Kvalifikaation

Kvalifikaation, often rendered as qualification in English, refers to the state or condition of being qualified to perform a task, role, or profession. It denotes verified competence gained through education, training, testing, or experience, and is commonly used in employment, education, and regulatory contexts.

In many jurisdictions, qualifications are formalized as credentials such as degrees, diplomas, certificates, licenses, or registrations. They may be required by law for certain professions (for example medicine, engineering, teaching) and can also influence hiring decisions and career advancement.

Qualifications can be earned through formal education, vocational training, professional certification programs, or demonstrated work experience. They may be assessed by exams, practical assessments, portfolios, or workplace assessments. Foreign qualifications can be recognized or validated through comparison frameworks, such as national qualification frameworks or the European Qualifications Framework.

The term has broader use to describe a person's overall suitability for a role, including informal or on-the-job learning. Distinctions are sometimes made between formal qualifications and informal qualifications or experiential qualifications.

Notes: The word kvalifikaation is not standard in Estonian; the standard Estonian form is kvalifikatsioon. The term is often used interchangeably with qualification in English-language contexts.