ACQF 2024: Final Webinar, 20/12/2024

The ACQF and my country and organisation – what have we achieved? Main lessons and perspectives for the future

Speaker: Ms Fiona Ernesta, Chief Executive Officer of Seychelles Qualifications Authority (SQA)

The journey for Seychelles started with the launch of the ACQF-I project in September 2019 in Addis Ababa, at Headquarters of the African Union. Our journey together was intense in learning, peer-sharing, knowledge creation and discovery.

The project ACQF-II, since May 2023, fostered and promoted:

• Capacity building on various NQF related topics through the many webinars.
• Learnt a lot on NQFs of other ACQF countries but also at the international level, through presentations and webinars
• Opportunity to participate in the project on comparison on EQF and SADCQF
• Professional development - learnt more about our own NQF through presentations we had to prepare and this helped with self-evaluation of our system, which resulted in the need to revise some aspects of the system e.g. how we store our data; we have initiated the revision of our RPL Policy and RPL Guidelines
• Referencing of our SNQF to the ACQF provided the opportunity to self-evaluate the implementation of our SNQF, position our SNQF on the ACQF, identify gaps. Subsequently, we will develop a plan to address gaps and improve on current practices

• We benefited from expertise and assistance of ACQF:
  • Development of our SNCATS and 1 day workshop and training on same held in Seychelles on 12 November 2024. The project also comprised a Technical Visit by ACQF coordinator Eduarda Castel-Branco and the ACQF expert James Mwewa in March 2024, which included 2 workshop days for stakeholders on various topics such as CATS, SADC-CATS Guidelines, Micro-credentials. This was followed on 17 -18 April by 2 capacity development webinars: RPL and Learning Outcomes.
  • Micro-credentials survey in 2024
  • ACQF’s 4^th NQF Forum on Micro-credentials for Better Opportunities on 13-14 November 2024
  • Component in the NQF regulations on credit accumulation and transfer, and Access and Mobility Chart in our revised SNQF which was launched by the Education Minister at the 4^th ACQF Forum in Seychelles in November 2024.

• Developed our presentation skills and gained confidence in delivering presentations
• Develop closer/better collaboration and networking with other ACQF countries
• Increased visibility of SQA locally e.g. through the ACQF workshops and micro-credentials survey through media

• Increased visibility of SQA continentally through the various ACQF activities, and internationally through attendance and presentation at the EQF Advisory meeting (Brussels) and the “Peer Learning Activity on the Comparison of the EQF with Third Country (national and regional) qualifications frameworks (Turin, Italy) has helped to position the SQA as a well-established/respected authority which can be leveraged locally to spearhead the achievement of its vision.
• Positive impact on the education sector locally as SQA is the custodian of the SNQF

Main lessons

• We have seen the power and benefits of working as a continent towards a common goal. “L’union fait la force” “There is strength in numbers”.
• There is a richness of knowledge and expertise on the continent that can be used to take the continent to another level.
• There is diversity of NQFs and NQF systems, but these still align with ACQF principles
• Massive potential for collaboration on various NQF related areas.

Perspectives for the future

• ACQF has opened doors for SQA both continentally and internationally, we can collaborate with other countries for future projects.
• We will still require expertise for ACQF for capacity building to prepare for implementation of the SNCATS Policy and Guidelines, and this for both SQA and tertiary education and training providers.
• One of the goals of the MC survey is for SQA to develop a framework for implementation of Micro-credentials in Seychelles. We envisage the expertise of ACQF experts for this project as well as capacity building for implementation of MCs in Seychelles.
• We are prepared to contribute whatever expertise we have in NQF and NQF-related topics/areas to other ACQF countries still in development of their NQF and related policies.
• SQA has decided to be part of the ACQF Network to continue the legacy started by Mama Africa.
• Finalise our pilot referencing report.