Felgueiras (PT)/Essen (GER), June 2012 - Co-coordinator Sandra Feliciano of the European Q-Cert-VET program has announced that the Portuguese standard prNP 4512:2012, Training Management Systems, including Technology Enhanced Learning, is entering the public inquiry phase.
The standard, which was adapted from the German certification program Quality Platform Learning and harmonized with several Portuguese and international standards by the Technical Committee IPQ/CTA25, was open for public consideration and feedback in May. After collecting and evaluating all feedback received, the Portuguese Institute for Quality (IPQ) intends to publish the results on 15 June.
Meanwhile, Q-Cert-VET partners in charge of the pilot testing of prNP 4512:2012 have begun preparing for their contribution to the project. Testing of the standard based upon a preliminary version is already taking place in two training companies in Portugal (Prisma and iZone). Further pilot testing in Germany (Helliwood) and Romania (CRFCAPL-Sibiu) started in May 2012, after the translation into English of prNP 4512:2012.
As the standard is intended to be the basis for a future accredited certification system for European VET providers, including TEL, these pilot tests outside of Portugal are essential to validate the content of prNP 4512:2012 in other national contexts. After further evaluation and optimization, the quality certification standard will be submitted to the European standardization CEN TC 353 in order to attempt to work towards an official European Norm (EN) for quality and certification in vocational education and training.
Additionally, the call for papers for the first European conference "Learning Innovations and Quality" (LINQ 2012), organized by the Q-Cert-VET consortium, is open until 10 July 10. The event invites experts and practitioners to contribute to the dialogue on the Quality Certification in Learning, Education and Training (LET).
