The office for Standards and Qualifications within the Malta Qualifications Council is responsible for the development, promotion and maintenance of the Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF) (PDF) and the National Occupational Standards related to sectors in vocational education and training (VET).
The Malta Qualifications Framework as launched in June 2007 does not include all the qualifications offered by all public and private education and training providers. The MQF provides an indication of the level of difficulty as a benchmark for other qualifications which need to be assigned a level and mapped to the framework. Therefore regular meetings are held with public and private providers to discuss the level of difficulty of qualifications on the basis of a set of level descriptors.
The level descriptors were originally introduced by Legal Notice 347 of 2005 (PDF) which set up the Malta Qualifications Council. These descriptors are neutral reference points to be used for all qualifications irrespective whether it is academic or vocational; formal, informal and non-formal learning. The level descriptors (PDF) are useful for education and training providers as they describe the Knowledge, Skills and Competences and a set of Learning Outcomes which indicate to the learner the end of a learning process.
Learning Outcomes mean what a learner is expected to know and be able to do at the end of a learning process. Therefore learning is associated with employability and the needs of employers. Learning Outcomes-based qualifications is one of a number of standards which education and training providers must abide with in order to level-rate qualifications and align them to the MQF. When the education and training providers meet the quality standards established by MQC both parties sign a formal Protocol identifying in detail the qualifications and levels with the MQF.
The concept of learning outcomes is the basis of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) (PDF) with which all National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs) must be referenced to by 2010. The Standards and Qualifications unit is responsible for this referencing process and for further consultation on the Referencing Report. By 2012 all information on qualifications, diploma supplements and transcripts of all assessed qualifications in Europe must indicate the level of the NQF and its corresponding EQF level.
All qualifications across the framework must address the Occupational Standards. This unit is responsible for the design, publication and promotion of a set of National Occupational Standards in nine identified sectors. The objective of such Standards is for the education and training providers to match learning with the skills and competences one is expected to be responsible for in work environments. These standards would be a guidance tool for employers especially when they wish to recruit workers. All stakeholders including social partners are involved in the design of these Occupational Standards.
MQC Signs Qualifications Protocol with ITS (PDF)
FAQ’s on Standards and Qualifications (PDF)
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