Validation allows individuals to formally recognize skills and knowledge acquired through work experience, volunteering, hobbies or online courses. Acknowledging non-formal and informal learning can improve employment opportunities, as employers can better understand and value a candidate's qualifications. When individuals are aware that their non-formal and informal learning is recognized and valued, it motivates them to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills throughout their lives. Validation can help recognize and value previous experiences when transitioning from one educational or work environment to another.

Article 28 of the Law on Adult Education, which relates to testing and demonstrating knowledge, stipulates that, in order to acquire a national professional qualification or key skills, adults can demonstrate, i.e. have their knowledge, skills and competences tested and confirmed, regardless of the manner in which they had been acquired, in accordance with a special regulation governing national professional qualifications.

This article of the Law provides opportunities to recognise non-formally and informally acquired knowledge and skills.

Law on National Vocational Qualifications allows individuals to acquire a nationally recognized professional qualification in different manners:

• by completing a module when a publicly valid educational programme is based on several occupational standards;

• by testing knowledge, skills and competences after completing an adult education programme in accordance with the Examination Catalogue;

• by testing of knowledge, skills and competences directly in accordance with the Examination Catalogue.

Educational programme, whose completion leads to the acquisition of qualification of an education level, is based on several occupational standards. Professional qualification is based on a single occupational standard. If educational programme is modularized, it is possible to acquire a professional qualification by completing a particular module based on the occupational standard. Thus, modularized vocational education programmes allow those who left education, adults who want to gradually acquire a level of education or students with special educational needs, to acquire a professional qualification for one part of the programme (module).

Professional qualification can also be acquired by undergoing testing after completing an education programme in accordance with the examination catalogue. The examination catalogue is prepared on the basis of occupational standards and qualification standards and is adopted by the National Council for Education. The examination catalogue includes: title of the professional qualification, conditions to be met by a person acquiring the professional qualification, the content of testing, difficulty level, method and criteria for testing, connection to formal education programme, credit points, educational profile and the level of education of members of the Examination Panel, conditions to be fulfilled by adult education organizer and other data of importance for the professional qualification. Professional qualification acquired in this manner is confirmed by certificate and enables the inclusion in the labour market.

In the previous period, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation prepared an Analysis of Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning. 

The Recommendations of the Analysis are to:

• clearly define the procedures and steps for validation and clearly determine the responsibilities of all institutions in the validation process;

• development of an online platform that would provide information on the possibilities of validation, procedures of validation and connection with organizations that offer validation, would be of great importance for all those interested.

• improve the quality and adaptability of educational programs in order to better meet the needs of the labor market, with a special emphasis on the digitalization process and education for IT and green skills.