What is ECVET?

ECVET is designed to facilitate the transfer, accumulation and recognition of people's learning outcomes, from one VET system to another, or from an informal learning situation to a formal learning context.
 
It requires and promotes transparency of qualifications and learning outcomes, procedures (quality assurance, assessment or recognition), learning processes and pathways, structures.
 
ECVET is based on the division of qualifications into units and on the description of learning outcomes of each unit using the three descriptors of EQF; knowledge, skills, and competences, making clear the EQF level of reference.
 
According to the "Technical Specifications" from the Commission concerning ECVET ("European Credit system for VAT: technical specifications",  report of the Credit transfer technical Working Group, on 28 June 2005): "the definition and the description of learning outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills and competences and the organisation of the unit have to be done at national level by the competent body responsible for the relevant qualification and its implementation".
 
Qualifications and units are represented by a specific number of credit points. Credit points express the volume of learning outcomes in each unit and provide information on the relative weight of the units which make up a qualification.