On this page

1. Arrangements for the validation of non-formal and informal learning

2. Information and guidance

3. Quality assurance

Arrangements for the validation of non-formal and informal learning

The Act on Adult Education (Act No. 292/2024 Coll.), effective from January 2025, provides the legal basis for validation of learning outcomes acquired outside formal education. The law explicitly allows individuals from the age of 16 to participate in validation procedures.

Validation is supported by the National Qualifications System (NQS) and the Slovak Qualifications Framework (SKKR), which define qualification levels and learning outcomes. The national portal kvalifikacie.sk provides access to qualification cards, assessment standards, and guidance for validation.

Validation typically involves:

• Documentation of competences through a portfolio (e.g. certificates, project work, Youthpass)
• Assessment by authorised institutions using predefined qualification standards
• Certification, which may lead to partial or full recognition of a qualification

Validated competences can be credited toward formal qualifications, such as vocational certificates or final exams in vocational education and training (VET) institutions.

Tools and Initiatives Supporting Validation for Youth

• Youthpass: Used in Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps projects, Youthpass documents competences gained through youth work and volunteering and is accepted in validation portfolios.
• D-zručnosti pre zamestnanie: An online tool for volunteers to identify and document competences.

Target Groups

Validation is particularly supported for:

• Young people without formal qualifications
• NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training)
• Long-term unemployed youth
• Volunteers and youth workers seeking recognition of competences

These groups benefit from individual learning accounts, guidance services, and outreach initiatives.

Information and guidance

Public authorities and civil society organisations in Slovakia actively promote awareness and access to validation opportunities for non-formal and informal learning. These services are designed to be accessible to all individuals, including young people from the age of 16, and are often linked to national and European initiatives.

Key actors and channels include:

• Združenie informačných a poradenských centier mladých v Slovenskej republike – ZIPCeM (Association of Youth Information and Counselling Centres in the Slovak Republic): ZIPCeM is the umbrella organisation for a national network of Informačné centrá mladých – ICMs (Youth Information Centres) operating across Slovakia. These centres provide young people with access to information, counselling, and support in documenting competences gained through non-formal and informal learning. They also offer guidance on opportunities for further education, volunteering, and employment.
• Národný inštitút vzdelávania a mládeže – NIVaM (National Institute for Education and Youth): NIVaM plays a central role in developing non-formal education and youth work in Slovakia. It supports training for youth workers, coordinates national strategies, and contributes to the recognition of competences gained outside formal education.
• Integrated System of Adult Education Information: This national portal provides comprehensive information on validation procedures, training offers, and guidance services.
• Career guidance centres, employment offices, and youth information centres
  These institutions offer personalised support for documenting competences, preparing portfolios, and navigating the validation process.
• Eurodesk Slovakia
  As part of the European youth information network, Eurodesk provides guidance on learning mobility, volunteering, and recognition of competences gained through non-formal education. It actively promotes tools like Youthpass and Europass.
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
  NGOs involved in youth work and volunteering help young people identify and document competences, provide mentoring, and facilitate access to validation services. Many are active in Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps projects.
• Awareness campaigns, publications, and public events
  Organised by ministries, NIVaM, ZIPCeM, and other stakeholders, these initiatives highlight the value of non-formal learning and inform the public about validation opportunities. They often target vulnerable youth groups, including NEETs and early school leavers.

Quality assurance

The 2024 Act on Adult Education introduces a formal quality assurance framework for validation. The law requires institutions offering adult education, including those engaged in validation of non-formal and informal learning, to establish and maintain internal quality assurance systems. These systems are designed to uphold and continuously improve the quality of educational and validation services provided.

• Certification and accreditation processes for these institutions are explicitly linked to compliance with quality standards defined by the Ministry of Education. Only institutions meeting these standards receive or retain certification to offer formal validation services and adult education programs.

• The Ministry of Education exercises systematic monitoring and oversight of certified institutions. Additionally, the newly established Sector Councils Alliance plays a governance role related to qualifications, including supervision of quality and standards in adult education and validation.

• The framework includes feedback mechanisms and institutional evaluations to ensure transparency, reliability, and continuous improvement of validation procedures and adult education provision.