European guidelines for the development and writing of short, learning-outcomes-based descriptions of qualifications

This initiative is part of a broader European attempt to increase transparency of qualifications across countries, facilitating mobility and supporting lifelong learning. Significant progress in National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs) and the use of learning outcomes in Europe has increased qualification understanding and portability. Structuring short descriptions of qualifications and their learning outcomes consistently improves transparency and, comparability, and facilitates their availability and use in digital environments. Short descriptions provide learners, employers, education and training providers, and others with quick access to learning outcomes information, complementing full national descriptions. The publication offers recommendations on the formal aspects (length, format) and content (scope, complexity, context) of these descriptions. It also includes practical resources, such as lists of action verbs and qualifiers, to help describe clearly the learning outcomes of qualifications.