The challenge

Most of our learning takes place in non-formal and informal contexts. Yet, such learning often goes unrecognised and remains invisible. This limits access to progression pathways in education and the labour market for many groups in society. The challenge is to ensure that prior learning - be it formal, non-formal or informal - becomes visible and valued, unlocking benefits for learners, organisations and society.

Research impact – recognising non-formal & informal learning

Professor Souto Otero’s work on the recognition of formal, non-formal and informal learning has had a significant impact globally. His contributions have influenced the development of stronger systems for the recognition of prior learning on an international scale.

A major contribution is his long-standing work on the European Inventory on Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning, a regularly updated resource developed in collaboration with the European Commission and The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop). The inventory provides a comprehensive overview of validation policies and practices across over 30 European countries, serving as a reference point for policymakers, educators and stakeholders in this field. By informing discussions on best practices, the European Inventory fosters cross-border learning and cooperation.

The findings from this inventory directly support the work of the European Qualifications Framework Advisory Group (EQF AG), which includes all EU Member States, social partners, and representatives from the third sector. The European Training Foundation (ETF) has expanded this research, applying its methodology to assess validation systems in a broader range of countries outside of the EU, showing the relevance of this work.

The recognition of prior formal learning can also be difficult, in particular when people move across countries. In 2024, Professor Souto Otero’s research on a European quality assurance and recognition system informed the European Commission’s Higher Education Package. His research emphasised the importance of ensuring better implementation of EU Member States’ commitment to automatic mutual recognition of qualifications in higher education, to improve the recognition of qualifications obtained abroad.

It also highlighted the need to better align quality assurance and recognition systems. The implementation of a European quality assurance and recognition system by EU member states will have a significant impact on thousands of higher education institutions and millions of students across Europe, facilitating cross-border learning and career mobility.

Relatedly, Professor Souto Otero has contributed to the Erasmus+ mid-term evaluation, the largest EU-funded education and training programme, with a budget in excess of 26 billion Euros (2021-2027). This work helped improve the effectiveness and impact of Erasmus+, including in the area of recognition of non-formal and informal learning. At the level of Member States, Professor Souto-Otero has helped the Ministry of Education in Estonia to bring non-formal and formal learning closer together in schools, to improve retention and achievement in education.

Beyond Europe, Professor Souto Otero’s has collaborated with the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, co-designing and delivering two capacity-building online programmes: ‘Pathways to Opportunity: Making Recognition, Validation, and Accreditation (RVA) Inclusive for Migrants and Refugees’ and ‘Skillsets in Transit: Ensuring RVA of Prior Learning for All’ - this last programme also in collaboration with ILO-Cinterfor.

Together these have provided hundreds of participants, including Ministries of Education and Labour, Qualifications Authorities, practitioners and other stakeholders from over 50 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean with essential knowledge and tools to implement inclusive recognition systems.

Participants are now able to use their knowledge to make evidence-based decisions and justify, even promote, changes in policy and practice, building on a stronger conceptual understanding of the topic area, technical guidance, and examples from international good practices. - ILO/Cinterfor Skills Development Senior Specialist.

Practitioners involved in the courses have subsequently led a great range of initiatives, from the setting up of a framework for the validation of skills for Sports Coaches in Trinidad and Tobago, to the setting up of new initiatives on skills recognition for domestic care workers - particularly targeted at migrant women and refugees who had prior experience in child and elderly care - in Kenya.

These programmes were followed up by specific capacity building workshops with policymakers from Cambodia, Laos PDR, Namibia and South Africa, supporting the creation of lifelong learning strategies for these countries which place flexible learning and recognition at the centre. These developed policymakers’ understandings of the importance of validation, and the need for greater stakeholder involvement and advocacy to achieve impact on the ground.

Through these initiatives, Professor Souto Otero’s work has shaped European and global education policies, contributing to ensure that different forms of learning are recognised and valued. His research and policy recommendations continue to drive improvements in education systems, contributing to expand opportunities, facilitate mobility and enhance inclusion in learning and employment internationally.