"The EQF Recommendations, and other EU strategic documents on VET and LLL policies, recommend that Member States implement overarching NQFs. All of the member states declared their willingness to implement NQFs, and most have already presented referencing reports to the EQF AG. According to Cedefop (2015), the first stage of EQF implementation is reaching its final stage. However, in most EU countries that have implemented an NQF, only formal qualifications can be referenced to it, while very few countries have introduced systemic solutions for the inclusion of non-formal qualifications (e.g. Scotland, Ireland, France). Europe is just now beginning to face the stage of implementing solutions to include non-formal qualifications in NQFs. It is envisaged that in the coming years, the inclusion of non-formal qualification will constitute one of most important topics in discussions on NQF implementation at the EU and national levels. Central issues in these discussions will consist of model solutions, the quality assurance of this process and its financial aspects.The main goal of the NQF-in project is to provide evidence based support to national governments, EU agencies and key stakeholders in developing policies on including non-formal sector qualification in NQFs. This was done by: (1) analysing systemic solutions implemented in 7 EU countries and by (2) developing organisational and financial models relating to the inclusion of non-formal qualifications in NQFs. Each analysed country case includes a description of (a) main elements of the qualifications system and the role of the NQF; (b) institutional arrangements - which institutions are responsible for NQF management, and the quality assurance of non-formal qualifications; (c) costs of including qualifications in the NQF, indicating who covers these costs; (d) strengths and weaknesses of particular systemic solutions. Each developed model includes a description of: (a) institutional arrangements - its pros and cons depending on the goals set for the NQF, and the broad institutional context, (b) cost intensity - how cost intensive are systemic solutions envisaged by the model, (c) recommendations on its financing, (d) “conditions of success”, i.e. which conditions have to be met in order for a particular model to work effectively within the national qualifications system.Better evidence-based support for decision makers and stakeholders provides more impetus and greater efficiency in NQF implementation and its opening to the non-formal sector, resulting in better VET and LLL policies within EU countries and at the EU level. NQF-in Project has direct impact on the work of EU agencies e.g. at the invitation of the EQF AG, the NQF-in team gave an extensive presentation about project results during the meeting of EQF AG Project Group on international qualifications in September 2018.Main results of the project are:1. ""Including Non-formal Sector Qualifications in National Qualifications Frameworks – The Experiences and Solutions of Seven European Countries""The publication consists of two volumes: Volume I – Country Reports, Volume II – Annexes to the Country Reports. Within the NQF-in Project, we collected the experiences of seven European countries that are at different stages of NQF implementation: France, Ireland and Scotland have many years of experience in operating a qualifications system based on a national qualifications framework; Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland are in various initial phases of this process. These experiences are presented in reports prepared by each NQF-in Project partner.2. ""Proposed Models of Including Non-formal Sector Qualifications in National Qualifications Frameworks""Based on an in-depth analysis of seven countries about the process of including qualifications outside of formal education in NQF-based systems, as well as discussions with experts and stakeholders, the publication presents a proposed typology of qualifications that may be included in such systems, the characteristics of a qualifications system important in the context of including qualifications, a set of variants for each distinguished characteristic, as well as the impact of these variants on the properties of the system. The theoretical work is preceded by an overview of the definitions of concepts and terms currently used in relationship to the presented work and a review of different approaches to qualifications frameworks.3. Two international conferences with active participation of representatives of policy-makers at the regional, national and EU levels, among others representatives of the European Commission, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, King's College London.The project results were prepared in cooperation with seven European institutions from Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, and UK-Scotland."

Project Green Wheels addresses some of the long-term strategic objectives of EU education that were defined by The Education and Training 2020 work programme (ET 2020), namely improving the quality and efficiency of education and training and enhancing creativity and innovation in education and training.The project aimed to create open learning materials in the newly emerging field of Operation, repair and service of hybrid and electric vehicles, by using innovative methods and approaches such as Critical thinking, Inquiry-based learning, Collaborative learning, Flipped classroom, Peer Instructions etc. The project focused on improving and enriching teacher methodology through innovative methods, extensive teacher trainings and mentoring. The project intends to develop a new professional curriculum using EU criteria (ECVET-EQAVET) designing competencies for Operation, repair and service of hybrid and electric vehicles through innovative e-learning materials and work based learning activities. The projects created tangible and intangible results such as: complex online learning management system (LMS), e-learning modules and worksheets for practical assignments, online picture-based explanatory dictionary in all project languages, blended learning resources, ECVET system in the VET in the automotive industry of hybrid and electric vehicles in the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary and the United Kingdom.Furthermore, the project focused on creating guidelines for ECVET system in the field Operation, repair and service of hybrid and electric vehicles at VET schools in the project countries. The new curricula observed ECVET concept using EQAVET indicators to enable their adoptability across EU. The project primarily makes an impact on VET providers in automotive industry so that their graduates would improve the skills missing in this industry sector and on professional motor industry companies that will have more skilled workforce.The project results are disseminated to a wide range of stakeholders (VET providers, professional organizations, regulatory bodies in education, etc.) inside and outside the project countries to increase the sustainability and adoptability of project results. Project consortium consisted of partners from 4 countries (CZ, SK, UK and HU). In each of the participating countries there are –among others- one VET school, one professional association in the automotive field and other partners, such as regulatory bodies, etc. Sector skills partners are professional associations and key car industry players that provide professional feedback to the learning materials and make sure the material include stat-of-art technologies and approaches. The involved VET schools pilot and test the newly developed materials, the regulatory bodies actively participated in designing the methodological system and incorporating the ECVET in the school curriculum. The project was led by the CFME which has substantial experience with managing and administering international educational projects.Thoughout the project run we have accmplished to develop all 82 worksheets based on innovative teaching methods, 20 CLIL worksheets for English for automotive, we have prepared a basis of a Teacher´s Guide, online sound and picture based dictionary and prepared e-learning activities to accompany the worksheets. The teacher trainings focused on innovative teaching methods have been carried out in 4 project countries and we have trained not only project partner schools teachers, but also teachers from schools outside the project. We have also completed the ECVET units system for the field of EV and HV operations and are working on its implementation into school curricula. We have started a dialogue with regulatory bodies and helped to promote mutual collaboration of VET schools and car companies as their potential employers.