A Study On The Establishment Of National Qualifications Framework In The United Kingdom Under The Background Of Lifelong Learning

The establishment of National Qualifications Framework has become an important measure to promote the development of lifelong learning and the construction of learning society,and has been widely recognized in the world.The United Kingdom,as one of the pioneers to explore the establishment of National Qualifications Framework,began to build National Vocational Qualifications in the 1980 s.Through decades of practice and reform,the UK has continuously and frequently updated its Qualifications Framework.Thus its Qualifications Framework has become more and more mature.And it has a positive impact on promoting the construction process of National Qualifications Framework throughout the world,so as to become the typical case.The UK has established some partial Qualifications Frameworks in different regions and educational fields,instead of establishing Qualifications Framework in national level,which reflects the particularity of its construction of National Qualifications Framework.This study systematically studies National Qualifications Frameworks in the UK from theoretical and historical perspective.Firstly,the study discusses the theoretical foundation of National Qualifications Framework,including theory of lifelong education,theory of lifelong learning,theory of new vocationalism,theory of dualism and theory of multiple intelligences.Secondly,the study summarizes the evolution of National Qualifications Frameworks in the UK,and divided the development process into the conception and exploration stage,the establishment and development stage,the adjustment and reform stage.Thirdly,the study describes the current Qualifications Frameworks in the UK,namely Regulated Qualifications Framework,Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework,Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales,from three aspects which is structure and content,management mechanism,implementation and impact,so as to present a comprehensive overview of National Qualifications Framework in the UK.Finally,the study makes a comparative analysis of the existing Qualifications Frameworks in the UK,summarizes its characteristics,reveals its problems and deficiencies,in order to provide references and enlightenments for the construction of National Qualifications Framework in China.