Both in work settings and in daily life, there is a growing need for individuals to develop high-level competences to address complex challenges. Transversal competences set the foundation for personal development, resilience, the ability to communicate and work constructively with others, problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage one’s learning and career. Yet transversal competences are. not always valued or made visible in guidance and validation processes for adult learners. TRANSVAL-EU, one of the largest policy experimentations in Europe, has aimed to bridge this gap in guidance and assessment in the area of validation of non-formal and informal learning (VNFIL).

Presentation

Both in work settings and in daily life, there is a growing need for individuals to develop high-level competences to address complex challenges. Transversal competences set the foundation for personal development, resilience, the ability to communicate and work constructively with others, problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage one’s learning and career. Yet transversal competences are. not always valued or made visible in guidance and validation processes for adult learners.

TRANSVAL-EU, one of the largest policy experimentations in Europe, has aimed to bridge this gap in guidance and assessment in the area of validation of non-formal and informal learning (VNFIL).

The TRANSVAL-EU research conference, to be held in Paris 18 – 19 April 2023, will:

• Share opportunities to explore and debate dimensions of research, policy and practice in this area
• Share results of the TRANSVAL-EU research study, including findings from the impact study among the involved practitioners and validation candidates (adult learners) and good practices from the pilot study countries (Austria, Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, and Poland).

The TRANSVAL-EU research conference will show the innovative studies concerning the impact of validation processes for adult learners and especially the impact on their daily lives and their labour market position in addition to the impact on the competences of the practitioners involved. Besides, it provides opportunities for researchers to share their work in the field of validation of non-formal and informal learning (VNFIL) of transversal skills, including panels, a poster session, workshops, and a networking event. 

Submission guidelines

The TRANSVAL-EU research conference (18 – 19 April 2023) will include an onsite poster session featuring recent, completed studies relevant to guidance and validation of adult learners’ transversal competences.

Researchers are invited to submit poster and paper proposals for completed work relevant to VNFIL of transversal skills. TRANSVAL-EU will also publish a post-conference online compendium of short papers presenting recent research (not exceeding 2500 words). Accepted short papers will be published online in a post-conferencecompendium. 

Poster proposals and short papers submitted will be peer reviewed. Accepted posters will include: “Poster: Full-Title”, a full abstract with research highlights and key figures. The related short papers should summarize research methods and findings in greater detail.

Poster Submission Deadline: 18 March 2023

Please send your submission to: transval@oead.at

Criteria for the peer review of poster and paper proposals are below.

Areas of particular interest include:

• Definition of transversal skills
• Learner progression and development of transversal skills
• Assessment and validation of adults’ transversal skills
• Context /governance structures and their impact on policy and practice related to the validation of transversal skills
• Engagement with employers, guidance and validation counselors and other stakeholders in the design and implementation of policies and practices related to guidance and validation of transversal skills
• Issues related to gender, migrant background, education level, socioeconomic status etc.
• Professionalisation of guidance and validation counsellors/practitioners

Posters on research in Europe and its Member States may address:

• Conceptual debates and tensions
• Results of empirical research
• Studies on policy design and implementation
• Foresight / issues – policy implications

Criteria for selection include:

• Importance/relevance of the research topic
• Overall quality of the research
• Originality of text (new insights, policy lessons…)
• Clarity and conciseness of presentation and structure (purpose, analysis, implications)
• Clarity and focus of the research question/problem statement
• References to key literature and embeddedness in theory/research (up-to-date, well-anchored)
• Appropriateness of method
• International contextualisation and/or comparative perspective
• Implications for policy and practice are discussed and are relevant
• Brings new insights, approaches or policy lessons to the knowledge community

Posters will also be evaluated for:

• Linguistic form
• Formal quality of text

Length of the paper submitted along the poster (2500 words)

Posters should be presented in English and follow APA style guidelines.

The TRANSVAL-EU project addresses the complex issue of validation of transversal skills. On one hand, employers place an increasing importance on transversal skills. On one hand, employers place an increasing importance on transversal skills. On the other hand, transversal skills are only an implicit part of the existing validation and guidance processes.

Scientific committee

• Jean-Claude Ruano-Borbalan, Conservatoire national des Arts et Métiers (CNAM)
• Janet Looney, European Institute of Education and Social Policy (EIESP)
• Karl Andrew Müllner, Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OEAD)