

All these strategies also refer to career guidance services and often to other relevant measures and tools that need to be integrated to improve the national skills system and its outcomes. Success factors for integrated national skills strategies include a whole-of-government approach, engaging and collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders, jointly setting objectives and action plans, defining clear measures and responsibilities, monitoring, analysing and communicating progress, and using evidence-based approaches.

The report is part of the 2023 update of the European Inventory on the validation of non-formal and informal learning that provides a comprehensive overview of validation practices across Europe, covering 32 systems in EU-27 Member States and EFTA countries.