ARCKA – Assessing, Recognizing Competences and certifying Knowledge Acquisition. Valuing human capital of children of foreign origin in education and Training in Europe

According to Lisbon objectives in education and training and under the assumption of the important role that schools have for integration (as stressed in EU CBP for immigrant integration policy), considered that valorisation of human capital is a primary asset not only for social integration issues, but also for a knowledge-based competitiveness benefit, in particular in time of economic downturn and labour market difficulties, the proposal, focusing on secondary education (11-18 years old students) aims to improve comparative knowledge on good practises of assessments and recognition of knowledge, skills and competences of migrant students entering and exiting the education system, in order to adapt teaching skills, to avoid the placement of migrant children in lower than their age-appropriate grades and to support new forms of knowledge certification useful for job research and mobility. The project wants also to promote an effective mutual exchange at translocal level between educational staff to share experiences and to identify common criteria to disseminate good practices in assessing and recognizing of migrant students competences and to improve equity and wellbeing in education, involving also migrant families.

The project is articulated in the following phases:

• context analysis and elaboration of a set of indicators;
• mapping of practices of assessment and recognition of prior leaning and skills certification of third-country nationals’ students;
• identification of the criteria and selection of good practice;
• elaboration of guidelines and recommendations to promote third country national students well being and success and to involve parents in cooperative actions to support children school careers;
• mainstreaming and dissemination of the activities and project results will be developed using several channels and measures.