Kompetencat

Kompetencat is a framework for defining, assessing, and developing a set of competencies applicable across education, training, and professional contexts. It emphasizes not only knowledge but also abilities, attitudes, and performance indicators.

The term is used in several European education and qualification frameworks and has been associated with the shift toward competence-based education since the early 2000s. It is often used in policy documents and curricula to describe outcomes that learners should demonstrate at various levels.

Kompetencat distinguishes core or transversal competences (such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, digital literacy, and ethics) and domain-specific competences tied to particular professions or disciplines. Levels are described by descriptors or progressions from foundational to advanced.

Assessment and validation rely on evidence such as projects, portfolios, simulations, and workplace learning. Validation of prior learning (VPL) processes may recognize previously acquired competences for certification.

Implementation and impact include how organizations use Kompetencat to design curricula, hire practices, professional development, and qualifications frameworks. It supports transparency and mobility by making competences explicit and measurable.

Criticism and challenges include arguments that measuring complex competences is difficult and that contexts vary; it requires teacher training, resources, and standardized approaches.

See also competency-based education, curriculum development, and qualification frameworks.