Qualifications frameworks are tools for describing qualifications of an education or training system by classifying them into levels. Each level provides a clear description of what the holder of a qualification knows, understands and is able to do. They are important tools for making qualifications transparent and comprehensible, within and…

A national qualifications framework (NQF) is an instrument used to classify a country's qualifications at different levels. Each level is defined by a set of learning outcomes expected at that level. NQFs can be useful tools in education and training reforms and are vital reference points for lifelong learning and comparing qualifications across…

Genuine worldwide movements for social change are rare in human history. Even more rare is the phenomenon of a worldwide movement for social change through art, with teaching artists at the forefront. This article presents the evolution of such a movement now, in the global blossoming of "El Sistema," a program that seeks to change the…

Libraries are critical learning spaces and may play a significant role in intercultural education initiatives, particularly in Sweden where the national curriculum ascribes central functions to libraries for learning activities. Unfortunately, the ways in which teachers and librarians may collaborate to leverage mutual resources is not fully…

The evaluation of government-financed research has become increasingly important in the last few decades in terms of increasing the quality of, and payoff from, the research that is done, reducing the cost of doing it, and lending public credibility to the manner in which research is funded. But there are very large differences throughout the…

Higher education policy-making in France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and whether it fits the national policy styles of those countries, is investigated. Aspects of policy change, centralism, consultation, openness, conflict level, and deliberation are discussed. (Author/MLW)

The Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden are leaders in introducing comprehensive and targeted risk reduction programs for pesticides. Describes these programs and their implementation, incorporating material obtained through interviews with representatives of the main constituencies involved in reduction Tables list pesticides that do not meet the…

Three papers and a brief report on audiovisual services and the agencies providing them in three countries of western Europe include: (1) "National Service to Public Libraries in the Field of Audiovisual Media: The Situation in the Netherlands," by Ed Spruit, who discusses problems concerned with the inclusion of audiovisual media in…

Several new ideas regarding public library services for helping immigrants adjust to life in Sweden are discussed with respect to standards, selection, and acquisition of materials, children's services, and future plans. A bibliography of 19 references is included. (CHC)

The Swedish school system comprises: (1) Pre-primary school (Forskola), typical age 1-5; (2) Preschool class in the compulsory school (Grundskola) typical age 6 (participation voluntary); (3) Compulsory school, typical age 7-16, grades 1-9, and (4) Upper secondary school, 17 programmes (4 mainly academic, 13 vocational), typical age 16-19, grades…

Designed to provide assistance to countries in developing centralized services to their libraries for nonbook materials, this pamphlet contains examples from five countries that have succeeded in establishing such services. Those examples include: (1) "The Central Library Service for AV-Materials in Denmark" (Suzanne Hemmeth…

Includes "Difficult Metamorphosis of the Social 'Models' of the Nordic Countries" (Goetschy); "Swedish Training System" (Ottersten); "Features of Vocational Education in Finland" (Kyro); "Boom in Apprenticeship Training in Finland" (Vartiainen); "Vocational Training in Austria" (Riemer);…

Discusses the role and position of an educational buffer agency, as exemplified by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education, with references to: (1) accreditation; (2) quality audit; (3) support of academic leadership; and (4) internal quality enhancement. Concludes that change is best accomplished by emphasizing support in the early…

Aims to describe how the concept of sustainable development, with a focus on the ecological dimension, can be applied practically in an institution for higher education and research. The institution used as an example is Malardalen University in Vasteras, Sweden. Encompasses literature studies and conclusions from practical experience in…

Research plays a necessary and highly valued role in the process of educational reform which has been modifying Sweden's educational system since the 1950's. The fixed resources available to universities for research and the flexible resources allocated to universities and other agencies by four major funding organizations are described in this…