The benefit of the SeQF is that it makes it easier to understand and compare Swedish qualifications from different sectors, such as formal education and non-formal education and training, and qualifications across borders.

By making qualifications and competence requirements visible, the SeQF also contributes to more effective validation arrangements, matching in the labour market and better career guidance services. The purpose is to support lifelong learning, employability, skills supply, and mobility.

An important principle in the SeQF is that all competence requirements for a qualification are described as learning outcomes, i.e., what a person needs to know, understand and be able to do to obtain the qualification.

EQF – the European Qualifications Framework

The SeQF is based on and referenced to the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF). The EQF is developed by the EU as a translation tool between different national qualifications frameworks. It helps improve transparency, comparability and consequently the portability of people’s qualifications. As with the SeQF, the purpose is to support cross-border mobility of learners and workers, to promote lifelong learning, skills supply and the social integration of workers and learners in Europe.

The SeQF was referenced to the EQF in 2016. Through the EQF, a Swedish qualification can be compared to a qualification in another country that also has a framework referenced to the EQF.

National Coordination Point (NCP) for the EQF

All EQF-participating countries has a designated National Coordination Point (NCP) responsible for the framework in each country. The Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education (MYH) is appointed by the government to be the National Coordination Point (NCP) for the EQF. This means that MYH is the European Commission's point of contact in Sweden and that the agency nationally coordinates issues related to EQF.

NCP coordinator:
Anna Kahlson
anna.kahlson@myh.se

Eight levels

As shown in the picture above, both the EQF and the SeQF has eight levels. A level indicates how advanced the content (learning outcomes) of a qualification is. The first level is the least advanced and the highest level is the most advanced.

The level does not in itself indicate the scope of the qualifications, in terms of credits or workload. Qualifications of different scope may have the same SeQF-level.

Every level has a description. The learning outcomes of the qualifications are compared to the level descriptors when determining the level of the qualification. The SeQF levels are described according to three categories: knowledge, skills, and responsibility and autonomy.

Qualifications from the formal education system

Qualifications awarded within the formal education system are, for e.g., Upper Secondary Diplomas, Higher Vocational Education Diplomas, and Higher Education degrees. For these qualifications, the learning outcomes are regulated in degree ordinances, or the equivalents.

For such qualifications, the Swedish government has decided which level they correspond to according to the SeQF.

Non-formal qualifications and the SeQF

Non-formal qualifications are qualifications outside the formal Swedish education system. The responsible organisation, determining the content of a qualification (i.e. the intended learning outcomes), can apply to the Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education (MYH) to obtain a level decision according to the SeQF. MYH evaluates the application and decides on a SeQF level after having consulted the Council for the National Qualifications Framework (the SeQF advisory council).

Prerequisites for receiving a decision on SeQF level:

• the applicant is responsible for determining the content (i.e. the intended learning outcomes) of the qualification,
• the responsible organisation ensures that there is a quality management system, that includes quality assurance of the qualification, and
• that the qualification is not already levelled or regulated.

A decision is valid for ten years and MYH is responsible for external quality audit, at least once during the validity of the decision.

The Swedish qualifications database

The Swedish qualifications database is as of today searchable for all non-formal qualifications that have received a level decision according to the SeQF, as well as for formal qualifications within the Higher Vocational Education system.

Data from the Swedish qualifications database is transferred to the Europass platform, where Swedish qualifications can be searched for.