providing clarity. releasing potential

UK National Contact Point for

Professional Qualifications

Katherine Latta, UK NCP Coordinator

Overview of Company Structure

ECCTIS

UK NARIC UK NCPUK NEC EC VET

History

1989ECCTIS Limited

April 1997UK NARIC

April 2001National Reference Point for Vocational Qualifications (UK NRP)

Early 2004National Europass Centre for the UK (UK NEC)

2007UK NARIC contract for a further 6 years

January 2008UK National Europass Centre until 2013

December 2008UK National Contact Point for Professional Qualifications (UK NCP)

July 2010ECVET NCP for England

About UK NARIC

UK’s national agency for recognition of international qualifications

Leading force in an international network of recognition bodies – NARIC / ENIC networks.

Global presence through expert advice to clients such as educational providers, State authorities, accreditation agencies, and employers across the world

Expertise in benchmarking the level and mapping the content of qualifications to national and international standards

Developed methodologies that have become recognised models of international best practice

What UK NARIC does

We provide information and advice about qualifications from overseas.

For individuals

We provide internationally recognised comparability statements detailing the how the qualification from overseas compares to the UK’s qualification frameworks. Meaning that individuals from outside the UK are able to clearly demonstrate how their qualifications compare to the UK’s frameworks.

For member organisations

We help businesses, academic institutions, recruitment / employment services and government departments to efficiently and effectively process applications from individuals with international qualifications.

We also supply contextual information and advice to help members understand more about the abilities of the individual from overseas.

Key UK NARIC services

• Comparability Statements

• Career Path Reports

• International Comparisons Database

• Vocational Comparisons Database

• Training and conferences

• Information bulletins

• Counter fraud service

• Publications

Other centres

UK NEC, National Europass centre – Government contract developing tools and measures in aid of international mobility

UK NCP, UK National Contact Point for Professional Qualifications – Government contract integrating professional qualifications into developed systems and processes in support of professional mobility

ECVET, European Credit Transfer System for Vocational Education & Training – Government contract implementing credit system to vocational and occupational based qualifications

UK NCP• UK National Contact Point for Professional Qualifications under Directive

2005/36/EC on professional qualifications

• A centre for professional qualifications: an extension, expansion and enhancement of our work, a point of contact regarding professional qualifications within our organisation

• Work within the larger network of EU contact points

• Our Goal: Aid the mobility of qualified professionals

• “Signpost” offering information and guidance

• Enquiries related to recognition of professional qualifications in the EU

• Advice on Directive 2005/36/EC

Signpost: advice and guidance

• UK NCP responds to enquiries from the public, competent authorities and EU bodies

• Advise on UK regulatory environment and regulatory status of professions

• Advise on criteria and applicability of Directive 2005/36/EC

• Advise individual professionals on locating the correct competent authority

• Provide website www.ukncp.org.uk

Working with the public: How we help

• Advise on whether profession is regulated• Direct individuals to competent authority• Offer guidance on sources of information for

unregulated professions• Liaise with applicant’s home state authorities to

clarify qualifications• Provide statements on the regulation of a

profession in the UK• Provide guidance on an individual’s rights

under the Directive• Provide advice to overseas authorities on

whether a UK professional meets the criteria of the Directive

UK NCP website

Sections of information for:

•Individuals• Incoming• Outgoing

•Organisations• Authorities• Contact

Points

Website: Information for individuals

The sections direct individual visitors to information on:

Coming to the UK? Information on professional recognition and automatic recognition, lists of regulated professions

Leaving the UK? Information, list of the Directive contact points, link to EC website

Website: Information for organisations

For UK authorities, summary of information on how we can assist them, link to the text of the Directive and other resources

For contact points, brief overview of the professional regulatory environment in the UK and links to lists of regulated professions and protected professional titles

Certificate of Experience

• Provide “Certificate of Experience” to eligible applicants• Self-employed individuals and managers may be requested to

provide a statement that they meet the conditions of Chapter II of the Directive (on automatic recognition of trades and crafts)

• Application on the website www.certex.org.uk

Working with UK competent authorities

• Advise on the application of Directive 2005/36/EC

• Advise on whether individuals meet the criteria of the Directive

• Liaise with EU partner organisation to obtain information for competent authorities regarding EU qualifications

• Support statements made by competent authorities regarding their organisation’s professional qualifications with further details and information

• Collect annual statistics to submit to the European Commission

How we work with EU authorities

• Answer queries from EU authorities or other contact points regarding status of professions in the UK and clarify questions regarding UK qualifications

• Assist EU authorities in locating the correct UK authority to contact with question in case of uncertainty

• Participate in network events with other contact points and the Commission• Collect statistics from UK authorities annually on the number of applications for recognition,

and the decisions taken, and provide to the Commission for publication on the web• Contribute to EU consultations and questionnaires

Working with IMI

UK NCP is the nominated contact on IMI for unregulated professions in the UK (those without a competent authority)

UK NCP receives questions on professions such as:•Electrical installation•Hairdressing

UK NCP provides information to overseas competent authorities, answering questions such as:•Is the profession regulated?•Does a particular qualification belonging to the applicant give access to the profession?•Does the applicant hold a genuine and valid UK qualification?•Is the qualification from a recognised awarding organisation?•Is the individual entitled to work in the UK?•Does the applicant’s qualification constitute ‘regulated education and training’?

Questions?