Maputo: Making Qualifications Frameworks operational in a changing world (part III) - Annual Conference

The 2023 ACQF annual conference concludes the cycle of the training workshops 2023. The agenda combines panels and interactive sessions, and delves into the themes: lifelong learning, new skills, qualifications and credentials, digitalisation in NQFs, social inclusion. Information on the African Union Year of Education (2024) will be shared.

Maputo Conference

05-06 December 2023, from 07.00 to 15.30 (UTC) / 09.00 to 17.30 (Mozambique)

For your information and preparation:

View and download the 10 ACQF training modules, 10 Guidelines, thematic presentations, and the thematic briefs.
ACQF Policy Document validated by the AU Member States (July 2023): in English, in French and in Portuguese languages

“Making National Qualifications Frameworks (NQF) operational in a changing world (Part III).

The training program of the project ACQF-II in 2023 contributes to enhance knowledge and understanding on the development and operationalization of NQFs: moving from initial ideas to policies, and from policies to action.

The number of countries in Africa with NQFs at stage of development and consultation, and at stage of implementation has been growing in the last years – approx. 33 countries can be included in this group. On the other side, many countries are at initial stage of reflection regarding their future NQF. Among countries with longstanding NQF implementation experience, the majority are reviewing and improving important aspects and instruments of the NQF, enabling their responsiveness to changing needs and learning. NQFs are not set in stone, they adapt.

In 2023 the project ACQF-II organises two training workshops (Nairobi and Accra) and the annual conference (Maputo). These events will be multilingual and streamed. The relevant national NQF authorities are committed and motivated to co-host these events.

Nairobi, 09-11 October
Accra, 7-8 November
Maputo, 5-6 December

Participants include institutions responsible for the coordination and management of NQFs, Regional Economic Communities (IGAD and SADC), organisations responsible for quality assurance in education and training (CAMES, IUCEA, GQAA), All-Africa Students Union, UNESCO, and experts. Countries represented: Angola, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Djibouti, Eswatini, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and South Sudan. Also participating are the two co-chairs of the ACQF Advisory Group (Cameroon and SADC) and countries with globally recognised NQF experience (South Africa – SAQA), Kenya (KNQA), Zambia (ZAQA), Namibia (NAMQA) and others.

The three events share a common thematic agenda, based on the following main themes:

NQF in a changing world: Development, implementation, monitoring and review / adaptation. NQF instruments and processes, quality assurance.
Registration of qualifications in NQF / register – benchmarking.
Qualifications are changing. Adaptation to green and digital transformation, digitalization, new types of credentials. The pressing need for better lifelong learning policies and programmes.
Validation and recognition of learning outcomes and skills / competences from different contexts of learning. Skills and competences of labour migrants and refugees.
Micro-credentials: new opportunities for flexible pathways, lifelong learning, employability, and career development. A global movement.
Shaping comparability of qualifications and credentials to facilitate portability, recognition of qualifications, and mutual trust.
Governance of skills and qualifications ecosystems: governance models, linked policies, information and analysis, stakeholders’ participation, and comparisons between NQFs-RQFs and ACQF. Complementarities between Addis Recognition Convention, ACQF, NQFs.

When Dec 05, 2023 07:00 AM to Dec 06, 2023 03:30 AM (UTC / UTC0)
Where Maputo (Mozambique)
Contact Name Eduarda Castel-Branco
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Agenda ACQF-II Conference – Maputo (5-6 December 2023)

“Making NQFs operational – part III”

Day 1: 5 December

Skills and qualifications for a changing economy and society

Chair: President of CNAQ - Mozambique

Time: UTC+2h (SAST)

09.00-10.00

Session 1: Opening session - Ministry of Science Technology and Higher Education / State Secretary of TVET of Mozambique, CNAQ, AUC, EU Delegation (Mozambique), ACQF-II coordination

Opening and welcome remarks
Introduction of the participants
Agenda, expectations.
Brief information on African Union Year of Education (2024): online, by representative of the African Union Commission.

10.00-10.20

Session 2

Keynote speech: Are qualifications systems ready to embrace and enable change in society, learning, and work?

Nadia Starr, CEO SAQA (South Africa)

10.20-11.30

Session 3

Panel

From debate to action: what change do we need for better qualifications, mobility, articulation, and recognition?

6 panelists: Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, Zambia, AASU, IUCEA

Facilitation: Dr Winnie Bulimo (KNQA, Kenya)

11.30-11.45: coffee break

11.45-12.30

Session 4: African TVET Round Table and new Qualifications Network. Main conclusions, recommendations, and way forward.

Presentation. By: representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ministry of TVET and Trades

12.30-13.30

Session 5: Recognition of qualifications for lifelong learning and employment: a pressing need for societies and individuals.

Presentations:

Addis and Global Recognition Conventions: new perspectives. By: Prof. Lamine Gueye, President of the Bureau of the Addis Recognition Convention Committee
Linking recognition of qualifications and NQFs. By: James Mwewa (ACQF-II)

Discussion

Facilitation: Fiona Ernesta (SQA, Seychelles)

13.30-14.30: lunch break

14.30-16.30: Transforming skills, credentials, qualifications

Session 6: Two parallel sessions – overview, case studies, discussion

Session 6a: Transforming NQFs – lessons from Africa and Europe.
- Presentation
- South Africa, Seychelles, Namibia, EQF. Debate. Conclusions.
  - Facilitation: E. Castel-Branco (ACQF-II)
- Session 6b: New skills, qualifications, and credentials. Digital, green, and transversal skills: the new imperative for qualifications frameworks and systems. Main recommendations.
  - Interactive session. Debate
    - Facilitation: James Keevy (JET Education Services)

16.30-16.45: conclusions of day 1

16.45-17.45: coffee break

Day 2: 6 December

ACQF-II contributing to connected qualifications and credentials frameworks, digitalisation, social inclusion.

Time: UTC+2h (SAST)

09.00-10.00

Session 7: ACQF-II Inventory of NQFs, RPL and micro-credentials in Africa: preliminary insights.

Presentation of main results.
Next steps
- Facilitation: Donatas Pocius (PPMI)

10.00-11.30

Session 8: Two parallel sessions – overview, case studies, discussion

Session 8a: Digitalisation – impact and perspectives for qualifications and credentials frameworks
Digitalisation of qualifications and frameworks: ACQF Qualifications and Credentials Platform. Potentialities of interoperability, data exchanges. Building trust.
Digitalisation of learning offer – boosting the potentialities, averting the pitfalls
AI in education and qualifications systems
- Facilitation: Eduarda Castel-Branco (ACQF-II); Jan Förster (Cognizone)

Session 8b: Social inclusion
RPL – Making learning outcomes visible: a new impetus for a renewed value of RPL for society, institutions, and individuals.
Cases: Cameroon, Mozambique, Cabo Verde, EU Validation Guidelines.
Debate
- Facilitation: James Mwewa (ACQF-II)

11.30-11.45: coffee break

11.45-12.45

Session 9: ACQF-II implementation – main highlights

Supporting development and implementation of NQFs in countries and regions with diverse contexts and needs: started processes, plans, comparison.
Common profiles of qualifications: working together for comparability of qualifications.
Referencing to ACQF: moving forward.
Discussion
- Facilitation: Coleen Jaftha, Eduarda Castel-Branco (ACQF-II)

12.45-13.15

Session 10: Closure - Sum-up of the three ACQF-II training workshops 2023

Wrap-up – short overview of main achievements, issues, and proposals.
Next steps and plans.
Closure
- Facilitation: Eduarda Castel-Branco (ACQF-II), Rodolphine Wamba (ACQF AG Co-chair), Laurent Ndaywel (RD Congo, MFPM)

13.15-14.15: lunch break

14.15-17.30: Parallel activities – visits to national institutions implementing the Mozambican NQF. 2 groups.

Visit to National Council of Evaluation and Quality of Higher Education (CNAQ).
- Main themes: a glimpse at history of CNAQ, mission and key objectives, main achievements. Role in NQF governance and implementation. Main activities in 2023-2024 to implement the new NQF.
- Facilitation: Prof. Maria Luísa Chicote, President of CNAQ.
Visit to National Authority of Professional Education (ANEP)
- Main themes: ANEP’s mission and key objectives, phases of ANEP’s institutional development; achievements and plans in respect to vocational and occupational qualifications. Role in NQF governance and implementation. Main activities in 2023-2024 to implement the new NQF.
- Facilitation: Eng. Leopoldo dos Santos (ANEP)