The reality of the NQF project is described in the five chapters that follow this. For each of the countries involved there is a description of the history of the project and of NQF-related work. This is followed by a description of the position of the work in the early months of 2009. Also included for most countries is an indication of where the project might lead in terms of the development of the qualifications system. The countries have provided information about their broad political goals and the main social and economic changes that have taken place. The relative importance of qualification development in the context of these broad political and social changes is also discussed. NQF work is often based on new legal and institutional structures, as discussed in Chapter 4, and here the evidence is presented country by country.

Regional Characteristics

The ETF has evolved a regional structure for working with countries, a structure that depends on many factors. Some of these are especially important, including the state of readiness to join the EU and the close geographical, social and cultural relationships between groups of countries. In this publication the NQF work is presented in regional country groups.

• Russia and Ukraine have worked together on NQF project development since 2005, and although work has progressed at different speeds there has been an exchange of expertise and joint participation in national seminars (see Chapter 12).

• […]