Current members Spanish Observatory of Validation of Professional Competencies (OBSERVAL)

Spanish Observatory of Validation of Professional Competencies (OBSERVAL)

Observatorio de la Validación de Competencias Profesionales (OBSERVAL)

website: https://www.observal.es

Description

The Spanish Observatory is focused on validation of learning outcomes acquired in non-formal and informal contexts and labor experience in terms of professional and transversal competencies. The main target group of people for us are adults with low-level skills who need to be recognized their prior learning, and volunteers involved in human development, working with disfavored people. Our interest is aimed in empowerment of adults promoting the validation of their expertise and improving their basic skills through “skills audit” (bilan de competence). The University of Valladolid, as official institution, covers and gives us support to all our activities in this field of study, promoting the research and expertise. Since 2008, we have developed several and different activities related to adults developing training for advisers and evaluators, reports and meetings in the field of basic, vocational and transversal skills.

National / international impact

The Observatory is a well-known organization in Spain in the field of validation and we have agreements with the labor and education administration, as regional as national level. We are involved in national and international networks related to validation and prior learning, and career guidance, as well. Our interest in adult education is linked with the local, regional and national organizations of adult education promoting agreements, meetings and joint collaborations in European projects. We participate in campaigns related to vocational and basic skills.

Links

Cedefop (2020). Inventory of lifelong guidance systems and practices – Spain (ES). CareersNet national records.

Carro, L. (2017). Country report: Spain. European Inventory on Validation: 2016 Update. Thessaloniki, Greece: CEDEFOP.

Comwork Project (2016). Learning units for competences of social and educational professionals: Trainers guidelines.

Observal (2015). Spanish national study on strategic non-formal and informal competences of social and educational professionals. Comwork: Exchanging practices for recognize and validate competences of social and educational professionals. European Project Erasmus+ KA2. 

Carro, L. (2015). El panorama de la validación y acreditación de competencias en España [The panorama of the validation and accreditation of competencies in Spain]. Certiuni Journal, 1, 10-24.

Solidar (ed.)(2014). Building Learning Societies: Promoting validation of skills, competences and knowledge acquired through non-formal and informal learning within society and in the workplace. Brussels: Solidar.

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