IFES (Instituto de Formación y Estudios Sociales

-Training and Social Research Institute-)

INTRODUCTION

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

AIMS

DISCUSSION

REFERENCES

IFES (Instituto de Formación y Estudios Sociales -Training and Social

Research Institute-) is a non-profit foundation representing the technical

instrument created by the Spanish Trade Union UGT for Lifelong Learning.

Founded in 1986, IFES has since then contributed to the improvement of the

professional qualification of more than 1.600.000 workers in Spain, through

more than 110.000 courses.

IFES, while serving as a technical tool for training in the occupational and

professional areas, accomplishes a social purpose focused on workers –both

employed and unemployed-, and contributes to the economic development

and the improvement of competiveness and quality of enterprises through

training.

Offering solutions to ensure knowledge updating and maintaining of the

professional competences of workers, promoting labour insertion.

Delivering training actions addressed to workers and companies from any

productive sector, adapting the contents to the needs of the different workers’

collectives.

Promoting and carrying out all types of research about training, employment

and qualifications, both at national and international levels.

Participating in the Spanish social and cultural life through the organisation

and/or the participation in congresses, seminars, specialised publications, etc.

WORK IN PROGRESS

E-mail: Ifes@ifes.es

IFES has promoted or participated in more than 100 research projects in the field of training and professional qualifications, both at national and at European

level.

Development of investigations in all the productive sectors, at a national level.

Promotion and management of transnational projects, participating actively in different programs and initiatives supported by the European Union.

Implication in the field of professional qualifications, at national and European levels.

-Learning outcomes as common ground for training offers, training management, trainers and tutors

-Sector Learning paths (learners) Active methodologies (trainers-tutors-learners).

- Training proposals for the recognition of non-formal and informal learning.

- Development of alternatives for improving the level of participation of the social partners in the lifelong learning processess.

- Development of an e-learning methodology geared to trainers regarding recognition of non-formal and informal learning.

-E-learning expertise in different EU countries.

-Design and development of training material for e-trainers in the non-formal training field.

- Assessment and improvement of quality of e-learning processes in the non-formal training field.

Which role should social partners assume to promote lifelong learning in the labour market?

Can e-learning processes contribute to increase the number of qualified workers in the labour market?

How can social partners contribute to the training of the trainers in relation to the recognition of competences adquired through non-formal ways?

How can e-learning support the development and implementation of the European Qualifications Framework?

•Toolbridge. Tools for assesment and recognition of skills in the Building sector. 2003-2006. Leonardo da Vinci programme.

• EUROMEAT. Qualification transparency in the meat sector of the European Union. 2005- 2007. Leonardo da Vinci programme

• Metal-Skills. Recognition of the non formal and informal learning of non qualified worker int metallurgic sector. 2007-2009. Leonardo da Vinci programme

• Food-Skills, Recognition of competences and qualifications in the European food industry. 2008-2010. Leonardo da Vinci programme

• Food-Fit. Methodological proposals to facilitate the implementation and development of the EQF for the food sector in the EU. Lifelong Learning programme

2009-2011.

• EQF-Spread. Proposals for the implementation and development of the Sectoral and National Qualifications Frameworks. Lifelong Learning programme

2010-2012.

CEDEFOP (2010). Terminology of European education and training policy A selection of 100 key terms. http://www.cedefop.europa.eu

CEDEFOP (2009). Skills supply and demand in Europe: medium-term forecast up to 2020

CEDEFOP (2009). The shift to learning outcomes Conceptual, political and practical developments in Europe

EUROPEAN COMMISSION (2009). Qualifications and the EQF “A Common Approach from the Sport and Active Leisure Sector to the Tools of Workforce Development and Worker Mobility”.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION (2009). The European qualifications framework for lifelong learning. Anita Kremo. DG Education and Culture.

JENS BJORNAVOLD and Mike Coles (2010). Added value of national qualifications frameworks in implementing the EQF.

MIKE COLES (2006). EQF descriptors and the QF - EHEA descriptors

MIKE COLES (2009). NQF developments and the EQF referencing process

RAFE, David (2008). Can National Qualifications Frameworks be Used to Change Education and Training Systems?

ZAHILAS, LOUKAS (2008). Cedefop’s role and contribution to to the EQF/sectoral developments