The process of validation of non-formal and informal learning

On 20 December 2012 the Council of the European Union issued a “Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning” which calls upon the individual Member States to introduce corresponding regulations by the year 2018. To this end, the Recommendation specifies central elements of a validation process. The article begins by outlining the background and intentions of these efforts, and goes on to concretise the definitions of individual elements. Finally, examples of national developments on implementation of the Council Recommendation are briefly considered – with particular regard to individual steps in the process.