Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning in higher education: A European-North American comparison based on the French-Mexican cases

Abstract

In this paper, the authors examine the specificity of a new process for obtaining qualifications in a French higher education, based on the recognition of professional experience (APEL or VAE in French) and the potential of its replication to other countries Firstly, the purpose focuses on the pertinence of the notion of "competence" in accreditation of prior (experiential) learning (AP(E)L). Although APEL approaches in the French higher education system tend to lean toward the notion of "knowledge", it appears that an approach structured by competences and based on specific frames of reference, offers great potential. Secondly, the question of the replication of APEL process in the North American context is raised with a study of the Mexican case. If educational systems of both countries don't differ much, it appears that the transfer of the APEL process could be hazardous considering the cultural and social contexts and the difficulties associated to foreign educational transfers.

Keywords

• Higher Education
• Competency Approach
• Apel
• Vae
• France
• Mexico