Preparing for the Final VALERU Conference in Moscow!
Final VALERU Conference
Time is flying! In February 2015 I joined the #VALERU project to support Peter Baumgartner and his team at Danube University Krems in coordinating and contributing to the VALERU project. Next week, on October 12th, 2016 the final conference takes place in Moscow.
Time passed by so much, and I am so grateful to be part of the VALERU project team. I learned a lot by my great project partners and by the training participants during the training sessions we held in the Russian Federation. It was a truly enriching experience.
What is the VALERU project about?
But for everyone who does not know what the project is about, here a short explanation:
We at the VALERU project are convinced that learning is valuable, doesn’t matter where it takes place. Most learning experiences are taking place at work or during leisure time – NOT at university. We are learning everyday, informally and non-formally. And this needs to be recognized, also at university!
We at the VALERU project want to bridge the gab between higher education and the labour market and open higher education to people who want to bring in their knowledge, skills and competences from practical experience in order to obtain a formal qualification for it, identify and further shape one’s learning pathway and learn more!
That’s why we promote and support the development and implementation of validation procedures for informal and non-formal learning (we also call it “VNIL”). Our focus country is the Russian Federation, this also explains the name of the project: VAlidation of non-formal and informal LEarning in RUsia – VALERU!
During the project time we investigated the progress and implementation of VNIL in different countries and suggested common steps for validation procedures. We designed a VNIL training programme, held training sessions in four places in the Russian Federation and certified VNIL specialists on three levels: Introductory level, intermediate level and advanced level. Read more here.
What is the Final VALERU Conference about?
The final VALERU conference (12-13 October 2016), will gather validation specialists from all over the Russian Federation and give them the opportunity to work with validation experts from Europe different aspects of these processes. The confirmed presenters from Europe an the US so far are Peter BAUMGARTNER (Danube University of Krems, AT), Jon TALBOT (University of Chester, UK) and Eva CENDON (FernUniversität Hagen, DE) and Marc SINGER. Registration to this event is free. So if you’re happen to be in Moscow, check out our conference programme and join us!
Last preparations
I’ll also join the final VALERU conference on the 12th and on the 13th I’ll present project progress and achievements as well as an project look back. Still doing some last refinements on my presentations at the moment…
I hope that we can cooperate and work with the VALERU project partners also other projects in the future! With the VALERU project partner EUCEN we work together in the VINCE project, starting in December 2016! VINCE is dedicated to supporting validation procedures for new citizens of Europe! Read more here.
