French exceptionalism tested against the Lisbon strategy principles. The case of the Qualifications Framework implementation process

Abstract

"The present article focuses on the process of reform and establishment of the new French National Qualifications Framework. We describe some of the circumstances that led to its adoption in France in the context of the law of 5 September 2018 on the "freedom to choose one's professional future". The process of adopting the new framework lasted ten years. The reason is to be found in national stakeholders' regard for their VET system, which was seen as country-specific and hardly adaptable to European injunctions. As a national centre of expertise on qualifications, training and employment, Céreq had the opportunity to be involved in the process. This journey through the evolution of the French system shows that even if the European policy agenda (based on promoting mobility and guaranteeing comparability of qualifications) was not at the heart of the French reform process, it gradually entered into the debate, with references being made to it in official and working documents issued by national agencies. The final result was gradual alignment with the Lisbon principles, even though they were never the main drivers of reform." (author's abstract; BIBB-Doku)