The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership

Background

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (the Framework) promotes lifelong learning in Scotland. Through the Framework you can find out about all mainstream qualifications in Scotland and plan your future learning. The Framework supports everyone in Scotland, including learning providers and employers, by:

• helping people of all ages and circumstances to get access to appropriate education and training so they can meet their full potential;
• helping employers, learners and the general public to understand the full range of Scottish qualifications, how qualifications relate to each other and to other forms of learning, and how different types of qualification can contribute to improving the skills of the workforce.

By using two measures, the level of a qualification and the number of credit points awarded for that qualification, the Framework helps you understand and compare qualifications.(The level of a qualification increases with the complexity of the course. The number of credit points for a qualification is based on the amount of time that an 'average' learner studying at the appropriate level might take to achieve the outcome of that course. One credit point represents 10 hours of learning time.)

The Framework also provides an extremely important way of recognising 'outcome-based learning' (learning that is related to things that you can do) and 'quality-assured learning' (learning that has been assessed and checked by someone else) in a wide range of settings (for example, learning in the workplace or in the community).

Partnership

In November 2006 the SCQF Partnership Board was set up to manage the Framework. Our members are:

• the Association of Scotland's Colleges;
• the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education;
• Scottish Ministers;
• the Scottish Qualifications Authority; and
• Universities Scotland.

We are not run to make a profit and are a registered charity.

The Aims of the SCQF Partnership

The SCQF Partnership's aims are to:

• Maintain the quality and integrity of the Framework;
• Promote and develop the Framework as a way of supporting lifelong learning;
• Develop and maintain relationships with frameworks in the rest of the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.

Maintaining the quality and integrity of the Framework is vital for it to be successful. The SCQF Board established the SCQF Quality Committee to support the quality of the Framework and to provide clear, accurate technical information to learners, the public and others with an interest in learning, including learning providers and employers.

The Framework provides the language used to describe all learning. Effective communication is at the heart of the Framework and we are supporting a communication programme for the people of Scotland. We also produce publications about learning in Scotland and keep relevant people up to date with developments through our website (www.scqf.org.uk) and SCQF Updates, which we produce every six months.

To help us support the Framework, we have set up the SCQF Forum. The Forum is made up of senior representatives from the fields of education, business and communities in Scotland. The forum gives us advice to make sure the Framework continues to meet the needs of all learners, employers and other users of Scottish qualifications, both within Scotland and in Europe and the rest of the world.

The Framework is at the heart of helping individual learners, learning providers, users of qualifications and policymakers promote a culture of lifelong learning in Scotland. If you need more information, please get in touch with our Chief Executive as follows.

Aileen Ponton
39 St Vincent Place
Glasgow G1 2ER
Phone 0845 270 7371

Email: a.ponton@scqf.org.uk
Website: www.scqf.org.uk