France

Since 2002, the VNIL is named “Validation of Acquired experience” (VAE) and is the fourth legal track of certification, joining initial education, continuing education and apprenticeship.

In France, the VAE is an individual right created by the Social Modernization Law of 2002, and enshrined in the Labour Code and the Code of Education. It is a procedure for obtaining all or part of a recognized qualification (university degree, professional diploma or professional qualification certificate) via the formal recognition and accreditation of skills acquired through prior experience and learning, notably work experience.

Two historical stages make up the validation of formal, non-formal and informal experience in the French higher education system.

The first stage was introduced with a decree in 1985, which defines the terms of the Validation des Acquis Personnels et Professionnels (VAPP, validation of personal and professional experience).

The History of Validation in France

This decree is specific to the French higher education system and determines the conditions under which prior studies, professional and personal experience can be validated for the access to different levels of tertiary education. It states that validation may be awarded for any studies followed by the candidate in a public or private educational institution or structure, whatever the conditions, duration and method of approval, as well as for professional experience gained during employment, when self-employed, on work placement or internship, or for all knowledge and skills acquired outside of any educational system. This Decree is still used and complements the existing text on the validation of prior experience (VAE).

The second stage stems from the Social Modernization Law of 17 January 2002, which opened up the possibility of granting any type of degree or certification based only on the prior experience of the candidate. This is the law that led to the creation of the Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience (Validation of acquired experience) procedure. A specific decree was issued for higher education degrees, repealing the provisions of the Law of 1992. (That introduced the possibility of obtaining part of a national degree through the validation of the skills acquired in the exercise of professional activities).

VPL in Higher Education

The main provisions of the Law of 2002 and the Decree concerning higher education can be summarized as follows:

• The procedure is opened to anyone who has at least three years of professional and/or extra-professional experience related to the degree, diploma or certificate he/she wishes to obtain. NB : Changes occurred with the “Labor Law” LAW n ° 2016-1088 of 8 August 2016 on work about « the modernization of social dialogue and the securing of career paths “The duration of activity ranges from 3 years to 1 year “whether the activity has been carried out continuously or not”. It also takes into account – for all candidates – periods of initial or continuing training in the workplace.
• All professional diplomas and certificates registered in the RNCP (The French national register of vocational qualifications) (www.cncp.gouv.fr/repertoire) are available under this procedure.
• The procedure can result in the validation of all experiences relevant to the exercise of salaried, self-employed or volunteer activities. This experience must justify all or part of the knowledge and skills required for obtaining the degree, diploma or certificate concerned.
• The candidate must submit a portfolio presenting the knowledge, skills and abilities he/she has acquired through this experience. The portfolio includes documents attesting this experience and the duration of the various activities during which the candidate acquired it, as well as, when appropriate, any diplomas or certificates corresponding to training received and degrees obtained previously.
• The validation committee is appointed by the Rector of the University. It comprises a majority of faculty members as well as professionals working in a field other than teaching and who are competent to assess the nature of the experience (notably work experience) for which the validation is requested. A balanced representation of women and men is sought in the composition of the committee.
• The committee reviews the candidate’s portfolio and meets with him/her to discuss it. It then determines the knowledge and skills that it deems can be validated, and can decide to grant the full degree.