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2. Links between the National Qualification

Framework and the European Qualification

Framework

The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is a scoreboard for all types of
qualifications that is used to compare the levels of qualifications across different
education systems.
All qualifications awarded in Europe refer to the level of the NQF and, through
them, to the EQF. This international frame of reference is entirely based on
learning outcomes - there are no important factors characterizing local

education systems, e.g., the number of years of primary school education.
For this reason, each country develops its own NQF model and then refers to
the EQF in the so-called reference report. Each country is responsible for its
education system, its assessment of qualifications, and therefore also for how
practice will verify the value that will be assigned to its qualifications.
2

Poland
The Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF), like the EQF, consists of eight
qualification levels. Each PQF level is described with the use of descriptors. The

descriptors in the PQF capture the full spectrum of learning outcomes. They
reflect progress from the lowest to the highest level achieved by the learner.
The PQF descriptors show how the following abilities advance at successive
levels through learning in different contexts and stages of life:
• knowledge (e.g., depth, scope),
• skills (including problem-solving, the innovative application of knowledge
in practice, learning and communication),
• social competence (e.g., readiness to work with others, to assume

responsibility for assigned tasks).
A unique Polish solution is to distinguish two stages of descriptors in the PQF
levels:
• first stage generic (universal) descriptors – these relate to all sectors of
education,
• second stage generic descriptors – these detail the first stage generic
descriptors.
The PQF can also have third stage generic descriptors. These descriptors
already function in fields of learning in higher education. They are also used to
describe specific fields of activities (sectors) – known as “sectoral qualifications

frameworks”. The purpose of the sectoral qualifications frameworks (SQFs),

2 https://prk.men.gov.pl/europejska-rama-kwalifikacji-erk-2/

The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot
be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.