Implementation of Turkish Qualifications System and Framework Operation (TUYEP)

Action /Activity:

Action II: Education and Training

Activity II.III:  Strengthening National Qualifications System and Promoting LLL & Adaptability

Title of the Operation:

Implementation of Turkish Qualifications System and Framework Operation (TUYEP)

Operation number:

TREESP2.3.TUYEP

Implementation Period

Operation: 25.11.2019-31.08.2025

Service component: 25.11.2019-29.02.2024

Grant component: 01.11.2020 – 15.10.2024

Direct Grant component: 01.09.2021 – 31.05.2024

Operation Beneficiary:

Vocational Qualifications Authority (VQA)

Website/ Social Media Accounts

Interventions and Estimated Results:

The TUYEP Operation, was designed as a continuation of UYEP-I(Strengthening Vocational Qualifications Authority and National Qualifications System in Türkiye) and UYEP-II(Strengthening National Vocational Qualifications System and Implementing the Turkish Qualifications Framework) Operations that had been implemented within the scope of the Human Resources Development Operational Programme (HRD OP).
- Overall objective of the Operation is to establish a flexible, transparent, innovative and quality-based education system which supports social and economic development and equips individuals with the qualifications necessitated for employment, where all segments of society find the possibility to learn according to their own needs.

- Specific purpose of the Operation is to strengthen the VQA’s institutional capacity, National Vocational Qualifications System (NVQS) and to enhance the implementation of the TQF; and to provide qualified labour force for labour market by supporting individuals to participate in the exams conducted by Authorised Certification Bodies (ACB)s; and to provide support for the establishment of VOC-Test Centres.

The target groups of the Operation are VQA staff, members of Sector Committees of VQA(For full list of sector committees please see); Occupational Standards Setting Bodies, qualification developers and technical working groups consisting of experts from relevant sectors assigned by VQA for the development of occupational standards, and qualifications; members of the VQA General Assembly and Executive Board; personnel involved in the validation, verification and certification of the Quality Assurance (QA) procedures; employers’ and employees’ associations, professional organizations and other stakeholders, such as the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), Turkish Confederation of Employees Associations (TÜRK-İŞ), Confederation of Public Employee Trade Unions (KESK), Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), Confederation of Workers Unions of Turkey (HAK-İŞ), Turkish Standards Institute (TSE), Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Development Organization (KOSGEB), individuals that are willing to take examinations from certification bodies authorised by the VQA and certification bodies authorised by the VQA and Occupational Standards Setting Bodies, qualification developers, employers’ and employees’ associations, professional organizations, continuing education centres, etc.

Implementation period is 51 months and 6 days for service component (Technical Assistance), 18-47 months for grant component (VOC-Test Centers-III Grant Scheme) and 33 months for direct grant component (Direct Grant-II for Certification).

Areas of intervention are institutional capacity building; awareness raising; technical studies; cooperation and coordination mechanisms, and services and trainings for target groups.

The Operation aims to:

• deliver 75.000 VQA Vocational Qualification Certificates to individuals within the scope of Direct Grant Programme-II for Certification
• provide activities for building capacity of VQA and its stakeholders, quality assurance, implementation and management of Turkish Qualifications Framework (TQF), capacity building for VQA Portal and awareness raising within the scope of service component,
• establish 23 authorized certification bodies within the scope of VOC-Test Centers-III Grant Scheme.

Current Situation:

(End of July 2024)

Direct grant component was initiated on 01.09.2021. The kick-off meeting was held online on 02.09.2022. As of July 2023, protocols have been signed with 215 ACBs and 112.853 individuals have been tested and certified through 144 of them. Since the project has overachieved its indicators, the duration of this component was amended as 33 months and the contract was finalised as of 31 May 2024. 

The service contract was commenced on 25.11.2019. Within the scope of the service contract, 32 Monthly Management and 5 Operation Steering Committee Meetings have been realized. In this context;

o Under the Institutional Capacity Building intervention area 1 Training Needs Analysis was prepared, 7 general trainings have been organised, 10 thematic trainings were completed, 5 trainings to auditors were completed, 1 guideline on human resource procedures was prepared, activities and workshops regarding the Quality Assurance system and current situation analysis were completed. Likewise, Level 5 Curriculum Preparation Guideline was prepared and all related workshops were held. External Verification Report has been finalised. One draft assessment guide has been prepared. 3 trainings to technical experts have been delivered. TQF Strategy Document was prepared and related consultation meetings were organised. Other activities in the field of TQF continued, Micro Credentials Workshop has been delivered, the renovation of VQA and TQF database and TQF toolkit have been finalised. Pilot implementation workshop for the Portfolio Assessment activity has been conducted and necessary reports have been delivered. 

o Within the scope of awareness raising activities, a Communication Strategy was prepared, online opening meeting of the Operation was held and visibility materials were prepared. In the field of TQF, an international conference was held in Istanbul, and TQF awareness raising seminars in 7 cities (İzmir, Trabzon, Adana, Sakarya, Diyarbakır, Ankara, Erzurum) were held.  NQS briefing days were held in Van, Kahramanmaraş and Şanlıurfa. VQA booklet was prepared. Studies on 13 training videos continued and 2 spot films were finalised. 

o In the field of coordination and cooperation mechanisms, 5 work-shadowing visits were finalised. Three peer learning activities in cooperation with 5 related EU institutions and one dissemination workshop were organised in January 2024.  The last dissemination workshop for peer learning activity was delivered in February 2024 and thus the contract was completed as of 29.02.2024.

· Assessment of the project proposals under the grant component has been finalized and 23 contracts were signed.  Implementation periods of the projects started on 1 November 2020. As of the end of October 2023, 173 NOS and NQs have been prepared and 169 of them have been completed. All Grant Beneficiaries signed a preliminary protocol with VQA and all of them have applied to TÜRKAK for accreditation. 20 grant beneficiaries have been accredited by TÜRKAK and 20 projects were finalised.