Types of qualifications in Estonian qualifications framework

Qualifications to be incorporated into the Estonian qualifications framework (EKR) belong to the following types:

• Higher education qualifications,
• VET qualifications,
• General education qualifications,
• Professional qualifications.

The higher education standard (HES) serves as a framework standard for higher education qualifications. This standard describes the credit system based on ECTS, the principles of accrediting previous experiential learning (APEL), formulates generalised learning outcomes and assigns the EKR levels to the higher education qualifications. The qualifications framework for higher education has three levels. The first level contains two qualifications assigned to the sixth level of the EKR: Bachelor's degree and applied higher education diploma. The second level contains Master's degree assigned to the seventh level of the EKR and the third level contains doctorate degree assigned to the eighth level of the EKR. Descriptions of generalised learning outcomes follow the logic of the Dublin descriptors but don't copy them.

Estonian higher education institutions have prepared new learning outcomes based curricula for the academic year 2009/2010. These curricula have to comply with the corresponding generalised learning outcomes of HES and the corresponding professional standard if applicable. The HES describes generalised learning outcomes on the basic (minimum) level, whereas the attainment above that level is graded on the appropriate scale. The principles and procedures of assessment are defined in the corresponding ministerial decree.

Universities and applied higher education institutions are the qualification awarding institutions. Conditions and procedures for the accreditation of qualifications and qualification awarding institutions are settled in the University Act and the Applied Higher Education Institution Act. Universities and applied higher education institutions are entitled to award state recognised academic degrees and diplomas corresponding to the accredited study programmes.

The vocational education standard (VES) serves as a framework standard for vocational education qualifications. This standard describes the principles of APEL, formulates generalised learning outcomes and assigns the EKR levels to the vocational education qualifications. Generalised learning outcomes descriptions have been developed based on the Recommendation and the EKR level descriptions. Like in the HES generalised learning outcomes are described on the basic level, whereas the attainment above that level is graded on the appropriate scale. No assessment standard exists yet.

The VES references the VET qualifications types to the EKR levels as follows:

• VET qualifications without lower secondary education requirement correspond to the EKR level two,
• VET qualifications based on lower or upper secondary education requirement correspond to the EKR level three,
• VET qualifications based on upper secondary education and additionally requiring previous vocational training correspond to the EKR level four.

National curricula for the VET serve as the framework qualification standards and are based on the corresponding professional standards. VET institutions use national curricula for developing their study programmes in VET and adult education. The number of national curricula is 45 and they cover most of the VET study fields. VET study programmes will be entirely learning outcomes based by the year 2014.

The VET qualifications are awarded by VET institutions. Based on the VET Institutions Act all licensed institutions are entitled to award state recognised qualifications in the corresponding study programme group (in the sense of the ISCED).

The national curriculum for lower and upper secondary education serves as the framework qualification standard for general education qualifications. This standard describes learning outcomes for four 3-year levels of studies. There are two general education qualifications: lower secondary education (9 years) certificate and upper secondary education (12 years) certificate.

National curricula for lower and upper secondary education have been based on learning outcomes approach starting from the year 1996 version. A new national curriculum for lower secondary education and national curriculum for upper secondary education are under development and have to be implemented starting from the academic year 2010/2011. These new national curricula mean a substantial step towards entirely learning outcomes based qualifications in general education. The principles and procedures of assessment are defined in the corresponding ministerial decree.

All state owned and municipal comprehensive schools and high schools, and licensed private schools have the right to award state recognised lower secondary education certificates and upper secondary education certificates.

Professional qualifications comprise the world significantly different from educational qualifications. Professional qualifications system is an interface between the labour market and the lifelong learning system. The system is developed and administered by Kutsekoda. During the period 2008-2013 the development is accomplished in the framework of the European Social Fund (ESF) sponsored programme "Development of the professional qualifications system".

Professional qualifications are divided between 16 professional areas. The Professions Act defines a common 5-level professional qualifications framework. The professional qualifications register contains more than 700 qualifications. These are based on the corresponding professional standards, a part of which are learning outcomes (competence) based. Professional qualifications council decides about the necessity for a new qualification and approves the corresponding standard. There is no framework professional standard. Guidelines for developing a professional standard are settled in the ministerial decree. All the new professional standards will be learning outcomes based.

Awarding institutions, mostly professional associations, are nominated by the professional councils. Awarding institution may have one or more awarding committees. At the moment there are 86 awarding institutions and 152 awarding committees.

The Professions Act envisages a possibility to combine graduation from an educational institution and awarding of the primary professional qualification starting from the year 2011 provided that the study programme corresponds to the professional standard and is accredited. This means that in certain occasions educational institution can be the awarding institution for professional qualifications.