By Julius Kravjar. Today there are 39 higher education institutions and 250,000 students in Slovakia, which has a population of 5.4 million. This is a nearly fourfold increase in admissions since 1989 – the year of political earthquakes in Central and Eastern Europe – when there were 13 institutions and 63,000 students in the country.
This, together with low awareness of copyright and intellectual property rights plus internet penetration which has risen from zero to 79.2% over the period up to 2011, has made Slovakia a fertile ground for a rise in plagiarism. In 2008 only two higher education institutions were using plagiarism detection systems. The situation was serious and required a solution. That year the Slovak Rectors' Conference asked the Ministry of Education to coordinate activities related to the acquisition of a plagiarism detection system and recommended that higher education institutions amend their regulations to ensure that plagiarism was penalised. The Ministry of Education analysed the proposal and decided to launch a systematic fight against plagiarism. A goal was set: by 2010 it would be obligatory for all Slovak institutions to use the national central repository for theses and dissertations (NCRTD) and the national plagiarism detection system (NPDS).
How innovative is it?
The collection and processing of all bachelor, masters and other theses and doctoral dissertations produced at Slovak higher education institutions is concentrated in one place – the NCRTD. Before the defence of the thesis, the higher education institution has to forward the thesis in electronic form to the central repository. The thesis undergoes a check for originality. Incoming theses and dissertations are compared to others in the central repository and to selected internet resources. The originality check protocol is returned to the higher education institution, stating whether the thesis is original or plagiarised. The protocol is one of the sources used by the examining committee in deciding whether a piece of work is original. The thesis and relevant meta data are kept in the central repository for a period of 70 years from the date of registration. Higher education institutions pay no fee for the service. The system’s acquisition costs were covered by the Ministry of Education, which also pays for the operating costs.
The findings after two years
Both systems – NCRTD and NPDS – have been in operation since April 2010. There are 214,000 theses and dissertations in the NCRTD after two years. The majority of theses and dissertations are in the Slovak language (92.8%), followed by English, Czech, Hungarian (all less than 2%) and German (less than 1%).
For dissertations only, 91.2% are in Slovak, 6.4% in English and 1.7% in German. The central repository contains a small percentage of theses in other languages: Russian, Ukrainian, French, Spanish, Italian and Swedish. Analysis shows that the existence of the NCRTD and NPDS acts preventively, and not just in the student community. The public is also able to verify any suspicion of plagiarism, for instance.
Libor Vozár, president of the Slovak Rectors' Conference, said: "The launch of the system had mainly psychological effects – students are more responsible in writing their work and more careful in their use of resources.”
The implementation of the system has also been praised by the rector of the University of Economics in Bratislava, Rudolf Sivák, who said that it had a particularly positive effect on students' attitudes. “Theses are being written more independently, they are of higher quality and there is also an increase in the citation of sources,” he stated.
To sum up
Technology is just one of several dimensions in the fight against plagiarism. There is still a long way to go in order to raise ethical and moral awareness of plagiarism to a higher level. We have to minimise ethical and moral malpractice related to the writing of theses and dissertations by providing appropriate regulations and policies. There are gaps in the educational process, in legislation and in regulations and policies. The elimination of these gaps can significantly contribute to a non-plagiarism culture. The nationwide implementation of the NCRTD and NPDS in everyday practice is very likely a unique solution in Europe and perhaps in the world.
The ‘Slovak model’ can serve as one example of how to fight plagiarism on a national level. To date, we have no information about any other similar models being trialled. But we are aware of the fact that many paths can lead to the same, remarkable ends.
* Julius Kravjar is project manager of the Centrum vedecko-technických informácií Slovenskej republiky (CVTI SR) – the Slovak Centre for Scientific and Technical Information – SCSTI, an institution directly managed by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport. It is in charge of the NCRTD and NPDS system.
See also: La fraude aux examens dans l'enseignement supérieur, Plagiat - Habitudes de documentation et de travail sur Internet chez les étudiants, Fraud in international education, Doktortitel zu verkaufen, Pécresse veut lutter contre la fraude à l'université, Toward a Rational Response to Plagiarism, Plagiat de la recherche, Software Catches (and Also Helps) Young Plagiarists, L’étudiante de Rennes 2 avait piraté le système informatique pour augmenter ses notes, New Partners in the Plagiarism-Detection Business, Un site Internet chinois vend de faux diplômes français avant de disparaître de la toile, Universities need to tell students the rules about plagiarism, says adjudicator, Le plagiat, fléau intellectuel.

By Ben Gose. During the eight years Jessica Erb has worked at Southern New Hampshire University, her employer has offered up a feast of benefits that is probably every bit as valuable as her salary. After starting as an administrative assistant at the university's Nashua satellite center, Ms. Erb has earned a bachelor's degree and pursued a long-held dream to play the piano, all on the university's dime. The biggest benefit, free tuition to private colleges for her two sons, may be yet to come.
"I think I value the benefits more than the wages," says Ms. Erb, who parlayed her four-year degree into a job as assistant director of admission. "The university has provided me with every opportunity to be where I am today."
Few people work at a college looking to strike it rich. Salaries in higher education are often lower than in the private sector, and decisions on compensation are sometimes formulaic, with many institutions relying heavily on surveys conducted by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources and other groups. Many public institutions, meanwhile, are constrained by state formulas—and when state finances are bleak, as they are now, what seems like modest pay at the outset can flatten out for long periods. John A. Downey, president of Blue Ridge Community College, in Virginia, says his employees have had "no meaningful raises" in four years. Still, employees who responded to The Chronicle's fifth annual Great Colleges to Work For survey gave Blue Ridge high marks in the category of compensation and benefits. Experts say higher education has many selling points that make it an attractive place to work—including the generous benefits that have meant so much to Ms. Erb and greater job stability than the private sector offers.
"If you need heavy-duty cash flow from week to week, higher education is not the place to go," says Christine Sportes, associate vice president and chief human-resources officer at the Catholic University of America. "However, if you look at the big picture, it's a pretty good place to be."
Catholic, for example, had no layoffs or furloughs amid the recession of 2008 and 2009. "The only thing we did was to not award merit increases for one year," Ms. Sportes says.
Some benefits offered by colleges are getting even better as leaders realize that what is good for employees can also be good for the institution. After the College of Saint Rose, in Albany, N.Y., became concerned about the deterioration of neighborhoods surrounding the campus, the university began offering financial incentives to employees who purchased houses in the area. The current benefit is a $7,500 grant toward the purchase of a house, and the grant doesn't have to be repaid as long as the employee remains at the university for five years.
"The biggest issue for us was neighborhood stabilization," says Marcus Buckley, vice president for finance at Saint Rose, which also ranked high in the Chronicle survey's compensation category. "But there were other positive effects, too, like the fact that people who live in the area are much more likely to walk to work."
The health benefits of having more employees walk to work directly affect Saint Rose's bottom line, since the college self-insures its employees. Like many other colleges, including Southern New Hampshire, Saint Rose is bolstering wellness benefits for employees as it finds that program costs are offset by reduced health-care costs. In January the college did not raise the premiums it charges employees for either of its two health plans, for the first time in four years. "People were amazed," Mr. Buckley says.
Many colleges pay tuition costs for employees seeking new or advanced degrees, but such policies are coming under scrutiny in the tough economy. Mr. Downey, the Blue Ridge president, says he is one of three recent vice presidents on the campus who now head community colleges in Virginia. All three earned doctoral degrees while working full time at Blue Ridge, in part thanks to the college's policy of paying for six credits of coursework per semester, Mr. Downey says.
Some people worry that colleges may simply be grooming their employees for departure. "That does happen, but it's not a bad thing—it's helping the state system," Mr. Downey says. "And the payoff on the people who do stay is worth far more than worrying about the people who leave."
For employees, the most worrisome trend should be that a growing number of colleges now offer retirement plans that feature defined contributions, like 401(k)'s or 403(b)'s, rather than plans with a guaranteed payout, such as pensions, says Valerie Martin Conley, an associate professor at Ohio University who heads its Center for Higher Education. While that trend mirrors what's happening in the corporate world, Ms. Conley says it puts the onus on new college employees to make sure they're adequately saving for retirement.
"Historically, people have said, 'If you go into higher education, you may not make as much salary, but you'll get better benefits,'" Ms. Conley says. "If you start seeing erosion of those benefits, what's left?"
Yet Ms. Erb's experience demonstrates that many benefits remain robust. Shortly after she was hired at Southern New Hampshire, she began taking night and online classes at the university, and thanks to its reimbursement policy, she ultimately paid no tuition for her bachelor's degree. In 2008 the university established the Mini-Grant Program, which allows hourly employees to apply for funds to pursue a passion. Awardees have used the grants to learn how to ski, attend a crochet conference, and become a certified soccer coach. Ms. Erb won a $1,500 grant that paid for a used keyboard and a year of piano lessons. In the spring of 2009, she performed Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" at a public event held to celebrate the grant program.
Each year, meanwhile, the university deposits the equivalent of 9 percent of her salary into a retirement fund. But for Ms. Erb and her family, the best benefit may be yet to come: The oldest son will be a high-school freshman this fall, and the second child is just two years behind. If the boys choose to go to Southern New Hampshire or one of more than 400 private colleges that participate in a tuition-exchange program for employees, the family may end up paying no tuition at all. "It's huge," Ms. Erb says. "To be able to save your kids almost $100,000 in debt—I can't think of a better benefit."
Southern New Hampshire has also modified its merit-pay policy to better reward truly outstanding performers. In the past, says Pamela Hogan, the university's vice president for human resources, more than half of all professional, nonfaculty employees received small merit raises each year. Now the university is awarding much larger annual bonuses—averaging about $5,000—but only for the 10 percent of the professional staff that does the best job at setting and meeting measurable goals.
Such narrowly focused bonuses remain rare in higher education. Officials at both the College of Saint Rose and Blue Ridge Community College, for example, say they fear such large bonuses could add to concerns about equity, between men's and women's pay, for example.
But others, including Ms. Sportes of Catholic, are more open to the idea. "We're going to look at what we can do to more appropriately reward the higher performers," she says.

By Mike Howell. Campaign not based on any incidents
The Chinese Consulate and the Vancouver Police Department have teamed up on a campaign to prevent about 20,000 international Chinese students studying here from becoming a victim of crime.
But both consular general Liu Fei and Police Chief Jim Chu say the campaign was not prompted by any surge in crime to visiting Chinese students or the horrific death of Lin Jun in Montreal in May.
"No connection," the chief said at a press conference at the Cambie Street police station Thursday. "You always think of everything that happens but that wasn't the specific incident that spurred this initiative." Jun, an international student from China, was studying computer science at Concordia University when he was killed and his body dismembered.
Police confirmed some of his body parts were mailed to two Vancouver schools. Luka Rocco Magnotta has been charged in connection with Jun's murder. The chief said the campaign is a result of Fei, who was posted to the Vancouver consulate seven months ago, wanting to do something proactive for students.
The campaign includes a short video in Mandarin done with the assistance of the Chinese community policing centre and a brochure that outlines safety tips for students and how to contact police. The video can be viewed on the websites of the consulate and the VPD. Englishas-a-second language schools also have access to the video and brochures. Students from Simon Fraser University and the University of B.C. participated in discussions that led to the campaign, Fei told reporters.
"The main purpose is to advise the Chinese students to look after themselves, to obey the local laws and order and to do good study," she said, noting she recently returned from visiting seven cities in B.C., including Kamloops and Kelowna, where she promoted the campaign.
The press conference attracted several reporters from Chinese media outlets. Fei urged the media to publicize the campaign but stressed Canada remains a safe place for Chinese students to study. One reporter asked the chief about reports that some visiting Chinese students were getting involved in drug dealing and prostitution.
"I can say that there haven't been many at all, despite what you might have heard," Chu said. "Every segment of the community may have people that cross the line. There's nothing unusual happening right now in the Chinese community."
But, he said, he recalled a case four years ago where an international Chinese student "fell in with the wrong crowd" and was kidnapped for ransom.
Sgt. Terry Yung, the VPD's liaison to the consulate, said he has investigated crimes in the past where Chinese students were targeted.
"They were told by the suspect that because you're not a Canadian citizen, nor a permanent resident, police might not be as interested in helping you," he said. "We're here to put the record straight. The Vancouver police reaches out to all members of the community, regardless of whether you're an international student."
mhowell@vancourier.com. Twitter: @Howellings.

NEW DELHI: The human resource development ministry has decided not to push the legislation allowing foreign education institutions to set up base in India in the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Instead, the ministry is focusing on the troika of higher education reform bills--prevention of malpractices, setting up education tribunals and mandatory accreditation for institutions—which form the core of Kapil Sibal's higher education reform agenda.
The human resource development minister Kapil Sibal's decision to put the Foreign Educational Institutions Bill on the back burner is in line with the strategy adopted in the Budget session—move ahead with the less contentious bills to create a momentum. In the past, Sibal has pushed the Foreign Educational Institutions Bill as central to increasing opportunities and improving quality of the higher education sector. However, the minister is well aware that a bill as contentious as one, which allows foreign education institutions to set up campuses in India, could well derail his entire legislative agenda. There are seven Bills that are pending in Parliament. The ministry proposes to introduce two more-- the Indian Institutes of Information Technology Bill and the Central Board of Secondary Education—in the Monsoon Session.
After nearly two years of legislative setbacks, Sibal managed to break the logjam in the Budget session of parliament and ensured passage of six Bills. While most of these Bills were non-controversial amendments, it did include the contentious Copyright Amendment Bill. Sibal is keen not to upset the hard won equilibrium.
The Foreign Educational Institutions Bill predates Sibal's tenure in Shastri Bhavan. It was first cleared by Cabinet in 2008 during the late Arjun Singh's tenure in the UPA I government. The proposed legislation could not be introduced given the opposition by the Left, which was then supporting the UPA I government. Following his appointment as human resource development minister, Sibal went ahead with the legislation reaching out to stakeholders, and meeting with top administrators of top ranking universities in the US and UK.
But it is not just the Left or the BJP that has issues with the Bill. Even political parties that are supporting the UPA, such as the Samajwadi Party and RJD, are uncomfortable with the idea of allowing foreign education institutions to set up campuses in India. Given that the legislation is viewed as permitting foreign direct investment in higher education, it is unlikely that allies like Trinamool and DMK will lend their support to such legislation. Clearly aware that the legislative route was difficult, the government gave the University Grants Commission the go ahead through the executive route. The University Grants Commission has already issued guidelines to regulate collaborations between Indian and foreign institutions.
The focus is on the three legislations that form the bedrock of Sibal's higher education reforms-- Higher Educational Institutions Bill (earlier known as the Prohibition of Unfair Practices Bill), Educational Tribunal Bill and the National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill.

By Andrew Marszal, Education Digital Editor. There's a bewildering range of advice and opinion out there on how to save money as a student. Here's everything you need to know.
Student finances have never enjoyed a reputation for being the most robust, expertly managed sector of the economy. Then again, there was a time when our banks were held in that very esteem, and look how they turned out.
Times change, and so do tuition fees — there's nothing like paying up to £9000 per year in tuition fees to encourage you keep an eye on the piggy bank, or at least the overdraft.
But the truth is you'll have a much better time at university without having to deal with the stress of being in unnecessary levels of debt. Plus, the skills you will pick up in the process will also be a major asset in keeping your finances in check later in life. Of course, the range of advice out there can be bewildering — that's why we've drawn it all together here for a one-stop guide to keeping the debt-collectors at bay during your time at university.
Don't trust the bankers
You presumably have a bank account. That very same bank will certainly be happy to offer you a student account. But while this might be the easiest option, it's far from certain to be the best one for your finances. Shop around — whether that's by visiting comparison sites or taking the old-fashioned approach and walking up and down your local high street. The most important factor in choosing is getting the biggest interest-free overdraft — and make sure it's one that will remain interest-free for the longest possible period after you graduate. Only then should you think about valuing in the freebies. And don't wait until you arrive at university. Banks will have a presence at freshers' fairs, but are not guaranteed to offer the best deals there. You need your Ucas offer to access a student account, but you don't need to already have it to start setting one up.
Play your cards right
A variety of discount cards can bring your outgoings down. The NUS Extra card is a good start — first launched in 2006, these cost £12 for each 12-month period and can be used to make savings of up to £525 per year. The card will get you 10 per cent discounts at shops such as Superdrug, Matalan and Staples (buying all that stationary will instantly make you feel more on top of your studies, even if you've yet to hit the library — and will make a real difference come exam term.) Perhaps more excitingly, it also saves you 50 per cent on a Spotify Premium account.
Public transport can be expensive in this country, but at least while you're a student it will be marginally less painful on your wallet. A 16-25 Railcard, a Young Persons Coachcard and an International Student Identity Card will all help to reduce costs. Individual train companies sometimes run separate discounted train fares for particular areas or universities, so contact the lines that serve the area in which you'll be studying. A few examples include First Capital Connect's Student Connect Card, Surrey County Council's Student Fare Card and Arriva Trains Wales's Valleys Student Railcard. For others, visit the National Rail website. There will also be offers available simply by presenting your university ID with many companies — for example, visit our guide to the best Apple and other technology product deals.
Take cover
Getting insurance might not seem the best way to save money in the short term — the main tangible evidence of having insurance is, fingers crossed, seeing money leave your account. The important thing is to know which of your possessions are already covered, and find sensibly priced insurance on those which aren't, and that you can't afford to replace. As Rebecca Choules points out here, your parents' policies often will not cover your gadgets such as laptops and smartphones — or will possibly lose so much of their no-claim bonus as to not be worth claiming. Again, money comparison sites are the best way to find discounts — and don't forget to find out what deals your bank offers, and whether you may already be covered by your university accommodation providers (some have "block hall" agreements in place).
Save those beans
If you're serious about saving you may need to eschew the high street in favour of shopping online — at least while you're not earning. Student Beans offers plenty of discounts on eating out, entertainment and shopping, as do The Student Room, Money Saving Expert and Money Supermarket. And don't splurge until you know exactly what's needed. Find out what your student room will come equipped with (and don't forget whatever shared kitchen spaces might be available), then fill in the gaps. And don't buy furniture for your room until you know what will fit – some student accommodation can be the size of a shoebox. It might be worth visiting Freecycle or various charity shops to pick up unwanted but still usable goods that fit your needs exactly.
Learn to cook
Again, it won't just save you money, but come in handy later in life. Cooking together with your housemates or student hall corridor will always save dough. You'll quickly learn how to make a weekly shop go further once the loan starts dwindling — or you could pre-empt this by visiting our Cooking on a Budget Q&A with famed student chef Sam Stern. Here are 5 of his top student recipes, with instructions and ingredients all laid out.
Dress for less
You may want to turn up at university looking sharp, but there are many essentials you'll want to put your student loan towards before you think about buying designer labels. Visit our Student Fashion: How to dress for less section for much more on this.
Ask for help
Don't wait until you're mired in debt before finding out what financial assistance you're entitled to. The best time to do this is before going to university — visit our Student Finance: Planning Ahead for University section now to find out more about loans, grants, bursaries and the like. Once you're at university, student support services will be on hand to help if you're still running into problems. Contact them early. More immediately, we've got Student Finance England's Nichola Malton booked in for a live webchat on Thursday 9 August to answer any questions you have about student finance, including loans, tuition fees and bank deals. If you miss it, you can still replay the webchat and skip through to the bits that interest you at any point. Ucas expert Sean Ferguson will also be on hand to answer questions about Clearing.

Private universities and colleges
Unlike many other countries, Britain has no real tradition of private universities with the power to award their own degrees. For a long time there was only one, the University of Buckingham, but the market now includes such institutions as BPP University College, ifs School of Finance and The College of Law.  In contrast to state universities, they are not subject to the £9,000 a year tuition-fee cap, and can charge whatever they wish. Full-time students attending them are eligible for state loans to cover tuition fees and living costs, but the loans are capped at £6,000 per year. Having pioneered accelerated programmes that shoehorn the content of a three-year degree into two, private universities can still offer good value for money. Examples include the LLB (Hons) law degrees offered by BPP University College and The College of Law, for which fees are £6,000 and £9,000 a year respectively.
Sarah Hutchinson, board member for business development at The College of Law, says: “You don’t lose any of the rigour or content — we simply follow a school timetable rather than a university one, so you get only six weeks off in the summer instead of four months.”
The College of Law’s two-year LLB demonstrates another advantage of specialised private universities: the course is professional in its outlook and geared to the realities of the workplace. “It covers all the key intellectual skills and knowledge as it’s a qualifying law degree,” says Hutchinson. “But it’s totally practical, too; we look at real-life case studies and transactions rather than 17th-century case law.”
Britain has many other, private higher-education providers that do not have the power to award their own UK degrees. These include satellite campuses of foreign universities, some of which are part of Ucas, and countless small colleges that offer the external degree programmes of established universities, such as the University of London International Programmes. If considering these, it is vital to research the college’s reputation and to find out who will be validating the degree and, if it is not a UK university, whether the qualification is widely accepted.
Further education colleges
One in eight degree students in the UK attends further-education colleges rather than universities and there are sound reasons for doing so, according to Lynne Sedgmore, executive director of the 157 Group, which represents some of the largest and most successful further education (FE) colleges. “You tend to get smaller group sizes and a higher number of contact hours,” she says.
“The programmes frequently have closer links with employers, and fees are not as high as at many universities, so the courses represent value for money. But they’re validated by a university, so you get a proper, fully fledged degree.”
Another advantage is that it is often possible to study at a local FE college and live at home. With the lower tuition fees taken into account, the savings can be considerable. For instance, a BA (Hons) in Business Administration at Warwickshire College, validated by the University of Gloucestershire, has fees of £5,500 a year, while the University of Gloucestershire charges £8,250 a year for undergraduate degree courses. In some cases, students at FE colleges apply for a foundation degree, which is equivalent to the first two years of a normal honours degree, and then “top up” with a final year at the college or at the university that is validating the qualification.
Part-time degrees
Studying part-time offers the chance to hold down a substantial job while you study — potentially allowing you to graduate with lower debts, and with a head start on your peers in the workplace. But it’s a route that requires dedication and a willingness to sacrifice much of the social life you’d enjoy as a full-time student. One of the best-regarded institutions geared to part-time study is Birkbeck, University of London. Its degree courses are taught in the evening and its key intake is mature students in full-time employment. In recent years, it has also begun to attract increasing numbers of school-leavers. Prof David Latchman, master of Birkbeck, says: “When we joined Ucas in 2010-11, we had 200 applicants aged 20 or younger. In 2011-12 it was 347, and this year we’ve had 917.
“Besides our standard four-year evening degree, we’ve now introduced accelerated, flexible programmes where you can do a University of London degree in the standard three years, working at a job during the day and studying in the evening.”
From this September, new part-time students are eligible for a yearly tuition-fee loan of up to £6,750 at a state university, or £4,500 at a private institution, as long as their course represents at least 25 per cent of a full-time degree each year (that is, they take four years or less to cover the equivalent content of a year’s full-time study). However, as a part-time student you’re not eligible for loans or grants to cover living expenses and, depending on your age and the number of course hours per week, you may not qualify for council tax exemption (see www.direct.gov.uk for the current rules). Four years after commencement of the course, you’ll also have to start repaying your tuition loans if you’re earning more than £21,000pa, whether you have completed your studies or not.
Studying overseas
Rising tuition fees, coupled with an increase in courses taught in English at foreign universities, are driving more students to consider studying overseas. But going abroad is still the choice of a small minority (about 1.7 per cent of all degree students) and one that must be planned and researched well in advance.
- Find out the top 10 mainland European countries offering English-taught degrees here
Doing a degree in another EU country can be cost-effective:tuition fees are often lower than in Britain, if payable at all. UK citizens must not be charged more than the country’s student nationals for tuition, and must be granted the same financial aid towards it. However, there is no corresponding right to assistance with living costs, and you won’t be eligible for UK student loans or grants. Beyond the EU, you will likely have to finance the enterprise yourself, unless you are lucky enough to bag one of the few scholarships available. For more on international study, visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs website (www.ukcisa.org.uk), which has links to country-specific sources of further information.

Brazil’s Senate has passed a law that will vastly increase the number of underprivileged students in the country’s federal universities and technical schools.
The president is expected to approve the main parts of the bill. Under the new law, 50 percent of all places at the free public universities will be set aside for students who studied in state -run secondary schools. The distribution will be weighted by color and race. Of that 50 percent, half of the available openings will be given to students whose family income is less than $460 per person.
The legislation is the latest in a long and sometimes bitter battle to make Brazil’s top public universities more accessible to the country’s poor, who often struggle to gain admission because of the low quality of education at state-run high schools.

ORGANISATION REGIONALE DE LA FORMATION PROFESSIONNELLE
1. - Présentation générale
La formation professionnelle tout au long de la vie
La formation professionnelle permanente constitue une obligation nationale. Elle comporte une formation initiale et des formations ultérieures destinées aux adultes et aux jeunes déjà engagés dans la vie active ou qui s'y engagent. Ces formations constituent la formation professionnelle continue.
La formation professionnelle continue fait partie de l'éducation permanente. Elle a pour objet de permettre l'adaptation des travailleurs au changement des techniques et des conditions de travail, de favoriser leur promotion sociale par l'accès aux différents niveaux de la culture et de la qualification professionnelle et de leur contribution au développement culturel, économique et social. (Art. L.900-1 du Code du travail.)"
La formation professionnelle vise donc l'ensemble du parcours de formation que peut connaître tout individu au cours de sa vie professionnelle, quelle que soit l'origine ou les buts de cette formation.
Elle a pour objet de:
    * favoriser l'insertion ou la réinsertion professionnelle des travailleurs
    * permettre leur maintien dans l'emploi
    * favoriser le développement de leurs compétences et l'accès aux différents niveaux de la qualification professionnelle contribuer au développement économique et culturel et à leur promotion sociale.
2. – Organisation régionale de la formation
L'Etat, les régions et les partenaires sociaux concourent à l'élaboration de la politique de formation professionnelle. Afin de favoriser la concertation entre ces différents acteurs, leurs représentants sont réunis au niveau national au sein du Conseil national de la formation professionnelle tout au long de la vie.
    * Les régions ont une compétence générale en matière d’apprentissage et de formation professionnelle.
    * L'Etat exerce des compétences limitativement énumérées par la loi.
    * Les régions et l'Etat se partagent la responsabilité de l’élaboration et de la mise en oeuvre de la politique de formation professionnelle continue régionale. Ils co-président le CCREFP et contractualisent leur programmation au sein du Contrat de Plan régional de développement de la formation professionnelle.
    * Les organisations professionnelles et syndicales participent à l'élaboration des dispositions relatives à la formation professionnelle continue, concourent à leurs mises en oeuvre et à la gestion des contributions des entreprises, collectées par les organismes paritaires créés à leur initiative.
    * Les entreprises sont à la fois les lieux privilégiés de mise en oeuvre de la formation et, avec les régions et l'Etat, les principaux financeurs de la formation professionnelle continue.
3. – Acteurs du dispositif de formation

4. – Fonctionnement du dispositif de formation

5. – Financement du dispositif de formation
La formation professionnelle continue est financée principalement par l'État, les régions, et les entreprises.
Les compétences de l'Etat et des régions sont fixées par la loi:
    * Les régions ont une compétence générale en matière de formation professionnelle continue. Elles sont responsables de la formation professionnelle continue destinée aux jeunes âgés de 16 à 25 ans et aux adultes.
    * L'Etat intervient en direction des publics les plus en difficulté. Il aide également les branches professionnelles et les entreprises à anticiper leurs besoins en termes de qualification et de formation.
    * Le financement par les entreprises repose sur une obligation légale de participer au financement de la formation.
Historique
Le droit à la formation continue
Le développement du droit de la formation est intimement lié à l’histoire des rapports sociaux.
On peut considérer que le point de départ du droit à la formation est l’accord national inter professionnel du 9 juillet 1970, aboutissement des négociations paritaires consécutives aux mouvements sociaux du printemps 1968.
C’est dans le cadre de ces évènements que les organisations patronales ont accepté le principe de l’ouverture de négociations paritaires notamment sur la formation professionnelle. Le résultat des négociations sous tend depuis maintenant plusieurs décennies l’évolution du droit de la formation, considéré comme un élément du droit du travail. C’est par la voie de la négociation que s’est développé, enrichi, diversifié le droit de la formation, les principales réformes législatives sont préparées par la négociation collective.
C’est ainsi que la loi du 16 juillet 1971 considérée comme la "pierre angulaire de notre système de formation" est venue généraliser les dispositions de l’accord interprofessionnel de 1970:
La loi institue pour les entreprises de plus de 10 salariés l’obligation de participer au financement de la formation professionnelle continue. Elle précise le rôle des représentants des salariés en matière de formation professionnelle, instaure les fonds d’assurance formation, et ouvre le droit au congé individuel de formation.
Parce que les partenaires sociaux et l’Etat souhaitaient que la formation soit à la fois facteur de performance économique et de développement personnel, la formation a été inscrite au cœur des relations de travail. La plus grande part de son financement est assurée par les entreprises et grâce à un système de mutualisation et à des procédures de concertation elle a vocation à être un élément privilégié du dialogue social.
L’entreprise joue un rôle central dans la mise en œuvre de la formation continue qui fait partie intégrante de sa stratégie de développement. L’employeur est tenu de participer à son financement et d’associer les représentants du personnel (CE ou DP) à la définition de son plan de formation et à son application. Cependant la formation, rappelle le législateur, constitue d’abord un outil au service du chef d’entreprise "pour l’amélioration ou l’entretien des connaissances de sa main d’œuvre" et à ce titre l’organisation annuelle de la formation, du plan de formation relève de son pouvoir de décision.
Le droit individuel à la formation continue
L’accord national interprofessionnel du 9 Juillet 70 dote les salariés d’un droit individuel en matière de formation: le congé individuel de formation.
Aujourd’hui encore, les droits individuels des salariés en matière de formation restent largement inspirés par les principes mis en avant dans le cadre de cet accord et de la loi du 16 juillet 1971.
En 1976, cet accord sera complété d’un avenant visant à élargir les possibilités de rémunération des salariés dans le cadre du congé individuel de formation, mais aussi à préciser le déroulement de la consultation du comité d’entreprise sur le plan de formation. La loi du 17 juillet 1978 s’inspirera de cet avenant. Cette loi relative à la promotion individuelle, au congé formation et à la rémunération des stagiaires de la formation professionnelle redéfinit le CIF. En renforçant le caractère individuel de ce droit, et en le dissociant nettement du plan de formation, elle réaffirme l’objectif de promotion sociale et individuelle.

Vous envisagez de faire valider vos acquis professionnels!
L'espace information de la Validation des acquis en Bretagne
Le site "bretagne.123vae.com" est destiné à l’information du public sur la VAE: coordonnées des Points Information Conseil, réunions d’informations, témoignages, tout ce qu’il faut savoir sur la VAE en quelques clics ! Accéder à l'information.
Les parcours VAE
Les parcours VAE présentés aux publics de façon simple et complète pour l’ensemble des certificateurs. Vous y trouverez toutes les étapes de la VAE dans tous les ministères, chambres consulaires ou de métiers, et grandes écoles. Accéder aux parcours.
Valider mon expérience dans l'agro
Des gestes professionnels témoins des compétences attendues pour valider un diplôme dans l’agro alimentaire, filmés et présentés sous forme de quizz: l’espace  « Valider mon expérience dans l’agro » vous ouvre les portes de la certification pour les métiers d’agent de fabrication, de conducteur de machines et de pilote d’installations. Accéder à l'outil.
Vous êtes un professionnel de l'information conseil en VAE, de la formation et de l'emploi!
Qu'est-ce que la VAE?
La validation des acquis de l’expérience est organisée par la Loi de Modernisation Sociale n° 2002-73 du 17 janvier 2002.
Elle consiste à faire valoriser et certifier officiellement, par une autorité, les connaissances et les compétences que chacun a pu acquérir, durant sa vie professionnelle ou non, en vue de l’acquisition d’une certification et, le cas échéant, de l’accès à une formation. La validation des acquis de l’expérience est:
- Un droit pour toute personne engagée dans la vie active de faire reconnaître, sous certaines conditions, ses compétences professionnelles et ses connaissances
- Un acte officiel par lequel les compétences professionnelles et les connaissances du candidat à la validation sont reconnues
- Une procédure de vérification, d’évaluation et d’attestation, par une autorité indépendante et incontestable, des compétences professionnelles et connaissances.
Que permet-elle et pourquoi?
La VAE permet d’obtenir tout ou partie d’un diplôme ou titre à finalité professionnelle ou d’un certificat de qualification. Si la validation ne concerne qu’une partie de diplôme, titre ou certificat, le jury attribue des dispenses d’épreuves ou ne valide que la partie du diplôme correspondant aux compétences possédées. Elle permet également d’accéder à un cursus de formation, sans justifier du niveau d’études ou des diplômes et titres normalement requis.
Qui est concerné?
Tous les publics sont visés par la VAE:
    Les salariés, quel que soit leur statut ( CDI, CDD, intérimaires…)
    Les non salariés (membres d’une profession libérale, exploitants agricoles, artisans, commerçants, travailleurs indépendants…)
    Les agents publics (titulaire ou non)
    Les demandeurs d’emploi (indemnisés ou non)
    Les bénévoles ayant une expérience associative ou  syndicale
    Toute personne, avec ou sans qualification reconnue, désirant en acquérir une, la compléter ou l’adapter afin de reprendre une activité.
Quelle expérience exigée?
Les acquis pouvant donner lieu à une validation sont l’ensemble des compétences professionnelles issues d’une activité salariée, non salariée ou bénévole, exercée, en continu ou non, pendant une durée totale cumulée d’au moins trois ans et en rapport avec la certification visée.
Les périodes de formation initiale ou continue, ainsi que les stages et les périodes de formation en milieu professionnel effectués pour la préparation d’un diplôme ou d’un titre, ne sont pas pris en compte dans la durée d’expérience.
C’est le jury de validation qui évalue le caractère professionnel des compétences acquises et leur lien avec celles exigées par le référentiel du diplôme, titre ou certificat visé. Il peut également prendre en compte les études supérieures accomplies dans un pays étranger.
Pour quelles certifications?
La VAE a vocation à s’appliquer à l’ensemble des diplômes, titres et certificats de qualification dès lors qu’ils sont inscrits dans le Répertoire national et que le règlement d’obtention ne l’interdit pas (notamment pour des raisons liées à la santé, la sécurité ou à la défense nationale).
Afin de permettre aux candidats potentiels et aux entreprises d'avoir une appréciation exacte des certifications qui les intéressent, le système de certification doit être cohérent et lisible. La loi crée un Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles, qui remplace la « liste d’homologation ». Ce répertoire a pour but l’enregistrement direct et de droit des diplômes et titres à finalité professionnelle délivrés au nom de l’Etat. Mais l’ensemble des diplômes et des titres à finalité professionnelle ainsi que les certificats de qualification ont vocation à y être inscrits, après instruction et avis de la Commission Nationale de la Certification Professionnelle. Cette commission nationale réunit les ministères concernés et des représentants du monde économique et social. Au sein du Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles, les diplômes et titres à finalité professionnelle sont classés par domaine d’activité et par niveau. Les certificats de qualification sont classés par domaine d’activité. Pour plus d'informations sur la CNCP: www.cncp.gouv.fr.
Démarche VAE
Une fois que l’autorité habilitée à délivrer la certification, s’est bien assurée que le candidat rempli les conditions requises pour demander une VAE, la demarche de validation peut commencer. Le principe de la validation consiste à évaluer les compétences construites par le candidat à travers son expérience  et de les comparer aux exigences du référentiel du diplôme ou du titre.
L’évaluation de cette expérience permet:
* D’obtenir la totalité d’un diplôme ou d’un titre, si les compétences évaluées par le jury correspondent à la totalité des compétences exigées par le référentiel du diplôme ou du titre,
* D'obtenir des unités constitutives du diplôme ou du titre dans le cas où les compétences évaluées ne couvrent pas tout le champ du diplôme. Dans ce cas le jury se prononce sur les compétences qui dans un délai de cinq ans à compter de la décision de notification, doivent faire l’objet de l’évaluation complémentaire nécessaire à l’obtention du diplôme. Le jury a un rôle de prescription de la formation ou de l’expérience professionnelle complémentaire qui permettra de développer ces compétences.
Nb: Un candidat ne peut déposer qu’une seule demande pendant la même année civile pour le même diplôme, titre ou certification, et trois demandes par année civile pour des diplômes, titres ou certificats différents.
Qui finance?
Le salarié peut faire valider ses acquis dans le cadre du plan de formation de l'entreprise. Le financement des actions de VAE est alors assuré sur le budget formation correspondant ou par l'organisme paritaire collecteur agréé (OPCA) dont relève l'entreprise.
Deux conditions doivent pour cela être remplies:
* La VAE ne peut se faire qu'avec le consentement du salarié (le refus de ce dernier ne peut en aucun cas constituer une faute ou un motif de licenciement),
* Une convention doit être signée entre l'employeur, le salarié et le ou les organismes chargés des actions de VAE.
La démarche de validation des acquis de l’expérience a un coût, variable selon les ministères et les organismes certificateurs. Ce coût peut être pris en charge en fonction du statut du demandeur.
Nb : pour plus d’informations à ce sujet, consulter le guide du financement de la VAE.

Pour vous guider dans votre projet professionnel
De l’emploi à la formation et de la formation à l’emploi: Comment trouver ma voie, de l’information, de l’appui et du conseil? Comment identifier ou préciser un choix d’étude, de profession, de formation de base, de formation continue? Comment financer ma formation?
La formation pour qui? pour moi!
> J’ai moins de 26 ans
Pour apprendre un métier et obtenir une qualification.
> Je suis demandeur d’emploi
Pour retrouver un emploi, la formation représente un enjeu majeur: il est souvent nécessaire d’évoluer voire de changer de métier.
> Je suis salarié
Pour évoluer dans mon métier ou pour changer d’activité, quelque soit la forme ou la durée de mon contrat, je peux, sous certaines conditions, me former.
> Je crée ou je reprends une entreprise
Pour mener à bien mon projet et me professionnaliser. Et si j’ai moins de 30 ans, je peux, sous certaines conditions, conclure un contrat d’apprentissage ou de professionnalisation.
La formation, une opportunité!
Une formation tout au long de la vie...
Chacun de nous changera plusieurs fois de profession et devra continuer à se former tout au long de sa carrière. Saisir les nouvelles opportunités, anticiper les évolutions, adapter sa formation au futur. En bref, réfléchir en permanence à son orientation pour mieux la maîtriser.
La formation tout au long de la vie permet:
- l’insertion ou la réinsertion professionnelle des travailleurs et des demandeurs d’emploi,
- le maintien dans l’emploi,
- le développement des compétences,
- l’accès aux différents niveaux de la qualification professionnelle,
- la promotion sociale.
Saisir sa chance
En tenant compte de ses talents, de ses intérêts, de l’évolution de l’emploi. Aujourd’hui, ce n’est plus une simple possibilité, c’est une véritable opportunité et une nécessité.
>Pour m’aider à définir mon projet professionnel, je peux effectuer un bilan de compétences ou suivre une action d’orientation...
Les solutions qui s'offrent à moi
> DEMANDEURS D’EMPLOIS
Par mon inscription à l’ANPE, je bénéficie du Projet Personnalisé d’Accès à l’Emploi (PPAE) qui peut me donner accès en fonction de ma situation personnelle et professionnelle, de mon niveau de formation et de mon expérience à diverses solutions d’orientation et de formation.
> Salariés
Depuis 2004, mes droits à la formation ont évolué. L’Accord National Interprofessionnel rend le salarié acteur de son parcours et accorde de nouveaux droits parmi lesquels:
Le bilan de compétences
Il me permet d’analyser mes compétences professionnelles et personnelles ainsi que mes aptitudes et mes motivations pour définir un projet professionnel ou un projet de formation.
Le Droit Individuel à la Formation (DIF)
Il me permet de bénéficier en accord avec mon employeur d’actions de formation professionnelle, rémunérées ou indemnisées, réalisées en dehors de mon temps de travail ou éventuellement pendant. Tous les ans, je suis informé par écrit du total de mes droits acquis au titre du dispositif DIF.
Le Congé Individuel de Formation (CIF)
C’est une autorisation d’absence, qui me permet de suivre à mon initiative une formation. Ce congé me permet d’accéder à un niveau supérieur de qualification, de changer d’activités ou de profession.
Le Contrat d’apprentissage
Il me permet, si je suis en CDI et que j’ai moins de 26 ans, et avec l’accord de mon employeur, d’obtenir un diplôme ou un niveau de qualification professionnelle supérieure ainsi qu’une expérience en entreprise ou dans le secteur public.
La Période de professionnalisation
La période de professionnalisation favorise mon maintien dans l’emploi. Elle me permet d’acquérir une qualification ou de participer à une action de formation de professionnalisation. Je vais alterner entre des enseignements généraux, professionnels ou technologiques dans un organisme de formation et une activité professionnelle dans l’entreprise.
La Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience (VAE) :
c’est la reconnaissance officielle des compétences acquises tout au long de ma vie. La VAE est un droit (prévu dans le Code de l’Education et le code du Travail)… Et surtout une chance de voir mon expérience validée par une certification reconnue par l’Etat (diplôme, titre, Certificat de Qualification Professionnelle).
> La VAE, c’est pour tout le monde:
- salariés (CDI, CDD, intérimaires…),
- non salariés (artisans, commerçants, exploitants agricoles, professions libérales, travailleurs indépendants…),
- agents publics (titulaires ou non),
- demandeurs d’emploi (indemnisés ou non),
- bénévoles (dans une associations ou un syndicat).
> La VAE, c’est la chance :
d’obtenir tout ou partie d’un diplôme, d’un titre ou d’un Certificat de Qualification Professionnelle.
> Avec la VAE, je peux faire évoluer ma vie professionnelle.
> La VAE, comment ça marche ?
La VAE prend en compte mon expérience. A partir du moment où j’ai exercé une activité (salariée, non salariée ou bénévole) pendant au moins 3 ans (en continu ou non, durée totale cumulée). Bien sûr, cette expérience doit être en rapport avec la certification (diplôme, titre ou Certificat de Qualification Professionnelle) que je souhaite obtenir! Un jury de validation étudie mon dossier, vérifie que les compétences acquises correspondent à la certification visée. La validation peut être totale ou partielle.