Making qualifications comparable across Europe

In future, educational attainments and occupational qualifications earned in Germany will be made more comparable across Europe. The German federal government and the German federal states agreed on this by signing a joint decision on the German Qualifications Framework (Deutscher Qualifikationsrahmen - DQR).

This decision creates the basis for the gradual assignation of a DQR standard to qualifications earned as of summer 2013; this standard will be shown on the qualification certificates. For instance, a three-year first-time vocational education and training course will be assigned Level 4, whereas the degrees of bachelor, master craftsman and technician will correspond to Level 6.

This assignation system will be for the equal benefit of students, people in gainful employment, enterprises and educational institutions, because the value of their educational attainments will be rendered visible in comparison to those of other European countries. The aim of the scheme is to considerably simplify applying for a job and changing jobs within the European Union.

"The Qualifications Framework creates more transparency and mobility throughout Europe. With the conjoint assignation of both the bachelor and master craftsman degrees in the same level, we illustrate the equality of academic and vocational education and increase the freedom to choose between educational paths", said Federal Education Minister Prof. Dr Johanna Wanka.

The Federal Minister of Economy, Dr Rösler, highlighted the great importance of vocational education and training for ensuring the skilled labour supply: "The German Qualifications Framework awards the vocational education and training system the recognition it rightfully deserves. Vocational education and training is made more comparable and the perception of its high status will be improved not only in Germany, but throughout Europe. This form of occupational education is characterised by interesting career paths leading well up to self-employment."

The German Qualifications Framework implements the recommendation of the European Parliament and the European Council for establishing the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning. The development of the DQR took place in a process of several years and was supervised by the German federal government and the federal states, including the continuous collaboration on part of social partners and industry organisations as well as of other experts from the fields of science and practice.

During a summit talk in January 2012, the German federal government, the German federal states, social partners and industry organisations agreed on a basic guideline for implementing the DQR and on the assignation of key qualifications within the formal education system. In a next step, the DQR is to include also learning results from the non-formal area of education outside the established system. By the end of this year, a group of experts is expected to submit suggestions for implementing this next step.