1        Technical visit to Seychelles

1.1      Background

Seychelles has a long-standing and valuable experience in implementing the National Qualifications Framework and related policies, notably Recognition of Prior Learning.

The new Seychelles Qualifications Authority (SQA) Act (Act 57 of 2021) broadened the mandate of the SQA. The Article 4.(1) defines the object and functions of the Authority and its point k) stipulates that SQA will “establish policy and criteria for credit accumulation and credit transfer”.

Considering the importance of a credit accumulation and transfer system (CATS) in the context of internationalisation of education, mobility of students, rise of micro-credentials, recognition of learning periods and qualifications, and lifelong flexible pathways for learning, SQA is committed to initiate development of a functional and coherent CATS, aligned with international good practice, comparable and transparent. Among the key references, it is worth mentioning the SADC CATS Handbook.

The ACQF-II cooperates with SQA and stakeholders in planning, conceiving, drafting and finalising the agree output: Seychelles CATS Policy and Guidelines.

1.2      Organisation and objectives

Organisation

• Dates: 11-16 March 2024
• Host and promoter: SQA

The technical visit to Seychelles aims to:

• Generate dialogue and consensus on the purposes, scope and features of the Seychelles CATS Policy and Guidelines.
• Share knowledge and experiences on related topics in particular: learning outcomes approach, CAT systems and developments, Recognition of Prior Learning, Recognition of qualifications. Examples from different parts of globe.
• The technical visit includes 2 workshop days, visits to education and training institutions and technical meetings with SQA team.

1.3      Agenda of the technical visit

Day 1 (11/March): 09.00-16.00

Activities:

• Kick-off and introduction of the teams
• Developing the Seychelles CATS: objectives, deliverables, main issues, priorities, milestones
• Overview of the NQF, with focus on existing qualifications (approved; in and out the NQF) – by: SQA
• Overview of results of the preliminary survey on CATS - by: ACQF-II
• SWOT analysis – facilitated by ACQF-II

Participants: SQA, ACQF-II team, other stakeholders at level of decision-makers and education and training institutions.

Day 2 (12/March): 09.00-16.00

Workshop on CATS

1. Session 1: 09.00-09.30

Opening. Objectives and themes of the workshop. Tour de table – introduction of the participants

2. Session 2: 09.30-11.00

CATS: overview on rationale and benefits, types and features of the various systems applied in Africa, Europe and US; application; instruments. Challenges and solutions. New developments in the context of digitalisation of learning and recognition of learning periods and outcomes.

Case studies.

Questions and answers.

Speaker: James Mwewa

3. Coffee break: 11.00-11.30
4. Session 3: 11.30-13.00

SADC CATS Guidelines: understanding the rationale, scope, and application. Questions and answers.

Speaker: James Mwewa

5. Lunch break: 13.00-14.00
6. Session 4: 14.00-16.00

Brainstorming and guided debate in working groups on the topic: Vision and proposals for Seychelles CATS Policy and Guidelines. Supported by guiding questions.

Presentation and debate of results of debate.

Main conclusions. Next steps

Facilitation: Eduarda Castel-Branco and James Mwewa

Participants: SQA, ACQF-II team, other stakeholders at level of decision-makers and education and training institutions.

Day 3 (13/March): 09.00-16.00

Workshop on learning outcomes, micro-credentials, RPL, recognition: overview of different systems, achievements, way forward.

1. Session 1: 09.00-09.30

Opening. Objectives and themes of the workshop. Tour de table – introduction of the participants

2. Session 2: 09.30-10.30

Learning outcomes: overview on concepts and principles, applications.

Handbooks on learning outcomes.

Writing short descriptions of learning outcomes of qualifications for publication in digital registers and databases.

Speaker: Eduarda Castel-Branco

3. Coffee break: 10.30-11.00
4. Session 3: 11.00-12.30

Micro-credentials: overview on rationale and benefits. Types and features. Micro-credentials and NQFs. Challenges and solutions. New developments in the context of digitalisation of learning.

Case studies.

Questions and answers.

Speaker: Eduarda Castel-Branco

5. Session 4: 12.30-13.30

Recognition of qualifications. International conventions. Bilateral arrangements. Links with NQFs and quality assurance.

Speaker: James Mwewa

6. Lunch break: 13.30-14.30
7. Session 5: 14.30-15.30

RPL: overview of trends, developments, and tools.

RPL in the context of European Qualifications Framework: inventory, practices, analysis.

RPL in the context of African countries and ACQF: practices. Networking. ACQF Campaign.

Questions and answers.

Speaker: Eduarda Castel-Branco

8. Session 6: 15.30-16.00

Sharing experiences on the topics of the day.

Poll.

Main conclusions. Next steps

Facilitation: Eduarda Castel-Branco

Participants: SQA, ACQF-II team, other stakeholders at level of decision-makers and education and training institutions (to be identified by SQA).

Day 4 (14/March): 08.00-15.00

Visits to education and training institutions.

Participants: SQA, ACQF-II team, education and training institutions.

Day 5 (15/March): 09.00-15.00

Topic: Developing and agreeing the CATS Policy and Guidelines. Focus on the annotated outline of the document.

• Discuss and agree the main priorities, role of SQA, important priorities and orientations. Place of CATS in internal and external quality assurance of qualifications.
• Roadmap and key milestones of the CATS development process and stakeholders’ consultation until December 2024.
• Debriefing. Wrap-up and next steps. Closure of the mission.

Participants: SQA, ACQF-II team.

1.4      SQA Team

• Fiona Ernesta – Chief Executive Officer;
• Noella Baker-Albert – Principal Standards Setting Officer.
• Hilda Bertin – Principal Standards Setting Officer
• Micole Bistoquet – Principal QA Officer for Programme Accreditation
• Dazielle Laporte – Principal QA Officer for RPL
• Verna Leon – Principal Quality Assurance Officer for institutional accreditation
• Joan Amade – Principal Quality Assurance Officer for Recognition and Evaluation of Qualifications.

1.5      ACQF-II Project Team

• Eduarda Castel-Branco – Project Coordinator; and
• James Mwewa – Expert.