The general principles for the assessment and recognition of competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning are approved by the Minister for Education, Science and Sport and are carried out by HEIs, VETs and accredited bodies.

According legislation on non-formal adult education and continuing learning non-formally or informally, acquired competencies might be recognised:

• as part of a formal education programme (except study programmes) or as a part of a study programme by a procedure set by the higher education institution
• as a competency required to perform a job or function
• as a qualification that corresponds to a level set up in the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework. 

The Description of the Procedure of Assessment of a Person’s Acquired Competencies regulates the assessment of competences, the institutions organising and conducting it, the structure, organisation and conduct of the assessment of competences, and other matters relating to the assessment. The description is used to assess the competences of qualifications from levels I to V, which is regulated by the Description of the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework as adopted by the government. More information about the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework can be found in Chapter 2 Organisation and Governance, under the section, National Qualifications Framework. 

The assessment of the competences acquired through vocational training, work experience or self-learning is organised and implemented by the accredited institutions. An institution can become an accredited assessment institution under the Description of the Requirements for the Institutions of Assessment and Recognition of Competencies and the Procedures for their Accreditation. 

It is important to note that a vocational education provider who is accredited to assess competences cannot assess the competences of a person to whom they provided educational services. A commission formed by an accredited institution is required to out the assessment. The assessment task consists of a theoretical part (a knowledge assessment test) and a practical part (a skills assessment task). The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport is responsible for the supervision of competence assessment. 

To ensure anyone’s right to lifelong learning and thereby increase their employability, higher education institutions can assess and recognise competences acquired through non-formal and self-learning activities.

The procedure of assessment and recognition is implemented by following the Order For the Approval of General Principles for the Assessment and Recognition of Competences in Higher Education Institutions Acquired through the System of Non-formal Adult Education and Self-learning. Differently acquired competences are evaluated in a higher education school. The competency might be acquired at work, by developing a qualification, participating in the activities of organisations and groups, volunteering, useful work in the work community, learning in institutions that provide non-formal education or informally, learning during leisure time, self-learning etc. 

The assessment and recognition of competences proceeds in four recommended stages: 

1. Briefing. During this stage the person is introduced to the evaluation – its principles, procedure, assessment conditions, possible results, and studies corresponding to individual needs.
2. Consulting. The individual prepares for the assessment procedure through group or individual consultation.
3. Assessment. Evidence of the competences acquired by the individual are analysed to determine the correspondence between the competences acquired by them and the study outcomes as set out in the relevant programme of study, and the extent of this correlation.

Decision-making (evaluation). It is determined whether the evidence provided by the individual is sufficient to support the competences acquired and/or which modules/subjects of the study programme can be credited.