Poland established the Integrated Qualifications System (IQS) in mid-2016 (Act of 22 December 2015 on the Integrated Qualifications System, as subsequently amended / ustawa z dnia 22 grudnia 2015 r. o Zintegrowanym Systemie Kwalifikacji, z późn. zm.). The main instruments of the  IQS include:

• the Polish Qualifications Framework and

• the Integrated Qualifications Register. 

The Act defines concepts such as qualifications, full qualifications, partial qualifications, market qualifications, sectoral qualifications, craft qualifications and regulated qualifications, and processes related to the recognition of qualifications such as validation and certification. This will also increase the transparency and comparability of skills acquired outside school.

As the vocational education and training system is now more open to learning in non-school settings (which is relevant, in particular, to adult education and training), effective mechanisms are being developed for the validation of LOs achieved by adults, also through non-formal and informal learning.

The Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF) describes 8 levels of qualifications awarded in Poland, which are referenced to the corresponding levels of the European Qualifications Framework. Qualifications in the PQF are defined in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences. The PQF assigns levels to full qualifications. Such qualifications are confirmed by a certificate or diploma. 

The Integrated Qualifications Register (IQR) is a public register that gathers information on all qualifications included in the IQS, independently of other registers and catalogues created in Poland for individual ministries, branches, occupations and institutions. The IQR provides information on whether a given qualification is a full or partial qualification, the specific requirements to be fulfilled to acquire the qualification, and the institutions authorised to award it.

The IQR includes qualifications for which quality is assured through specific procedures and monitored by the institution establishing a given qualification. Validation of qualifications is an integral part of the formal education system. All full qualifications awarded in formal education are included in the IQR on a mandatory basis. Market or regulated and partial qualifications awarded in higher education (for example, post-graduate qualifications) are listed in the IQR on a voluntary basis, when certain requirements are fulfilled. 

For further details, see the Integrated Qualifications System website.