Recognition of prior competence as part of personalisation of studies

The Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) hosted its online Peer Review on 26 and 27 November 2025. Eight EQAVET Network members from Austria, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Spain acted as peer reviewers.

In Finland, every Vocational Education and Training (VET) learner can personalise their programme of study. An essential part of this process is the VET provider’s responsibility to identify and recognise each learner’s prior achievements before they begin a programme or unit. 

The Peer Review examined how the quality of this identification and recognition process is ensured, with a particular focus on relevant skills or knowledge that have not been formally verified through certificates, transcripts, or similar documents issued by a competent authority such as an educational institution. These competences may have been acquired through work experience, studies in other institutions or abroad, work placement periods, or leisure activities.

The peer reviewers provided EDUFI with feedback on the types of support that could be offered to VET providers, as well as suggestions for promoting greater equality among learners during the identification and recognition of their prior competence.

Read the flash report summarising the main outcomes of the discussion.

Additionally, a separate report containing detailed feedback from the peer reviewers will be shared with the host country.