Qualifications frameworks serve the Bologna goal of making Europe’s HE systems more transparent and compatible with one-another. They make mobility and qualification recognition across Europe easier. The Bologna Process requires participating countries to establish national qualifications frameworks by 2005, “which should seek to describe qualifications in terms of workload, level, learning outcomes, competences and profile”.

The UK has several qualifications frameworks in place. There is a Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ). In addition, the comprehensive Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) incorporates all Scottish qualifications, as does the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW) in Wales.

The 2003 Berlin summit called on the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG) to 'elaborate an overarching framework of qualifications for Europe'. A sub-group of the BFUG produced a report on an overarching 'Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area' which was adopted at the Bergen ministerial meeting in 2005. The Framework is broad and overarching, enabling national qualifications frameworks to articulate with one another. The Bergen Communiqué called for national qualifications frameworks to be compatible with the Framework for Qualifications of the European Higher Education Area by 2010. Scotland completed this process in 2006, and England, Wales and Northern Ireland completed it in 2008. 

European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF)

The European Council and Parliament adopted the EQF in April 2008.

The aim of the EQF is to create a European framework, which will enable qualifications systems at the national and sectoral levels to relate to each other. The EQF  has eight levels and encompasses general and adult education, vocational education and training, as well as higher education.This reference structure will be used on a voluntary basis and will facilitate the transfer and recognition of qualifications. The EQF recommends that Member States relate their national qualifications systems to the EQF by 2010.

Scotland has begun the process of referencing the SCQF to the EQF. A UK HE sector working group concluded in April 2009 that the FHEQ should not, at the present time, be referenced against the EQF.