The ITCILO and ILO’s Employment Department, Skills and Employability Branch join forces to organize the first edition of this free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC).

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a process of identifying, documenting, assessing and certifying formal, non-formal and informal learning outcomes against standards used in formal education and training.

For many individuals who lack the recognized qualifications to access the labour market, further education and decent jobs, RPL enables them to acquire a formal qualification that matches their knowledge and skills, and thereby contribute to improving their employability, mobility, lifelong learning, social inclusion and self-esteem.

Therefore, RPL not only serves as a policy tool to increase social inclusion and equity, it also helps to increase the employability of workforce and strengthened qualifications systems.

This MOOC is part of the ILO’s efforts in supporting countries to develop and implement RPL systems. It unfolds over seven weeks, during which participants will gain an indepth understanding of RPL including the basic definitions, underpinning theories, typical processes, assessment design, and emerging trends in digitalisation. Apart from presenting a wide range of existing and emerging RPL practices from around the world, the MOOC also features online webinars, forum discussions with international experts, peer-to-peer learning and knowledge-sharing among participants from different countries.

The MOOC is part of the ITCILO’s extensive Skills Development portfolio, which targets worldwide capacity building needs to support the implementation of TVET and skills development programs around the globe.

There are two key target groups, who are accommodated by the unique design of the MOOC. The MOOC is, in fact, two courses in one:

• RPL Essentials course (weeks 1 – 3), which is designed for those people who are new to RPL who need a quick overview of the key features, processes and practices of RPL.
• RPL Development course (weeks 1 – 7), which is designed for those who need deeper insight into the underpinning theory of RPL, the systemic enablers, assessment tool design, e-RPL and advocacy.

This MOOC is intended for a wide range of stakeholders who are interested in learning about RPL, or are currently involved in designing and implementing RPL, including:

• Policy makers and technical advisors in Ministries working in the field of skills development, TVET, qualification systems and RPL
• Representatives and staff of national and sectoral agencies working on qualifications and RPL
• Members of skills councils, national TVET authorities or similar institutions
• Representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations involved in RPL and transitions
• Experts and technical staff working in the field of TVET planning and skills development
• Experts and technical staff from CSOs, NGOs and other civil society actors, working in the field of skills development, TVET, qualifications and RPL.

The final beneficiaries of the MOOC will be a wide range of individuals and groups benefiting from specific and demand-driven RPL systems. This includes jobseekers of all ages and backgrounds, especially young people and recent graduates, workers in the informal economy, current and future TVET trainees and apprentices, planners in the skills development, TVET and education sectors, RPL specialists and qualification systems experts, curriculum developers and staff of vocational training institutions.

Given the unique and unrivalled position of the ILO in the RPL arena, the MOOC will put participants and their organizations at the heart of current debate and policy options on the topic. By the end of the MOOC, participants will have acquired a holistic understanding of key characteristics of RPL, with clear learning outcomes stated at the beginning of each module.

The overall objectives of the MOOC are:

• to promote an increased understanding of RPL and the mainstreaming of RPL into national policies, systems and strategies throughout the world;
• to support policy makers, RPL practitioners and anyone interested in RPL to design and implement effective RPL systems, policies and programmes;
• to facilitate knowledge exchange and co-creation by capturing the good practices and innovative solutions shared by international experts and experienced practitioners.

Participants will leave this course connected to a global network of RPL policy-makers and practitioners involved in advancing RPL agenda throughout the world, which will build towards an impressive body of knowledge on the topic.

The key topics covered by each of the seven weeks are outlined below:

• Week 1: Overview of RPL including definitions, purposes, principles, types, contexts, barriers, target candidates, the ILO approach and the VPL Berlin declaration.
• Week 2: A typical RPL process.
• Week 3: Implemented of RPL in various contexts and for a range of different purposes.
• Week 4: The theory that underpins RPL practices, the concept of adult learning and the emerging theory of RPL as a pedagogy in its own right.
• Week 5: RPL assessment instruments and tools.
• Week 6: Broader systemic issues around RPL, including RPL system enablers and obstacles.
• Week 7: Emerging digitalization of RPL and advocacy for RPL.

This innovative MOOC has been designed according to a learner-centred approach in order to better involve participants and keep them motivated. It is highly interactive and engaging, using different methods throughout the seven weeks of the course to make the content interesting, relevant and entertaining.

Each week is made up of two or three short interactive modules, which feature video, interviews with experts, self-reflection questions and quizzes. Through forum discussions and peer-to-peer projects, participants also have the opportunity to learn from international experts and engage in knowledge exchange and co-creation with fellow participants.

A certificate will be issued for participants who complete the required assessments, for each of the two courses which constitute the MOOC.

Participants will be required to have a good knowledge of English, as training materials will be available on the e-platform in this language.