Glossary

ADDITIONAL EDUCATION

Additional education is a process of acquiring qualifications at the next, higher level of education. Additional education is additional vocational education for acquiring a specific qualification.

DUTY

Duty is a broader field of obligations and activities within an occupation; each duty comprises of a group of related tasks; implementation of all the tasks within a duty develops a competence.

TASK

Task is a specific unit of work, which functions as a whole (there is a specific starting point and a specific ending point) and, in accordance with that, it can be completed within a limited framework of time. When it is completed, it results in a product, service or a decision.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning outcomes are the explicit statements on the result of learning, description of a learner, indicators of the area of learner’s knowledge, what the learner is capable of doing under certain circumstances, what field of work is he/she trained in and how he/she behaves regarding the work he/she performs (what attitudes he/she express). In vocational education, the outcome is a minimal and compulsory result of learning. Learning outcomes enable verifiability of the achievement and are coordinated with the developmental characteristics of the learner. Learning outcomes are classified as cognitive, psychomotor and affective, and are formulated at the levels of knowledge, skills and attitudes.

QUALIFICATION

A qualification is a formal recognition of competencies acquired. A person acquires a qualification when the authorised body determines that the person has obtained the learning outcomes within a certain level and in accordance with the determined qualification standards, which is confirmed by a public document (a diploma or a certificate).

KEY COMPETENCIES

Key competencies are the competencies which provide personal fulfilment and development, social inclusion, active citizenship and employment. European framework of key competencies for life-long learning defines eight key competencies as:

  1. Communication in mother tongue is the ability to express and interpret thoughts, feelings and facts in both oral and written form, in the entirety of the social and cultural context, in the educational process, work, and in general communication;
  2. Communication in foreign languages is broadly related to the communication in mother tongue; however, the ability should vary between four modes of communication in foreign language – listening, speaking, reading and writing;
  3. Mathematical competence and basic competencies in sciences and technology are the ability to perform mathematical operations at the level of mental calculus and written calculus in order to solve a range of problems in every-day situations.
  4. Digital competence involves the confident and competent use of electronic media in work, leisure and communication;
  5. Learning how to learn is the inclination and the ability to organise and regulate the process of one’s own learning, including through effective management of time, acquiring, applying and evaluating key knowledge – at home, at work, in education and training;
  6. Interpersonal, intercultural, social and civic competencies are the effective participation in working and social life, including the ability to resolve conflicts, and efficient collaboration with others in a variety of situations and contexts;
  7. Sense of entrepreneurship and innovation refers to an individual’s ability to accept changes, support and adapt to changes, in accordance with external conditions, to take responsibility for one’s own actions, development of strategic visions, setting and carrying out tasks;
  8. Cultural awareness and cultural expression is the understanding of the importance of creative expression of ideas, experiences and emotions in a range of media, including music, dance, literature and visual arts.

COMPETENCE

Competence is an integrated set of knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes which enable a person to efficiently perform activities in work, in accordance with the standards expected.

NATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF QUALIFICATIONS (NFQ)

National framework of qualifications is an instrument encompassing a number and description of a level of qualifications, relations between qualifications, as well as paths of mobility and advancement. It encircles processes, bodies, i.e. organisations responsible for establishing qualifications, methods of acquiring qualifications, comparison, recognition, quality insurance and standards in accordance with which they are implemented.

RE-QUALIFICATION

Re-qualification is acquiring another qualification at the same, or lower level.

NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS REGISTRY

National qualification registry encompasses all individual qualifications classified according to the level and type, in accordance with the Qualifications classification, and it is a part of National Qualifications Framework.

EUROPEAN QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK

European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is a common European frame of reference, connecting national systems of qualifications and acts as a tool for comparison and easier understanding and interpreting qualifications between diverse states and educational systems in Europe.

NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (CLASSNQFS)

System for classification of qualifications in NQF harmonised with International standard classification of education. Introduction of CLASSNQFS establishes a unified system of classification, regardless of the existing classifications of educational profiles of pre-university education in 15 fields of work and study programmes, in 4 educational scientific areas and 1 educational artistic area, i.e. 46 scientific, expert and artistic fields within these 5 areas.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Adult education activity carried out through assessment of knowledge, skills and abilities acquired by education, life or work experience, enabling further learning and increase of competitiveness on labour market. The term in this document equals the European term „Validation of non-formal and informal learning“, which is implemented within NQF at the level of European educational policies, in accordance with the European recommendations for validation of non-formal and informal learning.

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STANDARD OF QUALIFICATIONS

Document established at the national level, containing a set of data describing qualification in detail. They are the foundation for the development of programmes of education/training and assessment of the competences development and achievement of learning outcomes for a specific qualification.

FIELD OF WORK

Economy activity of a specific type within which business subjects produce or provide similar products or service. Fields of work are classified according to economy activities sectors.

OCCUPATION

Occupation is a set of activities, the main duties and tasks of which are mutually related. It is defined as a set of tasks and duties which are carried out or should be carried out by one person, whether working for an employer or as self-employed, in accordance with the International standard classification of occupations ISCO–08.