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John Hart

Research Associate/Consultant
Email: rjbhart@gmail.com
Tel: +44 (0)131 651 6314 or +44 (0)131 667 4065
Fax: +44 (0)131 651 6018 or +44 (0)131 667 4065

 

Biographical details

John joined CES in December 2003. He was previously Head of Qualifications Strategy with the Scottish Qualifications Authority and now works as an international consultant on education and training policy. Since 2003, in addition to his work with CES, he has worked mainly in Turkey and the Balkans, with some work in Africa. He is currently working on a skills development project in India.

 

Main areas of work

The main focus of John’s work is on the development and establishment of National Vocational Qualification Systems and National Qualifications Frameworks. Other work has included quality improvement in VET schools and the Recognition of Prior Learning.

 

Current and recent work

John has produced a number of reports approaches to assessing and recording generic skills and on comparing outcome-based frameworks.

He has undertaken work for the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework Partnership and the Welsh Assembly Government to investigate and report on the relationships between the Scottish and Welsh frameworks and on how these frameworks relate to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). He was also invited to comment on the reports referencing the Dutch and Maltese Qualifications Frameworks to the EQF. At home, he undertook studies for National Health Service Education Scotland looking at the relationship between NHS knowledge and skills and quality improvement frameworks and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and the Framework for Continuous Learning in Social Services.

Over the past few years he has completed work in Albania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Kosova and Turkey to prepare for the establishment of inclusive qualifications frameworks and systems to improve the quality of vocational education and training qualifications. From 2011-2013 he acted as a consultant on policy and legislation in Turkey preparing for the establishment of a new nationwide system of lifelong learning support and promotion, and he is currently working with the authorities in India to establish a National Skills Qualifications Framework.

 

Selected papers and publications


2010
Credit systems for lifelong learning: CS3L background report on Scotland, Report to the German Federal Institute of Vocational Training, Edinburgh: Centre for Educational Sociology, Edinburgh (with D.Raffe and C.Howieson).

Recognising Achievement: Literature Review and Model for Managing Recognition Processes, Final Report to the Scottish Government, 54p, Edinburgh: SGELLD (with C.Howieson and S.Semple).
2009
Developing a National System of Vocational Qualifications, E.MacLean and Wilson (eds) UNESCO-UNEVOC International Handbook of Education for the world of work.

Cross-Referencing Qualifications Frameworks, CES Briefing No. 49, Edinburgh: Centre for Educational Sociology, University of Edinburgh.

Report on the Compatibility of the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW) with the European Qualifications Framework (Report prepared for the Welsh Assembly Government).

SCQF International Conference "Breaking barriers and crossing boundaries: the role of NQFs in promoting learner mobility" (Report of the Glasgow Conference 23-24 March 2009).
2008
Report on the Compatibility of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework with the European Qualifications Framework, Report prepared for the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership.

Initial Exercise to Benchmark the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) and the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW) (Report prepared for the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership and the Welsh Assembly Government - unpublished).

Core skills past, present and future (Report prepared for the Scottish Qualifications Authority, with Cathy Howieson – unpublished).
2007
The Development of National Qualifications and Quality Assurance Frameworks in the Context of the TVET Reform in Romania (European Journal of Education,Vol. 42, No. 4, with Adela Rogojinaru, University of Bucharest)

Policy continuity and policy learning in “Action Plan”, “Higher Still” and beyond (with Ron Tuck), in Policy Making and Policy Learning ed Raffe and Spours, published, University of London Institute of Education, 2007.

Developing a National System of Vocational Qualifications, forthcoming UNESCO-UNEVOC discussion paper.

The Development of National Qualifications and Quality Assurance Frameworks in the Context of TVET Reform in Romania (with Adela Rogojinaru), in European Journal of Education, 42(4), 2007.
2006
Occupational Standards and Training Standards/Qualifications, paper prepared for IB PHARE Project – Romania, 2006.

Recognition of Prior Learning for Post-High School Students and other claimants, paper prepared for IB PHARE Project – Romania, 2006.

The nature and role of Sector Committees in the Romanian National Qualifications Framework (NQF), paper prepared for IB PHARE Project – Romania, 2006.

Profiles of Achievement: An investigation into international developments, SQA Research Bulletin No. 20.
2005
How do centres estimate pupil’s attainment? (with Cathy Howieson), SQA Research Bulletin No 12.

NQFs as credit systems, SAQA Bulletin, 8(1). Towards an NQF Research Agenda: Proceedings of the NQF Colloquium, Pretoria, 13-14 June 2005, Pretoria: South African Qualifications Authority, www.saqa.org.za.

Work-related short-cycle qualifications – Scottish Higher National Qualifications (with Cathy Howieson), paper prepared for the Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning.

Developing a National Qualification Framework: Considerations based on the Scottish Experience, EU VET Programme II Seminar - Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Skills for Scotland - Proposals for a National Strategy, paper prepared for the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
2004
Unitisation – Benefits and Issues (with Cathy Howieson), SQA Research Bulletin No 9.

The relevance of the National Qualifications Framework Impact Study to qualification framework development in the Southern African Development Community (with Ron Tuck and James Keevey), SAQA Bulletin, 6(2). Thinking and doing education and training anew: South African Qualifications Authority, www.saqa.org.za.