QAA Scotland worked with the higher education sector to develop the RPL Framework in Scotland, with the key aims of:

• expanding and embedding RPL to a much wider extent in the higher education sector
• raising awareness of and increasing transparency of RPL processes for staff and students
• reducing inconsistencies in RPL processes between and within HEIs
• allowing HEIs and other organisations to share and develop practice in RPL in a consistent and sustainable manner.

The Framework was initially published in 2014. It was reviewed and updated in 2021-22 as part of Valuing and Recognising Prior Learning and Experience, a project linked to the Resilient Learning Communities Enhancement Theme.

The underpinning work for the original Framework included the development of a set of RPL principles for HEIs, based on review of RPL practice across the UK and internationally. These principles have been substantially retained, with only minor adaptations, to make them applicable to a tertiary sector and with an enhanced focus on employers and professional bodies.

The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) toolkit, developed in 2014, is based around the Viewpoints method, a project led by the University of Ulster. The toolkit offers staff and students a practical way to develop RPL initiatives.

The resource consists of a sets of three cards, which you can use in a variety of workshop sessions. Each set deals with a different part of the RPL implementation process:

Developing understanding about and engagement with RPL
Departmental preparation and planning for RPL provision
Implementing RPL in programmes

The accompanying toolkit handbook explains the method behind the toolkit and gives valuable guidance about how to use it.

In 2010 we ran the European case studies project, with the aim to gather case studies on RPL in Scottish HEI's and the rest of Europe.